Latest news with #PathfinderInternational
Business Recorder
21-07-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
SCF equips rural women with livestock, entrepreneurial skills
HYDERABAD: Sindh Community Foundation (SCF), with the support of Pathfinder International under the SURMI project, organized a two-day training workshop on Climate-Smart Livestock Management and Entrepreneurship Skills for 30 rural women from coastal districts of Sindh. The workshop aimed to equip selected women beneficiaries with practical knowledge and skills to enhance their resilience and livelihood opportunities in the face of climate change. On the first day, the training focused on various aspects of climate-smart livestock management, including disease prevention, vaccination animal care practices, habitat management, and adaptive strategies to cope with changing environmental conditions. The second day was dedicated to building the women's capacity in entrepreneurship and small-scale business development, particularly in the areas of livestock-based and home-based food security income-generating activities. These women have been identified under the project's livelihood component to receive support in initiating their own small-scale businesses. Ms. Hira Arain and Lateef Soomro facilitated the sessions as trainers, delivering technical and practical insights to the participants. A concluding ceremony was held and attended by M.B. Khaskheli, Cluster Coordinator, Pathfinder International; Javed Hussain, Executive Director, SCF; and Fayaz Wagan, Deputy Director, Livestock Department, Thatta and Humera Ali SCF. Speaking at the event, Fayaz Wagan, Deputy Director of the Livestock Department, Thatta, emphasized that women are the primary caretakers of livestock in rural areas. He stressed the need to raise awareness among women about modern techniques of livestock management, especially in the context of changing disease patterns due to climate change. He noted that vaccination, timely disease prevention, and proper animal care are essential for maintaining healthy livestock and ensuring sustained livelihoods. Javed Hussain, Executive Director of Sindh Community Foundation, stated that while Pakistan remains one of the leading producers of milk and meat, the livestock sector faces growing threats from climate-induced diseases and environmental stressors. He underlined the urgent need to promote climate-smart livestock practices to protect rural economies and strengthen national food security. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
02-06-2025
- General
- Business Recorder
SCF launches District Disaster Response Network
HYDERABAD: In a proactive move to strengthen community resilience against climate-related emergencies, the Sindh Community Foundation (SCF), with support from Pathfinder International, successfully trained 102 young people, aged 18 to 29, from 10 villages across Thatta, including coastal areas, in first aid and emergency response skills. The initiative was conducted under SCF's ongoing SURMI Project, which focuses on climate resilience and youth empowerment. Over the course of four three-day workshops, participants received hands-on training in CPR, bleeding control, burn management, electric shock response, and fire safety, alongside in-depth sessions on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), climate change adaptation, and interpreting early warning systems. 'Communities are always the first responders during disasters,' emphasized Javed Hussain, Executive Director of SCF, during the closing ceremony. 'Training youth equips villages with immediate support mechanisms while creating a bridge with institutions like the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) to enhance coordinated response and reduce risk.' Retired Commander Naeem Yousuf, the lead trainer, conducted rigorous drills and simulations, preparing the youth to respond effectively during climate-induced crises such as floods, cyclones, and heat waves now more frequent and intense in Thatta due to climate change. Senior district officials including Additional Deputy Commissioner-I Ghulam Dastgeer, Assistant Commissioner Shakir Faheem, and Dr. Rahena from the District Health Department praised the initiative. They emphasized the growing urgency for community-based disaster preparedness in vulnerable regions like Thatta. Humera Ali, SCF's Project Manager, and MB Khaskheli, Cluster Coordinator from Pathfinder International, appreciated the participants' commitment and energy. They highlighted the transformative potential of engaging youth in localized climate action and emergency response. The culmination of the fourth training batch marked a significant milestone: the formation of the Youth Network for Disaster Risk Reduction and Emergency Response. The network consists of 29 trained young leaders—both male and female—who will now take on formal roles as community-based first responders, emergency educators, and local coordinators for DRR activities across Thatta. This youth-led network is designed to engage young people in awareness, preparedness, and response actions for disasters and climate emergencies, while fostering stronger linkages between local communities and government disaster management systems. It represents a model for climate-adaptive, community-driven resilience—one that places youth at the forefront of building a safer, more prepared Thatta. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
