About SWAAT
Social welfare, academics and training (swaat) for pakistan is a trust established for the benefit of the people of Pakistan, with special interest in providing work and employment opportunities to the youth of the swat and khyber pakhtoonkhwa (kpk)
The Pakistan Army initiated a counter-insurgency operation in 2009 to eradicate the militants from the area. This was a successful operation; civilians were first shifted out to other, safer, areas. Approximately 3 Million people were accommodated in nearby areas, such as Swabi, Mardan, Peshawer and Islamabad-Rawalpindi.Many of these civilian families lived as Internally Displaced Persons (IDP’s), but was allowed to begin returning home, July 2009 onwards. Unfortunately, as they returned, much of the industry had shut down, as it had suffered during the reign of the militants and then the counter-insurgency operations. Thus employment opportunities in these regions have decreased substantially, due to the militancy period it experienced between 2007 – 2009. Schools had been demolished and or had been used as training camps by the militants, who were recruiting school-going children, some of whom were abducted, and others joined voluntarily (either, because they agreed with the ideology of the militants – which was misconstrued – or feared for their lives of their family members, should they refuse.
SWAaT envisions supporting the individuals vulnerable to the overtures of militancy, with respect to Education and Vocational training, along with establishing means to create job opportunities in Swat and the KPK region and or other parts of Pakistan.
Mission and Vision
Measures to alleviate the trust deficit of the donors
Provide a tax exempt, trusted, transparent, cost effective channel and enhancing participatory fulfillment at every stage
SWAaT’s mission is to substantially improve the quality of life of the underprivileged Pakistanis, particularly in the KPK region, social welfare is possible only if we increase the volume of donations, buttressing the current education system and providing vocational training to the young and unemployed and Improve the quality of life of the underprivileged.
SWAaT Projects
EDUCATION
SWAAT in collaboration with ITA (Idara-e-Taleem-o-Agahi), has been supporting the education at five of the vulnerable schools in Swat. That is, Tootanobanday, Kabbal, Kanju, Charbagh and Deolai. All of these schools are Government Higher Secondary Schools for boys. Each school has been provided a fully equipped IT Lab and a Library in order to facilitate the learning and improve on the already existing teaching strategies. Two (2) teachers per school are also being supplemented, in order to provide the required support. Teacher training workshops are held on a quarterly basis in order to address the problems, issues, challenges in modes and methods of teaching and implementing ways of improving logical reasoning and rational thinking.
HEALTH
EARTHQUAKE RELIEF
A 7.7-magnitude earthquake killed over 300 people and leveled houses in the Awaran district of Balochistan on September 24, 2013. It was followed by another 7.2-magnitude earthquake, with its epicenter in Khuzdar, on Saturday which added to the death and destruction.
Donations were made in the form of dry goods like Rice, Sugar, Flour (Atta), Onions, Potatoes, Lentils, Cooking oil, Tea, Milk (tetra packs or powder), dates, biscuits, bottled water, medicines, tents and shelters.
JOBS
VOCATIONAL SUPPORT CENTER
SWAaT’s aim is to support these vulnerable individuals by providing them with guidance and arranging for employment opportunities depending on their qualifications. For this purpose,SWAaT have established a Vocational Support Center (VSC), in attempt to solicit jobs for the vulnerable youth of Swat with the help of SWAaT. The hypothesis if the young have a goal which would provide a reasonable means, then they would be unlikely to respond to the overtures by miscreants, be it petty crime of militancy.
This has been initiated as of the 1st of March 2013, and three (3) of our youth from Swat are stationed in Lahore, enrolled in Life Skills and Entrepreneurship Skills course for a 3 month duration. Once they exhibit a good understanding of the course, they will be working in the capacity of Placement Officers, scouting for employment for other vulnerable youth of Swat (to begin with) and then the KPK.
Citizenship Programs:
Active Leadership Program: Student leadership clubs will be formed during the next quarter with 5-6 captains chosen from each school across grades who will provide mentor ship to their class/school mates on : mobilizing/curtailing enrollments/dropouts, school, environment innovations and ideas for school improvement; community service and become members of PTC to give a voice to annual school planning. They will display special badges and gowns/waist coats specially made for them. Each year a new group will be selected and any captain chosen who does not perform within 2 months will be replaced. Encouragement in sports and play activities in each school that is safe, inculcates the right to play, express and build a team spirit. To ensure that each school hosts special thematic assemblies each month or twice a month on issues such as elections and democracy; quality education; earth day; peace; famous poets; based on some activities undertaken by the students/teachers in clubs/project based learning.