Social and Political Capitals

The themes of Social and Political Capitals are presently combined into one theme programme. The focus of Social Capital is on social organization; and that of Political Capital is on policy advocacy and institutional reform. This categorization is somewhat arbitrary, as strategies and activities of Social and Political Capitals overlap significantly.

Social organization: Currently Omar Asghar Khan Development Foundation is working with local communities in more than 250 rural and peri-urban areas of Districts Abbottabad, Batagram, Mansehra, and Haripur in NWFP. In collaboration with local people, the Foundation is strengthening existing local organizations and where needed setting up new organizations for women and men. These organizations are called People's Organizations (POs). At the village level, a PO’s membership includes at least 90% of all households. As the People's Organizations mature, efforts are underway to coalesce them at the Union Council, and then at the district level.

Policy advocacy: Working in collaboration with the village, UC and district-level people's organizations and coalitions, Omar Asghar Khan Development Foundation is building public demand for pro-poor policies and institutions. Its multi-pronged public advocacy strategies include mechanisms such as the People’s Assemblies to promote public reasoning and citizen activism. The Foundation has organized more than 30 People’s Assemblies in the period 2005-06. At these events citizens have debated issues such as the local government and its electoral process; women’s political participation; relief and rehabilitation; and livelihood security. Close interaction with the media has enabled the projection of public opinion across the country and beyond. The Foundation has also facilitated the establishment of a civil society platform, District Forum Abbottabad.

·     Human Capital

Omar Asghar Khan Development Foundation is working towards improving the state of health and education facilities. The focus on these social sectors serves as an entry point with an underpinning emphasis on organizing and mobilizing people, particularly the more vulnerable.

Health: The Foundation is working in partnership with the public sector health facilities and providers to develop best practices in health service delivery, especially reproductive health. For example, in Union Councils Dalola and Urban Havelian it is working with the government and local communities to upgrade the local BHU facilities. Best practices emerging from this experience will be applied to other areas.

Education: Increasing access to good quality education is also a key focus of the Omar Asghar Khan Development Foundation. It will work in partnership with other organizations to set up non-formal schools and provide teacher training, and supplementary training material to students. This intervention, like all other programme activities, will seek to promote affirmative action for women and girls. Therefore, greater focus will be given to girls' education.

Produced Capital

The Foundation, in collaboration with local people, is undertaking small infrastructure projects including supplying drinking water, paving streets, constructing shingle roads, and improving sewerage and sanitation facilities. It is also working on provision of irrigation and drinking water through constructing small irrigation channels, and installing hand pumps, etc. At present it is implementing more than 100 infrastructure projects in the earthquake affected areas.

Natural Capital

Livelihoods of local populations, particularly the poor, in Hazara as well as most other parts of Pakistan continue to depend on natural capital. Given the primacy of natural capital in people's lives, the Foundation will undertake activities to assist households to increase their access and ownership of this vital asset. The Foundation's activities under this theme are categorized into: (a) forests; (b) agriculture. The Foundation will work with local small land-holders to improve productivity through short trainings in crop management, and increase profit through better marketing. Training will seek to assist farmers in developing an understanding and skills for rational use of pesticides and fertilizers, and where possible will promote the use of organic farming inputs. Provision of irrigation water, described under infrastructure development, will also seek to improve yields.