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Atiya Khan - Vice Chair – HDF Board of Director
August 27, 2008
Believe It Or Not
HDF Launches Free Knowledge Access For All in Pakistan
The Human Development Foundation (HDF) is launching an innovative initiative about knowledge dissemination in Pakistan: education, literacy, business skills, community mobilization, basic health skills, and vocational skills.
The new project HDF is launching in Pakistan is called Digital Study Hall (DSH). DSH uses digital video to disseminate targeted knowledge and skills training. The best practices of experts in different fields are captured on digital video, and these DVDs are provided to schools and other institutions.
The best part is that these videos will be made available on the Internet for anyone to download, free of charge.
I am proud to tell you that, within the next few years, this new initiative will bring about a revolution in knowledge dissemination.
The best experts and teachers not only use the most effective teaching methods in a culturally relevant context, but also inspire students, get them excited about learning, expand their horizons, and provide better economic opportunities.
Great teachers are usually available only to a few fortunate people who can afford to pay high tuition rates. DSH video will expand and democratize their reach to much larger audiences, thereby massively increasing their impact.
The DSH model will have dual benefits of being:
1) An effective student study aid
2) A teacher training aid
The first HDF pilot program of DSH will cover four (4) topics:
1) Children’s Education
2) Basic healthcare training (example: basic hygiene)
3) Social mobilization (example: how to train and educate communities in self help)
4) Vocational training (example: basic plumbing skills, electrician skills)
This first step may seem modest, but it is a critical step toward HDF’s developmental goals.
Such an achievement would mark a milestone in the history of Pakistan and would sow the seeds of a revolution in knowledge attainment opportunities for the people of Pakistan.
Yes, all this by HDF, the organization that ten years ago introduced the idea of an integrated model of development in the rural areas of Pakistan With your support and the hard work of the people carrying out the projects on the ground, HDF has been successful.
Imagine the impact it will have on our future generations, who will be getting the best education possible. This project will allow them to compete with the rest of the world and advance rapidly, helping our country leap ahead of other developing countries.
I am so excited about this project, and I hope that you now are too!
GO HDF!
If you like help financially or with your time & specific expertise, then please send an
email to: helpdsh@hdf.com.
If you are a blogger or press person and like to get more information then please:
Email to Shahid Khan: skhan33@gmail.com
Call Shahid Khan: +1.650.740.5527
Tahira's Story
Tahira, born into a family of poverty, considered education and skills a privilege, not a basic human right. She was one of 6 children born to uneducated, unskilled parents. Her father worked in a textile mill for his daily wages. His wages were not even enough to provide food for his family, let alone afford an education for all his children beyond middle school. This small village of Korona, in district Mardan, seemed far away from such luxuries as being educated, being skilled, or even maintain a sustainable life.
Even though Tahira longed to help out her family, she had neither the skills nor the education to be of much assistance. That didn’t change until she joined HDF’s Development Organization (DO) in early 2006. She became active in her local DO and was selected to undergo Basic Garments Training. Such training gave Tahira a valuable skill and the motivation to learn her trade. Quickly, she became expert in cutting and stitching. As her skills grew, people became coming to Tahira for sewing and tailoring at Rs. 20. In this way, she was able to contribute to her family’s income and also boosted her self-confidence.
Feeling more confident in her abilities, Tahira eagerly began in Advanced Garment training. This training taught Tahira how to design garments, as well as embroidery work which increased her earning potential. Now, instead of Rs. 20, Tahira was earning Rs. 50-100 per suit and charging Rs. 200-300 for her fine embroidery work.
Now, Tahira earns Rs. 3000 a month and is shouldering the family’s requirement along side her father. Her ingenuity and resourcefulness as fueled her goals further still and she plans to sell clothes she’s designed in the market and offer her service for better rates. Without the training she received at her local DO, Tahira wouldn’t be the inspiring success story she is today, and that is all possible through the donations we receive from loyal donors like you.
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