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INVITATION
TO CELEBRATE 10 YEARS OF HDF SUCCESS!
Assalamo
Alaikum.
On
behalf of the Board of Directors and staff of the Human Development Foundation,
we would like to invite you to the HDF convention on Memorial Day weekend
in 2007. The convention is part of HDF’s 10-year celebration.
We are planning a very exciting program geared towards all those who are interested
in human development in general, as well as Pakistan in particular.
There
will be programs for children and young adults also. One of our goals is to
help reconnect second generation Pakistani-Americans to the homeland of their
parents and grandparents.
HDF
started with an idea in a handful of peoples’ mind ten years ago. It has
grown into a movement with thousands of people participating in many parts of
the world.
WHAT
MAKES HDF SPECIAL?
HDF
programs:
Field
work: The HDF integrated model of development was recommended by social scientists
in the context of Pakistan. It was based on the fact that development has to
be ‘people centered’ and has to address the main building blocks
of development (i.e. education, health and financial self-sufficiency). We also
believe that people have the capacity to define and solve their own problems
given enough resources and relevant skills. So the basis of all HDF projects
is involvement of the local community. HDF works with the communities as a partner—not
simply as a charity. We “help people help themselves.” Once empowered,
they become agents of change.
Based
on this philosophy, HDF implemented “Project Pakistan”-- first in
Mardan, NWFP, Pakistan in 1999. From there, it has grown into eight regions
in all four provinces of Pakistan and Kashmir.
Besides
setting up schools, health clinics, micro-credit and capacity building programs,
and infrastructure, HDF has been able to bring about the positive social change
through empowered communities. This is evident by the fact that many of HDF
development organizations getting registered as Community Citizen Boards. Many
of HDF activists from these communities have been elected as part of the local
government.
HDF
is also planning on expanding its’ program services to the United States,
through Project USA. More information about Project USA is coming soon.
Advocacy:
Even though HDF has been able to change the lives of seceral hundred
thousand people, to now bring about a change on a much larger scale something
else has to be done. So HDF is launching a structured advocacy program that
will enable all HDF supporters to enroll themselves as HDF activists and work
towards human development goals worldwide. Stay tuned for more details.
Human
Development Institute: HDF will also be setting up a learning center
in Pakistan in the form of an institute. The HDF Institute will be used for
research, developing innovative methods for development and training people
in the field of development. This is still in conceptual phase.
HDF
is registered in three countries at this time i.e. USA, Pakistan and Canada.
We hope to be registered in many more countries in future. If you are interested
in bringing the wonderful work of HDF to your country, please contact us. We
are planning to set up an HDF International by the end of 2007.
This
year will be a very exciting one for all of us here at HDF, and for everyone
in the field of Human Development. We hope to see you at the convention!
Peace,
Shahnaz
Khan
M. Khalid Riaz
HDF Co- Chairs
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