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| Upper Siran Human and Natural Resources Development Project 2004 - 2007
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| The project was
completed with some delay in September
2007 since the heavy earthquake in October 2005 required a
change in some activities. Priority was given to emergency
relief for the people affected by the quake. The epicentre
was located right in the project area and brought incredible personal
suffering, killed most of the domestic animals and destroyed 95% of
the infrastructure. The original project
goal had been to contribute towards
the protection of natural resources and preservation of biodiversity
in the mountainous Siran area (Western Himalayas) in the North western
province of Pakistan. |
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Growing population pressure, non-adjusted land use systems and the rapidly increasing demand for fuel wood are threatening the coniferous forests, rangelands and farming areas in the region. Due to the remoteness and difficult accessibility of the project area hardly any development activities have taken place there. The local Gujar people are among the poorest and most underprivileged ethnic groups of the Hazara Division and the North western province. In order to implement the project activities, our local
partner, the NGO Haashar
was strengthened institutionally and expanded with additional staff.
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During the initial years, autonomous community organisations were established which then took charge of implementing the project activities. Despite initial difficulties, women groups were formed which were trained by female project staff. Among the activities focussed on women were information on hygiene and illnesses as well as pregnancy and infant care. |
| A major project goal was the alleviation
of poverty through income-generating measures. The project
successfully expanded the range of domestic animals (e.g. keeping
chicken), promoted cultivation of additional fruit and vegetables
as well as medicinal plants. |
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In order to protect the natural resources water supply systems were built in several villages which provide clean drinking water to hundreds of households. A new road built in this steep terrain made some of the remote communities more accessible. A village savings fund was established to generate the finances for necessary investments. |
| Many
of these project activities were interrupted by the earthquake and
were re-started at the end of 2006. In the course of the emergency
programme, our partner Haashar developed into a large organisation
with a staff of 80 and provided efficient and fast assistance for
rehabilitation. As a consequence, this support allowed people in the
project region to remain in their villages, while other earthquake
victims had to move to the government refugee camps. Many of these
camps are still overpopulated to this day. Since other donors and
an additional relief project by the Austrian Development Cooperation
provided additional funds for rehabilitation, life in the communities
was restored at least to a minimum level. |
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