April 2019 - National Volunteer Programme

FNF – Climate Change Teachers Training Program 2019

April 29, 2019April 30, 2019 by mehfooz

16-17 March 2019 – Movenpick Hotel, Karachi

National Volunteer Programme (NVP) partnered with Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) in organizing a two-day Capacity building training for Teachers on Climate Change. Training was held on 16th – 17th March, 2019 at Movenpick Hotel, Karachi.

About Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom:

The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) is a foundation in the Federal Republic of Germany devoted to the promotion of liberal principles and to political education. The goal of the foundation is to advance the principles of freedom and dignity for all people in all areas of society, both in Germany and abroad.

NVP liaised with FNF in Pakistan to nominate school teachers for the climate change training. The training was aimed at building a conceptual understanding of teachers on climate change and improving their knowledge on the changing dynamics of climate, so that they can teach and communicate effectively to young students about this changing phenomenon. The purpose was to amplify teachers’ learning that could transform knowledge to the students – who are the future of our nation.

The training was led by a climate-change trainer and communication specialist Afia Salam. NVP engaged teachers from school of their partner not-for-profit institutions. At the completion of training session, teachers were awarded with certificate of participation. Following is a list of schools participated in climate change programme:

Karachi Vocational Training Centre

Rana Liaquat Craftsmen’s Colony

Street to School

The Garage School

Zindagi Trust, SMB Fatimah Jinnah School

Here is a summary of feedback NVP received from 16 participant teachers

Q. What was your learning from this two days’ workshop on climate change?

Attending the workshop, we realized how our environment is depleting and how negligible we are towards it. Moreover, learned sustainable values like reverse, reduce and recycle the vital resources, promoting plantation with different techniques, reducing environmental pollution, abolishing single use of plastic, conserve energy and save nonrenewable resources by using alternative methods that were taught. Most of all, add more emphasis on sustainable development so that our future generations should not pay for our current doings.

This learning will help us a lot in future for conducting sessions and workshops for the youth of our nation.
We will try to implement new ideas to improve the climate situation; like advanced methods for the treatment of waste water, placing bins on right places, plantation activities and much more to save the climate.
It was really impressive to get the opportunity of Ma’am Afia Salam and her team for delivering this needful training.

Q. With the help of workshop and interactive discussion, how will you help transform the subject to students at your school?

It was not just a session based on lecture series, but instead it was a complete workshop well-coordinated with other group-based activities comprising of diverse ideas from all participants.

Teachers can play a vital role in transforming the mindset of new generation by imparting the knowledge through various interactive ways, for e.g.: Audio / visuals, assembly presentations, outdoor drill e.g. beach cleaning activities to develop the sense of recycling.
It is helpful to educate parents and spread the awareness in society for reinforcing the theory of saving environment from malpractices.
The learning enables us to change our community and reduce its carbon footprints by implementing all techniques which we learned in the workshop.

The aspiration to share knowledge

April 19, 2019April 19, 2019 by mehfooz

From the very beginning, National Volunteer Programme has laid down concrete principles of focusing on the right cause to volunteer for. This preamble has held NVP on the right track of striving for signiﬁcant impact through volunteerism. Every volunteer activity is undertaken in the account of genuine social cause and a batch of dedicated volunteers is delegated to lend their time & knowledge and bring about a productive output.

Zindagi Trust – SMB Fatima Jinnah Govt. Girls Campus has liaised with NVP since 2.5 years. The premier adheres to a mission of educating nation’s women and aims to leave no compromise over quality education.

To sustain this, NVP helps with the provision of visionary volunteers like Sheliza Ismail and Iqra Tariq.

Sheliza has travelled all the way from Canada on a project basis at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi. She approached NVP to seek a social service opportunity where she could best serve her capabilities. Whereas Iqra, who has been a beneﬁciary of SMB Fatima Jinnah, has earned her matriculation degree from there and received a chance to give back to her own childhood campus.

They have worked in collaboration and pulled out various sessions over career development, English literacy and Arts.

Sheliza Ismail and Iqra Tariq have been working jointly at SMB Fatimah Jinnah School. They planned a curriculum of English language Training together for primary classes so that students can get beneﬁt of both of them.

Sheliza in discussion with primary girls during English activity class

Sheliza discussing issues faced by students of Primary

Iqra and Sheliza during career guidance session

SMB team was of the view that NVP volunteers while imparting incredible knowledge, also worked as mentors for the students. This comes when they share their personal experience. Imagine if you could get a chance to express your own experience for the beneﬁt of students from an under privileged community, it gives you a sense of completeness.

The incredible journey of Sheliza and Iqra goes on. Sheliza used to develop presentations and training components for primary school students as well as nursery teachers, while Iqra used to support her in compiling information and coordinating during training.

What makes your ties stronger with NVP?

Iqra Tariq: I completed my Matric and Intermediate from SMB and when oﬀered to work with SMB, it was an amazing feeling. You can imagine how you feel getting a chance to return to your childhood school. The wall of every corner at SMB makes me feel proud to give back today.

Sheliza Ismail: I am a resident of Canada and stayed in Pakistan to do a project. I had a passion to help the community with counseling and training. Working with SMB School as a trainer was a meaningful experience.

With the passage of time, Sheliza has integrated herself so deeply with SMB that even after completing her volunteer term she showed desire to pursue voluntary service once back from Kenya, Africa.

Glimpse of Montessori Teachers Training

Iqra & Sheliza together with Montessori teachers while demonstrating on a topic.