Re: ~ POSITIVE PAKISTANIS ~
Shoaib Sultan Khan, who should be a role model for all of us.
Shoaib Sultan Khan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Shoaib Sultan Khan (SSK) is widely recognized as one of the pioneers of rural development programmes in Pakistan.[1]
He served for 59 years in various development organizations including Aga Khan Foundation, UNICEF, UNDP, and Rural Support Programmes Network. As a CSP Officer, he worked with the Government of Pakistan for 25 years, later on he served Geneva-based Aga Khan Foundation for 12 years and UNICEF and UNDP for 14 years. Since his retirement, he has been involved with the Rural Support Programmes (RSPs) of Pakistan full-time, on voluntary basis.
Shoaib Sultan is a recipient of numerous awards including the distinguished the United Nations Environment Programme Global 500 Award in 1989, the Sitara-i-Imtiaz in 1990, the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1992, the WWF Conservation Medal in 1994, “Man of the Year” Rotary International (Pakistan) Gold Medal in 2005, Sitara-e-Eisaar and Hilal-i-Imtiaz by the President of Pakistan in 2006. In 2009 he was elected as Senior Ashoka Fellow. He has penned numerous research papers and books and is considered as an authority in the field of ‘rural development’.[2] In 2009, he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize[3] for “Unleashing the power and potential of the poor”.[4]
Rural Support Programmes: Evolution & Success
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Dialogue with the community in the northern areas of Pakistan
In 1982, he laid the foundation of Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP), a citizen sector organization that targets poverty-stricken villages and engages their inhabitants in development programmes, with the larger goal of involving the public in policy change. Based on the philosophy that the poor are willing to overcome barriers to sustainable livelihood but lack the capacity to do so, the interventions of AKRSP have particularly focused on monetary independence through community organization, capacity building and fostering human capital.
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During a Field Visit with Dr. Akhter Hameed Khan
He believes that investment in community organization projects can prove to be the best catalysts for collective decision making and accountability in the underprivileged rural communities. In his initial dialogues with the community, he clarified that the Programme would give each village a one-time-only grant for such a project—but on certain conditions. He guided them to choose the project collectively keeping in view that the project must benefit everyone; for that they must form a community organization to plan, build, and maintain the project; they must meet regularly with everyone present; and they must make systematic contributions to a common fund so that there would be savings and collateral to help meet future needs.
As the projects got underway, his team carefully monitored the construction of each new irrigation channel and link road, and subsequently funneled equipment, supplies, and essential expertise to the villagers. As the new land was opened to irrigation, he urged them on to the next stage. “The sooner you develop the land,” he used to inform them, “the sooner you will benefit from it.” The programme also introduced new strains of plants, taught villagers new skills, and encouraged the illiterate and ever-toiling women of the area to assert themselves and participate in collective initiatives of their own.
As a result, more than one thousand local projects funded by AKRSP brought 100,000 hectares of new land under irrigation. More than seven thousand community members were successfully trained as managers, accountants, and specialists in farming, animal husbandry, forestry and marketing. Local organizations of around 1,400 villages are now managing livelihood projects, generating their own capital, and conserving local resources. In addition to that, millions of trees provided by the programme anchor the thin mountain soil and yield apricots and apples for selling “down country,” as well as fuel and timber for the future.
His efforts have clearly made a difference to the livelihood of millions in the Northern Areas of Pakistan. As his working method is attracting the attention of other development professionals globally, his vision is spreading.[6]
At the behest of United Nations Development Programme, he undertook through South Asian Poverty Alleviation Programme (SAPAP), setting up demonstration pilots on the pattern of AKRSP in Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal and Sri lanka and replication of AKRSP in Pakistan. AKRSP is now a national programme in Pakistan. In South Asia, India has now launched a countrywide programme called National Rural Livelihood Mission based on SAPAP principles of development, to benefit over 300 million poor.
