Dec 18, 2018The Road to Empowerment: Marium Bibi’s storyI was only 5 years old when my father died in a car accident. I do not recall much of what happened, but I remember being astonished at our relatives’ response in my family’s time of need. I recall one of my aunts pulling rings off my father’s fingers before…Women Empowerment3 min readWomen Empowerment3 min read
Dec 18, 2018Impact of Family Planning Programs in Pakistan“Family planning programs in Pakistan have gained importance but still struggle from making significant progress in improving the contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) in Pakistan. The last two Demographic Health Surveys (2012 and 2016) show little change in the CPR and that is concerning. One reason for slow uptake (and a…Women Empowerment2 min readWomen Empowerment2 min read
Dec 18, 2018Khatija’s JourneyKhatija Faizan aged 20, is married to Abdul Rasheed, a man eight years older than her. They live in Dhok Hassu, an urban slum in Rawalpindi city. It is an underdeveloped area with little or no educational, health and infrastructure development. After being visited by a ‘Noor Aapi’ (working for…Women Empowerment2 min readWomen Empowerment2 min read
Dec 18, 2018Male Social Mobilizers and their ImportanceMy name is Kamran, and I was born and raised in Dhok Hassu. I have been running my small Kiryani store (small corner store) for the past ten years. Being single, I had very little knowledge of, or interest in, the topic of family planning. However, recently, one of my…Counseling3 min readCounseling3 min read
Dec 18, 2018Bridging Barriers through Religious CounselingHaving served in my role as an Imam (religious leader) of the mosque here in Dhok Hassu for the past 10 years, I am approached regularly with questions regarding the correct ways to carry out day-to-day tasks according to the principles of Islam. However, I am usually approached by only…Women3 min readWomen3 min read
Sep 4, 2018Students from a low income urban settlement in Rawalpindi visit the United States Educational Foundation in Islamabad for a career counselling and mentoring workshopContributed by Sehrish Qamar It is a widely known fact that Libraries and access to information and skills provide people with the opportunities to improve their lives, reduce poverty and improve future prospects. The Akhter Hameed Khan Resource center (AHKRC), a non-profit developmental organization, embarked on a similar journey to…Education4 min readEducation4 min read
Published inAHKRC Library and Learning Series·Jun 19, 2018Promoting Mental Health Awareness In Low-Income CommunitiesContributed by: Hania Hussain Adolescence is a particularly tumultuous time for youngsters all over the world. However, those children belonging to the underprivileged classes seem to find it especially difficult due to the myriad of pressures and troubles they face every day. Recently, the teaching staff at the Roshan Aaj…Mental Health3 min readMental Health3 min read
Published inAHKRC Entrepreneurship Series·Jun 5, 2018Accelerating Women’s Economic Participation in the Urban Slums of RawalpindiContributed by: Sumbal Bashir Forty years old Uzma* starts her every week with a visit to the Raja Bazaar. The market lies fifteen minutes ride away from her residence in Dhok Hassu, a downtrodden urban slum in Rawalpindi. …Urban Slums4 min readUrban Slums4 min read
Published inAHKRC Library and Learning Series·May 22, 2018Yearning For a Better Future for Children in Urban SlumsContributed by Hania Hussain The Roshan Aaj Library and Learning Center has fast become a beacon of hope for the low-income urban settlement of Dhok Hassu. Run by the Akhter Hameed Khan Resource Center (AHKRC), the Library offers an alternative option for schooling to the underprivileged children of the community…Education3 min readEducation3 min read
Published inAHKRC Library and Learning Series·May 17, 2018Bridging gaps: A day at the Roshan Aaj LibraryContributed by Muneeb Ahmed On a warm and pleasant afternoon, Dhok Hassu — an urban slum situated on the northern outskirts of Rawalpindi, was bustling with activity. From chinchis ricketing along the small road, to street hawkers chanting their slogans and school children huddling together mischievously, the area seemed extremely…Roshan Aaj4 min readRoshan Aaj4 min read
