HGISF holds first quarterly meeting in Karachi

Karachi, April 27, 2014: The 1st quarterly meeting of Hunza Gilgit Ismaili Students Federation (HGISF) was held on Sunday 27th April 2014 in Karachi. The event was attended by all Presidents and General Secretaries of the federating units, Advisory Board, representatives from Hunza Welfare along with Cabinet members of Hunza Gilgit Ismaili Students Federation (HGISF) Karachi.

The meeting was started with Tilawat Kalam Pak, which was recited by Ms. Bibi Niazeb of Moorkhun Welfare Gojal. This was followed by a brief introduction of participants, sharing of the agenda and keynote presentation of Mr. Fida Karim-Senior Vice Chairman (SVC) of HGISF Pakistan. In his presentationSenior Vice Chairman (SVC) HGISF appraised the audience regarding progress, strength, opportunities, issues along with forthcoming plans of HGISF Pakistan.

He stated that just after resuming the responsibilities of HGISF in January 11th, 2014 HGISF has successfully launched its multipurpose human development project under the name of “Jewani Development Center” at the outskirt of Karachi to cater educational and developmental needs of Juwani – the most underprivileged residential area of our members in Karachi. Currently, it is fully functional under 9 member JDC Project Management Committee. During the first quarter of 2014 the sum of 47 students from class 9th to 12th got the benefit of Couching Classes along with the Library and Reading room of JDC. With the completion of exams, summer vacations round the corner. Therefore, Summer Camps, English Classes, Computer Classes along with B.Com class are going to start from 1st May in JDC. For this purpose registration is going on. It is befitting to note it here that Library and reading room is open from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm than 11:00 pm to 1:00am; while coaching classes are going on from 8:00 pm to 11:00pm. Furthermore, HGISF generated resources equivalent to 12 month rent of JDC besides arranging other fixtures to ensure proper functioning of JDC.

Furthermore, the senior leadership of HGISF  had had several meetings with leadership of Jamati Institutions and Senior Government officials, including Chief Scatery of Sindh to pave the way for youth-led community development activities and programs in Karachi. Thus created sound forward linkages at the appropriate level to promote the organizational goals at a wider level. He further stated that during the period under review, HGISF have developed a project proposal to generate resources for “HGISF Scholarship Program”. Explaining the potential of indigenous philanthropy SVC urged potential donors to come forward to sponsor any one or all the given components of the Scholarship program to encourage access to quality education besides publicly acknowledging and rewarding best performing students of Hunza, Gilgit region acquiring education in Hunza, Gilgit and Karachi region of Pakistan. For this purpose HGISF have set the following four goals for this flagship program.

1. To acknowledge and reward primary to Masters level students from HGISF member organizations (i.e.VOs/SWOs) who have scored “A+” and “A” grades during the academic year 2013/2014 in Karachi.
2. To acknowledge and reward primarily to Masters level students from member organizations who have scored top three positions during the academic year 2013/2014 in their respective schools in our member villages in Gilgit and Hunza region.
3. To provide need base scholarships to at least 10 deserving member students from each member organization who are currently enrolled in class 1 to 10th in our member villages in Hunza and Gilgit region.
4. To identify, enroll and provide full scholarship initially for one year to at least one dropout student who is interested but unable to continue his/her education up to matriculation from our member organizations in Hunza and Gilgit.

It is worth noting here that federating units will be responsible to identify potential beneficiaries and submit their data to HGISF Scholarship Program Management team and implement the same at their respective village level. HGISF will provide technical support and guidance to ensure the same.

Furthermore, during the period under review HGISF represented Hunza Gilgit at Talk shows and cultural programs at ARY, SAMA and SACH TV channels to promote our culture and the role of youth-led civil society institutions in community development.Thus, extended the outreach of HGISF in terms of audience.  Besides this, it was underscored in the meeting that for a youth-led community development initiative like HGISF an official website is imperative to systematically manage knowledge and properly showcase our activities at a wider level. Therefore, it was unanimously decided and agreed upon to launch a combine official website of HGISF with auxiliary information about its federating units and their office bearers, projects, programs and activities. For this purpose all member organizations have decided and agreed upon to provide the required support and information to HGISF by 11th May, 2014. Similarly, new Cabinet of HGISF has a special focus on the revitalization of the dormant Village Organization and Student Oraganization. For this purpose, we have already revitalized ASWO and HMSAA while VOs of Hassanabad, Murtazabad, Dorkhan, Hyderabad, Ganish Garelt, Altit and Rahimabad (Matumdas) are yet to rejuvenate. It was also decided that Cabinets of all member VOs will have to receive official endorsement from HGISF to ensure proper functioning and authentication of VO through close coordination and communication with HGISF. Official endorsement letter from HGISF will also help office bearers of members VO in their professional and educational endeavors as they can show their nomination letter as a proof of their voluntary services to their communities.

After this Presidents of each federating unit shared their progress.

Sharing the progress of Aliabad Students Welfare Organization (ASWO), Mr. Moin Khan, President  ASWO said that  ASWO has a glowing history in community development but for quite some time it was not that much active. Therefore, with full support of HGISF and federating units they arranged a grand function under the name of “Karachi Champion Trophy-2014”, which in essence provided  mixture of activities including sport and entertainment. It was attended by Chairman AKYSB and other prominent personalities of Hunza Gilgit along with more thana thousand families from all federating units in Karachi. Now they are working on Hostel project and Women Wing of ASWO. Furthermore, they have collected data of all their members in Karachi and same have been mentained a database. ASWO set new benchmarks and traditions of peacefully managing a big event. It is worth noting that all the community members were invited free of cost to enjoy this mega event.

Baltit Academic development Association (BADA) was represented by its Senior Advisor Mr. Shuja  Ahmed. He stated that BADA is actively working for several years as it has a great legacy of successfully arranging mega cultural and musical programs in Karachi. He stated that during the period under review BADA has arranged a grand cultural festival under the name of “Sujo Hunza Cultural Festival”in Aga Khan School Garden Karachi. Mr. Sajjad Saleem Hotiyana-Chief Secretary to Government of Sindh was the Chief Guest of the event while Mr. Hakim Ali Khan-Director Maintenance Aga Khan University was the Guest of Honor. Musical program, cultural shows, sward dance, traditional dance and food stalls were hallmarks of the event. Moreover, it was widely covered by regional and national electronic and print mediaoutlets.

Khanaabad Ismaili Students Welfare Organization (KISWO) was represented by its President Mr. Karim Damino. He stated that during the period under review KISWO celebrated their “Platinum Jubilee Celebration of KAISWO in social service”. While “Karachi Champion Trophy-2014”arranged by KAISWO is still at its 2^nd round in SMS School Karimabad Karachi. KISWO is well known for engaging youth in positive sporting and recreational activities in Karachi.

 Similarly Nasirabad Students Helping Association Karachi (NASHAK) arranged “Novroz Mubarak Khushali-cum-Merit Citation Award Ceremony” in Aga Khan Jymkhana Karachi. Senator Karim Khwaja was the Chief Guest of the event. This family program was highly appreciated by participating families and guest for its proper arrangement and encouraging voluntary services of its members through Merit Citations and Awards. A large number of members from sister organizations along with senior leadership of HGISF attended this mega event in Karachi.

Similarly Hunza Mayoon Social Welfare and Academic Development Association (HMSAA) was represented by its newly appointed Cabinet along with its Senior Advisor. Easar Hussain Alhussaini-President HMSAA highly appreciated senior leadership of HMSAA, HGISF, federating Units and Advisory Board of HGISF for their all out support in cabinet formation and transitional process of HMSAA. He further stated that the newly appointed cabinet is all set to arrange a seminar on career counseling along with a family get together in Karachi. Besides this it plans to establish an additional wing of HMSAA in Rawalpindi, Islamabad, along with starting data collection of its members in Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi & Islamabad.

Likewise, Hussainabad Students Welfare Organization  (HSWO) arranged a family get together in Karachi while Danyore Sultanabad Students Welfare Organization, The Oshikhandass Ismaili Student Welfare Organization (TOISWO) and Nomal Students Welfare Organization had worked on a health project, Cricket Tournament and bylaws of their organizations respectively.

After the presentations of federating unit’s heads and their representatives Future strategy of HGISF was discussed with input from all participants, including Advisors and decided to expand HGISF within and outside of Pakistan. TORs and contributions of Central Working Committee members were also discussed and unanimously agreed to convene another meeting of the senior leadership of the federating units, Advisory Board and HGISF Cabinet to discuss further modalities and mode of operation of these wings in other geographical areas in and outside of Pakistan.  Nevertheless, it has been decided and agreed upon to fill the vacant position of Finance Secretary, Vice Chairperson besides inducting on newly created positions of Coordinators for Resource Mobilization, Graphical Content Development, B.Com Accounts Teachers (for JDC) and Website Designer-cum-website manager for HGISF. Therefore, applications have been sought from the potential, but equally interested volunteers from member organizations to fill these positions on urgent basis and  same have been directed to member organizations to nominate potential candidates for the same via hgisf99@gmail.com .

It is befitting to note it here that HGISF is a youth-led Social Development Organization that is working on a voluntary basis for the holistic development of youth from Hunza and Gilgit region living here in Karachi and other urban centers of Pakistan.