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Relevant background information
Though one small project was attempted in the late 1980s in Chitral by the Aga Khan Foundation, larger scale Child-to-Child activities in Pakistan started in the 1990s with organisations like the Child-to-Child Resource Centre (see Note 1), Village Based School Health Education Programme (see Note 2), and Hamdard Foundation Pakistan (see Report 2). The Health Action Schools project (HAS), based at the Aga Khan University’s Institute for Educational Development in Karachi (see Report 1) conducted a four-year action research project (1998-2002) introducing the comprehensive school health promotion model and Child-to-Child approaches in five pilot schools (e.g. government, private, rural and community-based). The Child-to-Child approach has also been used by organisations like Save the Children US, UK, and Sweden who have used the approach in refugee camps. Hence, the Child-to-Child movement has spread to many parts of Pakistan including Peshawar, Northern Pakistan, Karachi and other parts of rural Sindh.
Health Education and Promotion
In 1998, the Aga Khan University’s Institute for Educational Development (AKU-IED) tested an action research pilot project to develop health-promoting schools in Pakistan in partnership with Save the Children UK. Since then, the programme has expanded and introduced Child-to-Child activities in both school and out-of-schools programmes in rural, urban and slum areas all over Pakistan. Lessons learned have allowed the programme to support other large and small NGOs in the areas of training and Urdu materials. The step approach has been modified to four steps which has simplified the planning process for teachers and children. Each school also designs and implements its own school health action plans (SHAP) based on its own needs, strengths and constraints. The SHAP tool allows schools to identify themes to be covered during the term and also plan co-curricular and environmental activities to reinforce the health knowledge and translate it into action. Read more
Hamdard Foundation Pakistan
Established in 1990, the focus of this organisation’s activities is to educate children about health and hygiene through providing children’s reading materials on healthy living. The children involved in this programme are based in rural and urban areas and are of primary school age. Child-to-Child activities are introduced through Child-to-Child storybooks that have been translated into Urdu and through classroom teaching which endeavours to develop decision-making, listening and active thinking skills in children. Read more
Sindh Education Foundation
Since the Child-to-Child approaches were introduced in the programme in 2001 in three districts of the Sindh Province some 4000 students have been taught health education using the CtC approach in their schools. The teachers have modified the six-step approach to four steps and use stories, picture discussions, survey, role-plays, drama, puppet shows, etc. to ensure the participation of children. Health Education is taught as a separate subject in schools and there are co-curricular activities in schools such as edutainment, interactive theatres, puppet shows, health talks and seminars that are carried out each school term. Read more
Child-to-Child Resource Centre
The Child-to-Child resource centre has been active for ten years providing health and hygiene education at both the school and community levels. It started by providing training in Child-to-Child approaches to schools and 16 village sanitation communities in Tehsil Gumbat. Other past activities include best village and school competitions and the establishment of 41 school environment committees in the primary schools of target union councils. More recently in 2004, 74 teachers were trained in Child-to-Child approaches in the Swabi district. It is currentrly working with UNICEF Peshawar and the NWFP education department in four districts of NWFP (Swabi, Dir, Hangu and Abbotabad). For more information about this programme please contact Mohammad Shakaib Jan, Provincial Coordinator of the Child-to-Child Resource Centre at childtochild_rcpsh@yahoo.com. Read more
Note 1
Village Based School Health Education Programme
Child-to-Child activities began in March 1996 in Islamkot, Tharparker, Sindh. Approximately 1,200 children and 200 adults participate in the Child-to-Child programme. The children are of primary school age and include boys and girls and children from different ethnic backgrounds. Disabled children and working children also participate. Although Child-to-Child activities are school based, their coverage actually extends beyond the school into the playground, children’s homes and ultimately into the wider community. As of 2001, there were 12-15 primary schools involved in the programme. Details of the programme’s current status will be updated shortly.
Date: 2001. Further information awaited.
Source: Child-to-Child website Directory 2001
Note 2
Save the Children UK Afghanistan
SCF UK Afghanistan have conducted training of trainers events for school and home classes using Child-to-Child approaches in collaboration with Save the Children USA, Save the Children Sweden, and also with the Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan. The participating children lived in refugee camps, local villages, as well as rural areas and urban slums in Afghanistan. The children were of primary school age and 50% were girls. Child-to-Child activities were introduced in the classroom and in health groups through the use of stories, question-and-answer sessions, role-play, games and puppet shows. The Child-to-Child resource books, parts one and two were used, translated into Pashto and Dari and adapted to suit local circumstances. Details of the programme’s current status will be updated shortly.
Date: 2001. Further information awaited.
Source: Child-to-Child website Directory 2001
Note 3
Save the Children Sweden
Child-to-Child activities began in 1992 and took place in a refugee camp. A government organisation called the Social Welfare Cell, funded by UNHCR, implemented Child-to-Child through training school teachers, community workers and community volunteers. UNHCR and Save the Children provide the funding and GTZ also collaborated. Approximately 1,000 children, 30-50 adults, and about 100 community workers were involved and Child-to-Child activities were introduced through classroom teaching, youth clubs and scouts, etc. Details of the programme’s current status will be updated shortly.
Date: 2001. Further information awaited.
Source: Child-to-Child website Directory 2001
Note 4
Thardeep Rural Development Programme (TRDP)
Thardeep Rural Development Programme (TRDP) is managing and implementing a project entitled “Protection of the Rights of Working Children in the Carpet Industry in Thar Desert, Sindh, Pakistan” funded by Comic Relief, Save the Children UK and Save the Children Sweden. Approximately 4,000 children are currently engaged in the local carpet industry and are being denied access to education .The project aims to motivate parents to send their children to school and they will be financially assisted through the TRDP credit scheme in their respective geographical areas. In order to improve the quality of education in the schools where these children are enrolled TRDP and AKU-IED have entered into an agreement pertaining to the professional development of teachers in these schools. This three-year programme (2003-2006) will involve AKU-IED in training teachers in health education using the CtC approach, as one of the components. For more information, please visit http://www.thardeep.org .
Date: 2005
Source: TRDP
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