Emerging institute of Local Support Organization (LSO) “Aitbar” in Union Council Dabhoon

In the south west of Kotri, along the road to Thatha, the Union Council (UC) Dabhoon of district Jamshro is located. The UC comprises of two revenue villages and 27 small settlements. The people from more than 20 different castes are settled here, including the 5% marginalized minority communities like Bheel, Kolhi & Bagri. They all live together with love, peace and harmony.

According to the Poverty Score Card survey conducted by Thardeep Rural Development Programme (TRDP) in 2016, the population of the UC is 26,233 and the households are 4,090. Out of these households 2,146 are in 0-23 poverty range and 2,144 are in the range of 24-100 on the Poverty Score Card. The majority of castes that lives in the UC are Jokhia, Shora & Khaskeli and belong to Baloch communities. As per custom, the women of the Baloch communities are not allowed to interact with males from other communities.
After the formation of community organisations (COs) and village organisations (VOs) in the villages of the UC Dabbon, on January 21, 2017, the Local Support Organization (LSO) was formed. Around 60% of rural households are covered in the LSO. The general body members selected the local name “Aitbar” for their LSO. The term “Aaitbar” a local Sindhi word means trust. This is an apex body or an umbrella organization of 11 VOs at revenue village/cluster level & 109 COs at settlement level from 20 villages of the UC. The inclusion of remaining households in the LSO is the first priority of the LSO.

Recently, the LSO Aitbar established their LSO office in village Hari Camp. It was inaugurated by the Deputy Director Social Welfare Mr. Allah Wasayo Alamani. The office building was donated by the members of community organization “Roshni”, a local Sindhi word meaning ‘light’. Hari Camp is a small settlement located in the middle of a vast barren land in Sonwalhar Revenue Village of UC Dabhou. Hari Camp is home to 70 households that have been freed from bonded labor and brought here from various parts of Sindh including Mirpurkhas, Badin, Thar and Umarkot. Some of the people were brought to the camp 14 years ago, while others came later in the subsequent years.
In a short span of time, LSO Aitbar has emerged rapidly. They have initiated a self-help based school in village Hari camp and are putting in their tireless efforts to sustain it. They successfully convinced the District Education Officer, Mr. Ghulam Sarwar Mallah, to visit their self-initiated school and the LSO office. From the official funds, he contributed for essentials (blackboards, chalks) for the school. He also assured further support from his office for the school.

In addition to the self-help initiatives, the community has also been actively working for the betterment of environment. More than 400 trees, received from the forest department, were planted in different villages of the UC by the LSO through the village & community organizations.
Besides, launching of enrolment campaign, different community awareness sessions, such as birth spacing, of 25 members from 4 village organizations were held and support is being provided to other members of community organisation in getting the CNIC, birth certificates and marriage registration certificates (Nikka Nama).

“These community institutions have enabled us to realize our own potential and have given courage to the rural women to be on the front.”

Ms. Waziran, president of LSO shared that “Before, it has never been thought that we will be taking part in the institutional activities beyond the boundaries of village”. She told that prior to the EU funded SUCCESS Programme, they never had gone to anywhere outside the village and that they were thankful to TRDP and EU for commencing such a woman friendly programme – the SUCCESS Programme.
While expressing her view, she also shared that the community driven development is best in its essence as it approaches the household otherwise they might have been skipped from the programme or it might have not reached them at all. “Initially we did not trust the program

because previously there was no such institution working with women in our area. We got to know about it & ignored but their consistency convinced us to take part in it. Soon after being part of it, we recognized that this can be an opportunity for us to change our lives and these community institutions have enabled us to realize our own potential and given courage to the rural women to be on the front.”
The women of UC Dabhoo are happy with their community institution, and they are eagerly participating in their own development. They appreciate the participatory approach towards development under community driven development of the SUCCESS Programme. They are working to make their organisation one of the best organisations in the district

“Before, it has never been thought that we will be taking part in the institutional activities beyond the boundaries of village.”