The Local Support Organisation (LSO) Sultanabad represents a population of 21,693 living in 53 villages of district Tando Allahyar. The LSO, formed in November 2016, has 28 female members who represent 8 VOs and 73 COs.
The concept of three tiered social mobilization has significantly served the notion of bottom-up approach to development by engaging common people of communities in the decision-making process.
When the LSO was newly formed, women members discussed and prioritized problems, and not having a Computerised National Identification Card (CNIC) emerged as a key concern for majority community members. In response to this, LSO office bearers and members took action on ground and facilitated 150 people to get CNICs from National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA). The LSO also asked NADRA officials to share the process of obtaining birth certificates, and marriage certificates. Being not literate, it was hard for the women to fulfill all the requirements of NADRA to obtain the CNIC, such as residential certificate and attestation on CNIC. The LSO women met with the Union Council Chairman and asked him for facilitation in obtaining CNICs. The Chairman provided his support and as a result 150 women were able to get their CNICs made from NADRA.
Moreover, the LSO members realised that majority of marriages in their UC are not formally registered at NADRA and there is no paper agreement available as the marriages are done through verbal agreements in front of two witnesses. To make people aware of their rights and protection, the LSO members carried out awareness sessions in the community regarding the importance of registering their marriages and obtaining a marriage certificate. The members decided that unless a marriage is registered and a certificate is obtained, no marriage will be organized in the area. Successfully, since then three marriages have taken places and their certificates have been obtained.
In addition to helping people get CNICs, LSO Sultanabad has enrolled 40 students (20 boys and 20 girls) in primary schools by mobilising their parents. Furthermore, they have conducted social awareness sessions on early marriages and routine immunization. The President and General Secretary of the organisation also facilitated the team for Polio and EPI vaccination.
LSO members envision to minimize the incidence of early marriages, increase the enrollment of girls in schools, and explore alternate livelihood options for women. They believe that a day will come soon when LSO Sultanabad will be institutionally strengthened to pool the resources for inclusive development.
This publication has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of National Rural Support Programme (NRSP) and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union.”