Darul Sukun

Darul Sukun (Urdu: دارالسکون ) in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan is a home for physically and mentally challenged children and adults who are then taken to Darul Sukun either due to poverty,insufficient facilities for combatting their challenges or poverty ,etc.DAR UL SUKUN-A HOME OF PEACE AND LOVE

PROFILE

2015

Address: Cont: +92-21-34550381, +92-21-34558797

159/H/3 .P.E.C.H.S +92-21-34554139

Kashmir Road Karachi Website: www.darulsukun.com

Fax:+92-21-34542738

MISSION

The bedrock of our mission is to work for the abandoned children with physical and intellectual disability, children with non-disability, marginalized and vulnerable people who have been refused by the society and from their families and to foster an environment of equal opportunity, non-discrimination and their independent living. We strive to empower individuals with disabilities and with non-disabilities to achieve economic self-sufficiency with inclusion and integration into all aspects of society.

VISION

We envision a society where all people with disability get preferential status in access to due health care, education, food, shelter and employment opportunity to live integrated and dignified life.

VALUES:

OBJECTIVES:

· To serve abandoned, destitute and orphan disabled and non-disabled children with love and care and to enable them to live independent lives.

· To develop a disabled friendly infra-structure and environment wherein abandoned children with disability and vulnerable people can have access to every service and facility.

· Developing education programs and support services for people with disability and with non-disabilities to ensure they have equality of opportunity within the community;

· To awaken awareness in a society about disability and the importance of its acceptance.

· To strive to make persons with disability part of mainstream society and to acquaint them about the assistive technology that can increase their productivity.

· To conduct trainings, workshops and seminars to develop the capacity of people who are associated with persons with disability.

· To strive at level best to create opportunities and events wherein they can interact and integrate with other communities.

DAR UL SUKUN

CENTRE FOR THE CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES

HEAD OFFICE KARACHI

BACKGROUND:

Dar ul Sukun originated as a home for the abandoned children with disabilities. It was founded on by a Dutch nun, Sr. Gertrude Lemmens who came to Pakistan as a visitor in her full youth. She was so much touched by the pathetic condition of children with disabilities, who were found on street corner, bought in by social workers, police and relatives and usually spotted on street corners and in/around the city garbage tubs that she chose to devote her life for the care of such children in Pakistan. Her selfless love and affection turned it into a glaring reality and a brand name (Dar ul Sukun) in field of philanthropic work in Pakistan came up.

Since Sr. Gertrude’s demise on after a short illness, Sr. Ruth Lewis has assumed the frontal role for carrying on the mission of Dar ul Sukun. She became a ceremonial successor of Sr. Gertrude. Major part of administrative and operational functions is formally performed by Sr. Ruth. Also Dar ul Sukun enjoys the voluntary support of committed board members who also happen to be prominent figures in religious, social and business life.

From a single home for the children with disabilities in Karachi city on Kashmir Road, Dar ul Sukun has kept a momentum of growth over the years. Initially and basically, the expansion has been a natural and demand driven process. One after another centers of Dar ul Sukun were established as and when main center was inundated with special kind of cases that needed separate place.

Overtime, Dar ul Sukun has grown into a large organization with network of homes mainly in Karachi city and around the country. Programmatically, in Karachi alone, the scope of service has expanded into various dimensions including work for socially displaced girls and women, senior citizens, education and skill scholarship for poor students and family adaptation scheme etc. A new initiative, Quetta Centre for parentless and displaced children started its operation at the end of 2007.

In terms of physical infrastructure development, the construction of a new modern building of Dar ul Sukun main Centre was completed in 2004.

While embracing overall historic approach of decentralized setup, few changes have been brought about to fine-tune organizational development of Dar ul Sukun. A uniform system of financial and administrative functions is being designed and put in place for all the homes. A common organizational name i.e Dar ul Sukun for all the homes operating under the umbrella of the organization is considered to strengthen and highlight the symbolic significance. Monitoring of the activities are systematized and intensified. Physical infrastructure and environment for all the homes is being improved by reconstructing or renovating existing premises, furnishing and providing with facilities and state-of-the-art equipments, appropriate transportation etc. On top of all priorities stands an uncompromising inclination to quality of services for providing care. To achieve efficiency and effectiveness, human resource management is deemed critical element which is being pursued in terms of defining clear-cut policies, job categories and descriptions, hierarchies of function, hiring and firing policies, performance appraisals and capacity building.

In addition to the Dar-ul-Sukun main center, there are now five other homes in Karachi alone and one in Quetta. Each home specializes in a particular type of services.

ORGANIZATION SIZE AND PROGRAMS:

S.N Institution’s Name Location Founded in Specialized Program
01 Dar ul Sukun ( Main Centre) Karachi 1969 1. Accommodating and rehabilitation for the children with physical and cognitive disabilities.

2.Family Adoption Program

Supporting poor and needy people for their children’s medical and for the rehabilitation treatment, in a form of finance, medical and in kinds.

3. Employee’s Children education Program.

02 Dar ul Sukun ( Branch) Karachi 1975 Centre for the children with critical needs and difficult to handle.
03 Dar ul Sukun ( Branch) Karachi 1978 Centre for the senior citiznes
04 Dar ul Sukun ( Branch) Karachi 1981 Centre for the socially displaced and polio effected girls.
05 Dar ul Sukun ( Branch) Quetta 2007 1.Centre for the socially displaced and parentless boys.

2. Women empowerment (Stitching Centre).

3. Girls tuitions Centre

ACTIVITIES AND FACILITIES FOR THE CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES:

1. Special Education Centre:

A well-equipped and fully furnished special education Centre has been developed to enhance the skills of the children with physical and intellectual disabilities with the trained staff. Children with special and critical needs participate in different activities accordingly and they love generally doing coloring, making crafts, painting and outing.

2. Physiotherapy Department:

Since majority of the children are experiencing physical and cognitive disabilities at Dar ul Sukun main branch, physiotherapy is considered to be a critical component of the care for the children. Professional physiotherapists engage children in different exercises every day. The children in most of the cases learn to help themselves as a result of this ongoing process.

3. Occupational therapy Department:

The primary goal of occupational therapy is to enable people to participate in the activities of everyday life. The departments of occupational therapy achieve this outcome by enhancing the individual's ability to participate, by modifying the environment, or by adapting the activity to better support participation.

4. Sensory integration therapy Department:

Sensory integration therapies have been designed for the children with the developmental disorders and with established dysfunction of sensory processing, e.g., children with autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Sensory integration therapy commonly use with the occupational and physical therapy.

5. PIM ( Perception in music):

Music is an allied health profession that uses music as a tool within the context of a therapeutic relationship to address the physical, psychological, motoric and cognitive needs of individual. Music in general is thought to be an effective therapeutic medium because it is non-verbal, non-threatening and naturally motiving to the most people. Dar ul Sukun has introduced PIM therapy which is newly concept being incorporated with the sensory integration and occupation therapy. It has been found very productive and effective therapy for the children and adults experiencing some sensory disability.

6. Medical Centre:

Children with physical and intellectual disabilities always need proper medical assessment and need to have a medical plan. Children with critical needs are the easiest targets of germs that are usually viral. To overcome this problem, a small medical Centrehas been build upin the premises. To staff it, two doctors (General Physician) and three professional nurses have been hired. The doctors hold their clinic four times a week while at least one nurse is available 24 hours to look after these children. In case of emergency, children are rushed to Holy family or Agha Khan Hospitals where they undergo serious treatments.

7. Arranging sports events:

Special Olympics Office of the government selects special children to participate in national and international sports events. It matters of great pride for Dar ul Sukun that its children are being selected for last many years. For this Dar ul Sukun children have had opportunities to visit countries such as the United States of America, China, Ireland and India for Special Olympics where they get first prizes (Gold medals) in various games. To keep them fit all the time, a schedule for daily practice is followed.

8. Organizing outing and Musical events:

As a routine, during the summer season plenty of recreational activities such as music evenings, picnics and outings are organized for the children, which children rejoice with usual fervor.

9. Volunteers Activities:

Dar ul Sukun benefits from the assistance of a large number of social workers or volunteers particularly school children. The volunteers at local level visit Dar ul Sukun on daily, weekly and monthly basis depending on each one’s own situation and availability. They self-select their areas of interest to serve the people. Mostly, they come here to help people with disabilities move in and out, physiotherapy exercises, feed and play with them. The first time volunteers occasionally feel nervous in dealing children. However, we enhance their confidence and make them get used to the environment and dealing with these people. As they go along, their love, passion and association with children intensifies and they want to help in so many ways.

A moderate number of people from overseas especially from the Netherlands continue to visit Dar ul Sukun and offer their services. Some of these volunteers are regular visitors here for long years and have cemented a lasting connection with the organization and people here. Volunteers from abroad stay with Dar ul Sukun’s children for one to three months (in some case longer) and develop a relationship that they keep their connection for longer period(s). Having visited and served the children of Dar ul Sukun, both local and international volunteers get so much attached that they send out financial and kind assistance from time to time even if they cannot visit.

FINANCIAL SOURCES:

Dar ul Sukun is a not for profit organization and runs purely on humanitarian financial and kind assistance, donations, grants, charities and Zakat. The circle of sponsors and donors is basically broad. The organization is fortunate and blessed as it enjoys a multitude of sources of finance and kind assistance from local and foreign sources. National and international dignitaries, notables, celebrities, ambassadors, politicians and bureaucrats often pay their visits and generously donate. The benefactors include people of all ages and range from individual to organization as well as from local to national to multinationals.

In the same fashion, the amount of money and assistance in kind differ vastly. Though it is difficult to draw a clear line between the nature of national and international support, as a trend the assistance from abroad comes to build physical infrastructures and acquire expensive equipment etc while kind and financial support is made available by local and national organizations for meeting operational costs of the organization. However, this equation or formula changes off and on as our supporters are mostly generous and flexible.

Children, youth, elderly people and organizations arrange events and fund raising carnivals frequently to ensure smooth operation and service to the beneficiaries of Dar ul Sukun.

AUDITING/TAX (EXEMPTION):

Dar ul Sukun uses a fiscal year from June to July and has a practice of annual audit of its financial accounts/transactions by certified auditors. Proper management, transparency and accountability of funds received is honestly ensured. Moreover, although our branches can directly seek and get donations, the organization has a centralize and uniform system for record-keeping. Monthly accounts and system of the other branches is monitored by the head office Dar-uk-Sukun.

All funds donated to Dar ul Sukun are tax exempted and individual donors can also claim tax rebate based on the donations made to our organization.

LEGAL STATUS AND GOVERNING BODY:

Dar ul Sukun is registered with the Social Welfare Department of the government under Registration and Control Ordnance with registration number DSW (S)/991974. St. Joseph’s Society for the handicapped is the legal governing body of all Dar ul Sukun centers since 1969. Majority of board membership comes from Franciscan Missionaries of Christ the King. Apart from giving legal cover, the Society members are proactively involved in generating resources by identifying and building contacts with sources. The Society is the ultimate authority for making or changing policy level decisions. It is also accountable for the proper utilization of funds. Detail of the St. Joseph’s Society members and the institutions is as follows.

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DAR UL SUKUN

CENTRE FOR THE CHILDREN WITH SEVERE DISABILITIES MUSLIMABAD ( CATHOLIC COLONY-2) KARACHI

Dar ul Sukun has embraced a multifaceted strategy to serve children and people with disabilities at large. Disabilities are always varied and required a different treatment and rehabilitation.

Commonly, children and people with severe disabilities are ignored in the mainstream discussions while focus remains on physically and milder mental disabilities. Since people with severe disabilities cannot express themselves or convey their problems, they are left to live in abysmal conditions somewhere in a room, street or in a corner.

The state has responsibility to take measures for provision of comprehensive care and living to people with disabilities. Unfortunately, the poor governance mechanisms and process are not letting this happen. On top of this, the exponential population growth, poor health facilities and widespread poverty are adding more and more people with disabilities every day.

Rather than waiting for state’s usual belated response and role, Dar ul Sukun has initiated its new center for the abandoned children with severe disabilities where they are being served and rehabilitated as per their specific needs. For this, appropriate infrastructure has been put in place to provide quality care and living services.

In this connection, several activities have been designed to overcome their sufferings which are as follow.

GARDENING AND VEGETABLE FARMING:

Research and studies prove that gardening and farming are natural therapies that positively improve moods and behaviors of human being. To experiment it in the universe of Dar ul Sukun as a productive therapy for the children with disability, children are engaged in kitchen gardening activities with the assistance of a professional and experienced gardener. The experience so far suggests that children love to work in the plant beds with visible changes in their behavior observed. At the same time, the joyful efforts of children causing the production of sufficient quantity of seasonal vegetables for all the branches to the Dar ul Sukun.

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DAR UL SUKUN

CENTRE FOR THE SOCIALLY DISPLACED GIRLS

MUSLIMABAD ( CATHOLIC COLONY-2) KARACHI

Scaled up crisis, rampant poverty and lack of opportunities have set an uncertain situation in the country adversely affecting marginalized people. Particularly women and girls remain prime victims of violent crimes due to male dominant society of Pakistan. Domestic women and girls workers are still perceived as slaves and adolescent girls are vulnerable falling easy prey to the landlord’s sexual desires.

As a result of this miserable situation, dishonored girls keep ending up in Dar Ul Sukun and other such places for protection from all over the country. Dar ul Sukun specializes in catering to the needs of children with disabilities. But, the surge in number of admissions sought by normal girls from broken families and socially displaced and shelter-less girls forced a realization in Sr. Gertrude Lemmens, the founder of Dar ul Sukun to set up a separate home of vulnerable and polio affected girls to meet their protection and development needs.

This center with a small space for about 50 girls prioritizes admissions of abandoned and socially displaced girls. The center focuses girls’ education as change agent believing that educated girls can better handle their poverty and protection needs. At this stage, it can be claimed with honor that several of girls of the center after having been through good formal education from renowned schools, got married, had children and are doing lucrative jobs and living independently.

Considering cultural sensitivity of working with and accommodating girls in a private center, the supervision and m administration has been given under the nun sisters of Dar ul Sukun.

Besides academic discipline, following leisure and recreational activities are also designed and practices to help girls become productive and healthy member of the society.

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DAR UL SUKUN

CENTRE FOR THE SOCIALLY DISPLACED BOYS (QUETTA):

Commenced its operation in end 2007, Quetta center is a thoughtful initiative primarily mandated to work for the education and personality development of socially displaced and parentless boys in Balochistan. These children generally have a legacy of broken families and poor living conditions. Especially, housewives after unfortunate demise of their husbands can hardly feed their children and therefore seek to find employment or depend on other family members who already survive on meager income. The result is neglect for children’s basic and development needs. The double burden of vicious circle of poverty and neglect for the physical, mental and spiritual growth of children is root cause. It is assumed that the complexity and inferiority directly and indirectly starts in early age of children. Providing shelter with due focus on creating an environment where they discover their multiple intelligences is perceived to be a prerequisite for their development.

Quetta is a new toddler of Dar ul Sukun. We are in experimentation phase there. Therefore operations are temporary in nature. Quetta center is running in a small rented building. Despite demand for new admission, we are operating with small number of children i.e. 25 boys though small additional cost we can serve more children. Also, at some point in future, we have to think of having our own building specifically made to serve our needs. The socio-economic and political situation aggravating people’s poverty and vulnerability in Quetta and Balochistan justify our existence and offer a huge scope for activities.

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DAR UL SUKUN

CENTRE FOR THE SENIOR CITIZENS ( KARACHI)

INTRODUCTION:

At inception 1969 Dar ul Sukun was a place that housed mix group of inmates including children, displaced girls and elderly people. This ideal setting of everyone together and one roof offered a family like environment but was not practical. Thus separate centers were desired and created considering peculiar needs of different set of people.

In 1983, a center for elderly people was carved out in Catholic Colony 2, Karachi. Devoted nuns and committed professional staff sustained caring services for inmates. However, the space was too small and limited to accommodate reasonable number of inmates and conducive activities. At the same time, the demand for new admissions kept growing. A serious review of Dar ul Sukun’s strategy and facilities to serve abandoned old aged citizens was required.

In 2012, Dar ul Sukun planned to construct a purpose build infrastructure at Catholic Colony, M.A Jinnah Road opposite Quaid-e-Azam Mazzar Karachi. Kicked of in January 2013, the construction work was completed within record one year’s time in December 2014.

The Building offers a sublime infrastructure of bed and livings rooms, dormitories and activities area impeccably fit to cater to the needs of elderly people. The design of the premises was conceived after visiting and assessing facilities and arrangements of several similar institutions in order to make it appropriate living space for the inmates.

CORE OBJECTIVE

Just like the rest of us, older people want to enjoy good health and remain independent for as long as possible. As people get older remaining independent often depends on health and social care service being effective enough to support them.

Elderly people are the users of health and social care services but sometimes services have not adequately addressed needs. This Centre is the first ever comprehensive strategy to ensure fair, high quality, integrated health and social care services for elderly people. The core objective of the program is to make sure that all elderly people and their care takers are always treated with respect, dignity and fairness.

INFRASTRUCTURE FACILITIES:

Ø Administration Area & Office

Ø Wards with Attach Wash Rooms

Ø Activities Hall

Ø Physiotherapy Hall

Ø Dining Hall

Ø Clinic

Ø Counseling Room

Ø Kitchen

Ø Conference Hall

Ø Meeting Hall

Ø Recreational Room

Ø A Big Laundry

Ø Food Store

Ø Guest Rooms

Ø Stand by Generators

Ø Sitting Areas

Ø Lift

Ø Water Filtration Plant

HOUSING WITH-CARE:

Dar ul Sukun provide complete housing services day and night. It is not the center for working people. It is a place for marginalized and abandon Senior Citizens and they have a liberty to enjoy as they wish for.

PHYSIOTHERAPY/ GYM TRAINING:

As the elderly people go in the life later stages their physical frailty increases and the body doesn’t respond accordingly. To keep them robust they need daily physio and gym training. Dar ul Sukun has a fully equipped Physio and Gym department that has is a daily schedule for inmates of Gym and Physio session.

IN HOUSE COUNSELING:

Elderly people are often neglected, and don’t really have a chance to say how they are feeling, or what has gone on for them during their lives. Counseling is the best way out of better understanding of the inmate’s rehabilitation process. It gives them a chance to express fully and it makes them a part of the house. Most of the time they come back from their loneliness and respond with others.

HEALTH CARE:

Older people have many degenerative diseases to deal with such as arthritis, rheumatism, osteoporosis, high blood pressure, heart failure, strokes. Along with all the physical pain and debilitating illness, they need daily medical checkup and medication which keep them save from the aforementioned diseases. We have doctors and nurses who are well trained and professional to deal with any medical urgency.

NUTRITIOUS MEAL:

Knowing that good nutritious meal keeps elderly people always healthy. A proper diet reduces the risk of degenerative diseases, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and control diabetes. A well dietary schedule is maintained with the consent of Doctors to serve best nutritious meal to the elderly people.

ENGAGING AND DEVELOPING QUALITIES AND PERSONALTIES:

There are many different techniques to judge the personalities but Dar ul Sukun pleasantly apply the “Smart” technique to find out a person’s qualities, behavior and nature. The beauty of nature is that everyone has different qualities, attitude, thinking and a behavior which makes us unique from each of us. During the assessment period consultant or trainers try to find out in which below mentioned categories a person comes in.

Ø Linguistic Logical / Mathematic

Ø Visual Spatial Keynisthetic

Ø Musical Interpersonal

Ø Intrapersonal Naturalist

Ø Word Smart Number /reasoning Smart

Ø Picture Smart Movement Smart

Ø Music Smart People Smart

Ø Self-Smart Nature Smart

After the assessment one quality is to be assigned to the person and team start working to developing rest of the qualities which we believe everyone should have all of it.

ACTIVITIES:

Creating some activities for the elderly people is to keep them busy and to make them realize that they also have something to do in their lives. They feel it pleasure to perform it and enjoy it. There are following activities which elderly people like to do in a leisure time. These Activities have been designed as per the assessment of the elderly people and as per their desire.

Ø Gardening

Ø Painting and art Class

Ø IN Door Sports Activities

Ø Outing / Field Trips

Ø Cards Games

Ø Board Games

Ø Art and craft

Ø Indoor Senior Community Services

Ø Snooker

Ø Table Foot Game

Ø Color Day

Ø Fruit Day

Ø Story Day

Ø Reading & Writing Activity

Ø Volunteer ship / Steward Ship

VOLUNTEER

In 1983, a center for elderly people was carved out in Catholic Colony 2, Karachi. Devoted nuns and committed professional staff sustained caring services for inmates. However, the space was to small and limited to accommodate reasonable number of inmates and conducive activities. At the same time, the demand for new admissions kept growing. A serious review of Dar ul Sukun’s strategy and facilities to serve abandoned old aged citizens was required.

A moderate number of people from different groups, schools and individuals continue to visit Dar ul Sukun and offer their services. Some of these volunteers are regular visitors here for long years and have cemented a lasting connection with the organization and people here. Volunteer develop a good relationship that they keep their connection for longer period.

Ø FUN ACTIVITIES FOR THE SENIOR CITIZENS

Ø PHYSIOTHERAPY / OCCUPATIONAL ACTIVITIES

Ø SOCIAL MEDIS ACTIVITIES

Ø MEDICAL CAMPAIGNS

Ø ORGANZING SOCIAL EVENTS

Ø CELEBRATING EID /BIRHTDAYS / CHRISTMAS

Ø FUND RAISING EVENTS

Ø CORPORATE & CSR ACTIVITIES

Ø FAMILY EXPOSURE

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DAR UL SUKUN

REHABILITATION CENTRE

(TANDO ALLAHYAR INTERIOR SINDH, RASHIDABAD)

Rashid Memorial Welfare Organization (RMWO) was set up by a group of retired Pakistan Air Force officers back in 1998. To provide for the needs of vulnerable and marginalized groups in the interior Sindh, RMWO bought a piece of land of about 100 acres in Tando Allahyar district of Sindh, 35 km from Hyderabad. The area is popularly known as Rashidabad.

By availing free of cost and purpose built big spaces, RMWO has engaged country’s most reputable charitable organizations to serve in the vicinity with a very strict criterion to operate. Dar ul Sukun is one of the fortunate charity organizations selected by RMWO for the dignified cause.

A big rehabilitation complex is being constructed where Dar ul Sukun will deliver multiple services to the people with disabilities, Senior Citizens and vulnerable families. Moreover, Dar ul Sukn will also utilize this space to conduct professional trainings for the people who are associated with people with disabilities.

The construction work of the center is in progress and is expected to be completed by June 2016 with the following activity areas.

TRAINING AND RESEARCH CENTER (TRC)

The experimentation of Training and Research Center is temporarily suggested in Lemmens Home once it is available after children move to Peace Heaven. As our learning get matured, we should have a full time area for training and research. TRC will undertake the tasks related to the capacity building of all staff of Dar ul Sukun Network. On regular basis, the center will organize orientations for new staff in all categories and enhance capacity of existing staff through refresher trainings, reviews, workshops etc. Other cardinal function of the center is to conduct appraisals and assessments for new projects/initiatives and relevant primary and secondary researches to bring in lessons from other experiences around the world. The center may also help management in monitoring and evaluation of the different projects of Dar ul Sukun. The third elementary function of the center is to set up a small library for relevant material.

SKILL DEVELOPMENT CENTER:

As part of our rehabilitation plan, the normal children of Dar ul Sukun Network will be facilitated to learn marketable skills in different trades. The capacity building process of normal children will build their confidence and skills so that they can be mainstreamed.

FARM HOUSE FOR FOOD SECURITY:

We can start a farm house to better manage and self support our food supplies. We can grow our own organic vegetables and fruit at this farm. Many times, we remain with surpluses of live goats, cows and hens or other birds that people donate. We do not have facilities in the city buildings to keep these live animals. We are forced to slaughter these animals and mostly they go waste or inefficiently utilized. If we have a farm house place, we can move the surplus animals there and promote breeding and multiplication. All this will help us strengthen our food security needs and generate income.

RECREATIONAL AND PICNIC SPOT:

In peak season, picnic spots and particularly farm houses are not freely available. We urge that our children should be availed the outing and picnic activities. Due to the limitations of picnic spot availability, we have cut down such activities. Dar ul Sukun can have its own recreation and picnic spot for children outdoor activities. The frequency of outdoor activities can be increased for all the children Dar ul Sukun homes.

SPACE FOR FUTURE NEEDS:

And or above, all Dar ul Sukun can secure a big land at enormously lower rates outside city now. In case we need more space in future or our operation become difficult in city environment we can move out large part of our operations without worrying out the relocation issues most important of which is availability of land.

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DAR UL SUKUN

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.

Dar ul Sukun have been catering to composite needs of the abandoned children and people with severe disabilities since 1969.Children and people with disabilities are not only being provided accommodation but also get rehabilitation services that reduces their sufferings and give them better living. Dar ul Sukun has a legacy of serving humanity without discrimination for religion, cast or social class.

In order to reach out the marginalized and vulnerable families and people with disabilities, Dar ul Sukun is also engaged in following multiple community development program:

VULNERABLE FAMILY SUPPORT PROGRAM:

Dar ul Sukun discourages families to drop their children at Dar ul Sukun due to lack of meager resources. To strengthen poor families’ financial means, a program has been initiated for the vulnerable families experiencing adverse medical issues, hit by the hyperinflation and is having more than one disable child in a family. Dar ul Sukun examine their need and help them accordingly.

CHILDREN’S EDUCATION PROGRAM:

Dar ul Sukun, along with serving to people with disabilities, assigns priority to children’s education. There are children who are being brought by social workers or families who cannot afford to school of children due to the financial constraints

At the same time, Dar ul Sukun also acknowledge the untiring efforts of its care takers (workers) who look after severely disabled children and people. Dar ul Sukun believes that their children also be served on preferential bases. They have also a right to send their children to the good schools and get a good quality education. Workers children along with other children have been served through his program for last two years. This project is sponsored by local and international sponsors.

DISABLED SELF-EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM:

People with disabilities are appallingly over-represented among the poor; about 82 per cent of them live below the poverty line. Poverty is a consequence of disability since people with disabilities often lack access to education, health services and income-generating activities. They are often denied their human, social and economic rights. These factors contribute to high levels of vulnerability and exclusion. A large number of disable people have least employment opportunities while they have the capacity and skills to contribute in economic growth. To address the poverty of PWDs, Dar ul Sukun has initiated a disability self-employment Program through which they can start their own business and earn their living with dignity. Besides that Dar ul Sukun explores some job opportunities in and around the mainstream circle to earn to help PWDs secure employ ent.

WOMEN EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM:

Marginality and vulnerability of women in Balochistan is worse off. The cultural factors largely hinder women mobility and access to work outside home while men largely remain unemployed and women face effects of financial crises and consequences. A woman serves family with least resources and saves the least for her. Women has proved that they can improve socio-economic conditions of their families if opportunities and skills are availed to them to earn a better living. Realizing the need to mobilize and organize women for their empowerment, Dar ul Sukun has started a women empowerment program through small skills development center in the slum area where women come to learn stitching,

handing-crafts etc. As they finish their training, they are provided sewing machine and required material to start their own small business at home.

GIRLS LEARNING PROGRAM:

Girls get least encouragement to go to schools and get a formal education in Quetta city of Baluchistan province in Pakistan. It is due to cultural barriers that girls have always limited choices for their career as they remain within boundary walls. In their childhood, they are treated as a servant and after a marriage, as salves.

Observations suggest that parents who send their girls to schools tend to drop them off after a while due to poor academic results because girls get least assistance from illiterate poor parents. Girls need to be supported with learning through after school tuition, counseling and coaching to retain schooling. Their good school results can motivate parents for girls education. To create support mechanism for poor girls in one of the squatters of Quetta, Dar ul Sukun has established a small tuition center for girls’ leaning and growth.

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Founded in 1969 by Sister Gertrude Lemmens, the three-storied building has clean and well-lit rooms as well as recreation facilities for those who live there. A physiotherapy room, snoozer’s room, and electrotherapy rooms are some of the basic features of the centre.[1]

On March 23, 1989 Sister Gertrude received the Sitara-i-Quaid-i-Azam award in recognition of her work at Darul Sukun and for founding other homes for the physically and mentally handicapped, the aged and homeless. President Ghulam Ishaq Khan and Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto attended the ceremony.[2]

References

External links

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