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February 2009 News - Makai Tandoori Naan

Soft Launch of Destiny Roti

The Packaging Centre, that had been under construction in Kodar, has now been completed. This is excellent news since now the process of packing the Makai Tandoori Naan can be taken up in an organized manner. The sealing machine has now been installed and the pastuerizing is also being undertaken. In the past several weeks, a process of testing has been carried out through the help of Mr. Saad Khan of Swiss Paksitan Society. Because of his timely advice, the quality of the naan is being maintained by Mr. Naheem Shah and Ms. Tahira Bibi of Heritage Foundation. The emphasis on ensuring hygienic conditions is bearing fruit and the participants are keeping their newly built kitchens quite clean. The packages will carry the label and tags, which have been designed by Nazya Amin, a young, creative designer, who has worked hard to capture the spirit of Tandoori Naan made from local maize, with flour ground in water mills of the area. In the January reports, details of Makai Tandoori Naan were given by Sarah Saeed.

 
Sticker pasted to the front of package.

Tag attached to the Naan package.

International Workshop on Development Issues 1-4 April 2009

• Organizing Committee
• Working Paper
• Preliminary Program

KIRAT is organizing an international workshop on Development Issues in Earthquake 2005 Affected Areas (EQAA) from 1-4 April 2009.

ORGANIZING COMMITTEE  

Architect Yasmeen Lari, Sitara-i-Imtiaz, Chair & CE, Heritage Foundation  

Dr. Azra Meadows. OBE. University of Glasgow, UK

Prof. Peter Meadows, Sitara-i-Quaid-i-Azam, University of Glasgow, UK

WORKING PAPER

Introduction: Heritage Foundation and KIRAT

Heritage Foundation (HF), established in 1980 as a Lari family trust, is a Pakistan-based not-for profit social and cultural organization engaged in research, publication and conservation of Pakistan’s cultural heritage. HF is now incorporated under Section 42 of Companies Ordinance, 1984. Since 2000, HF’s outreach arm KaravanPakistan has involved communities and youth in heritage safeguarding activities in Pakistan.

As part of HF’s Heritage for Rehabilitation and Development programme, work on several projects has been undertaken for rehabilitation of communities, particularly women, affected by the 2005 Great Earthquake in Northern Pakistan. These are currently focused on rural communities in the Siran Valley.

In the Earthquake Affected Areas (EQAA), HF’s mission is to rebuild confidence, pride and ownership of the communities by restoring heritage assets, and maximizing effective use of natural resources through value added products. This also includes capacity building and enhancement of economic opportunities with particular emphasis on women’s empowerment.

KIRAT (KaravanPakistan Institute of Research & Training) has been established by Heritage Foundation with the objective of providing a platform for research and training into various aspects of the EQAA. KIRAT’s programmes are based around four thematic units: Cultural and Vernacular Heritage, Development, Disaster Mitigation and Rehabilitation, and Conservation and Sustainability. These thematic units include education and clean water initiatives.

April 2009 International Workshop

The proposed workshop is the first of a series of seminars and workshops. These are planned to develop collaborative linkages between the rural communities and educational and research institutions and experts at a local, national and international level.

The first workshop will aim to develop initiatives jointly with the Siran Valley rural communities that will promote the sustainable uplift of these communities, improve education especially for girls, and protect the Siran Valley’s unique biodiversity, ecology and cultural environment.

It will lay the foundations for joint research and training programmes working collaboratively with members of local communities. The visits to the field sites in the Siran valley will provide participants with an outstanding insight of the potential for working in these areas.

Topics for Discussion

Biodiversity

Environment

Anthropology & Social Science

Primary Health Care

Natural hazards

Cultural Heritage

Livestock

PRELIMINARY PROGRAM

Day 1: Wednesday April 1, 2009

Arrival at Base Camp, Battal, Siran Valley

Orientation

Workshop organisation

Day 2: Thursday April 2, 2009

Visits to village communities. Kodar and Jabbar

Day 3: Friday April 3, 2009

Morning: Brain storming

Afternoon: Plan of future action

Evening: Cultural Evening

Day 4: Saturday April 4, 2009

Final wrap up session.

Depart mid-day

Pro-poor Sustainable Tourism

Earthquake Area Heritage Retreats (EAHR)

The earthquake area has the potential to draw a large number of visitors who may be motivated by sympathy, at the same time to savour the stunning scenic beauty and unique cultural and heritage assets – all of which could be utilized effectively for economic growth & development, job creation, social cohesion and fostering pride and ownership in order to achieve long term rehabilitation of affected communities.

The EARTHQUAKE AREA HERITAGE RETREATS (EAHR) is designed as community-based sustainable tourism initiative in order to maximize the heritage potential of the area for poverty alleviation and community empowerment including marginalized vulnerable groups and women.

Chattar

2008
Acquisition of 6 acres land and House
at Base Camp for Setting up                                             Heritage Foundation

Tent Accommodation with Bathrooms                                 Nokia-NSN

2008-2009
Research/Scholar's Houses                                               Nokia-NSN

Reception & Products Outlet at Karakoram Highway               Nokia-NSN

Heritage Program

Among the main objectives of the program are preserving and enhancing the heritage of local areas in order to restore community pride and confidence in traditional value systems and vernacular technologies. This ethos continues to be reinforced through short and long term activities.

Heritage Inventory

2006
Inventory of Heritage Assets of         Compiled by KaravanPakistan 
the Siran Valley                              Program for Indigenous 
                                                   Technology (KAPIT)

2008
Document: National Register of         Printing supported by Nokia-NSN
Historic Places of Pakistan                                                                 

Heritage Museum 2008-2009

Construction of
Heritage Museum Jabbar                 Nokia-NSN

Heritage Safeguarding

2007                                                                     
Cleaning of Ancient                        Hazara University students
Graveyard, Jabbar                          led by Columbia University (USA)
                                                  student

2008            
Cleaning Graveyard Stones              Students of Primary School, Jabbar
Jabbar                                                                                                           
                                                                               

Environmental Conservation

Reforestation

Among the most critical long term needs are conservation of forests and water sources. The felling of trees over the last years resulted in large number of casualties during the earthquake because of lack of forest cover. Most areas in the Siran Valley suffer from large-scale landslides which, in addition to being extremely dangerous, result in blocking of access roads, thus cutting off the communities for several weeks at a time.

2006
Plantation of 15,000 saplings                         Nokia-Nokia Siemnes Partnership

2007
Plantation of 15,000 saplings                        Nokia-Nokia Siemnes Partnership

2008
Plantation of 3,000 saplings                          Dr. Ishtiaq Ahmad, Singapore University
                                                               with Brig. Yasub Dogar

Women's Empowerment

Destiny Bead Products
Nokia-Karavan Craft Centres (NKCC)

2006-2008
Establishment of 50 NKCC

Assistance in sales of Destiny Bracelets        Nokia
                                                             Justice (retd.) Nasira Iqbal
                                                             Prof. Sajida Vandal
                                                             Hum TV
                                                             FM 101

Destiny Kitchen Construction Programme

2008-2009
Kitchens 1-50                                          Nokia-NSN & I-Led CNFA

Social and Physical Infrastructure

Two-Chamber Household Bathrooms Construction 2008-2009

Primary School Construction 2006-2008

• Primary School at Kodar                      Sponsored by Nokia-Nokia Siemens Network
  Classes Started in September 2007
• Primary School at Haier Paein               Sponsored by Pakistan State Oil
  Classes started in November 2007
• Primary School at Aahl                        Sponsored by Pakistan State Oil
  Classes started in August 2008     

Community Centre Construction 2007-2008    

• Community  Centre at Jabbar               Sponsored by Nokia-Nokia Siemens Network
  Building completed in November 2008

Mountain Pathways  2007-2008

• Mountain Pathways in Jabbar 3 km           Nokia-Nokia Siemens Network
  
• Mountain Pathwyas in Kodar 5 km            Nokia-Nokia Siemens Network
  

Introduction

We are grateful to all our sponsors, donors and friends, who have provided invaluable support at all times of the work carried out in Earthquake 2005 Affected Areas. After the initial work carried out during the emergency phase when over 1150 emergency units were built, community development programme has been taken up for long term rehabilitation of the people affected by the massive calamity.

The work that has been carried out since 2005 consists of the following:

• Social Infrastructure
• Physical Infrastructure
• Women's Empowerment
• Heritage Programme
• Environmental Conservation
• Pro-poor Sustainable Tourism

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