Annual Report 2012-13

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Acronyms

AJK Azad Jammu Kashmir

CBOs Community Based Organizations

CDA Capital Development Authority

CDGK City District Government Karachi

CM Chief Minister

MNA Member National Assembly

MOU Memorandum of Understanding

NGO Non-Governmental Organization

SC Supreme Court

SN Subh-e-Nau: An Environment and Public Health Concern

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Table of Contents

Contents

Acronyms .......................................................................................................................................................................................2

Introduction...................................................................................................................................................................................4

Chairperson’s Message .............................................................................................................................................................4

Main Activities from 2012 .......................................................................................................................................................5

Indigenous Tree Plantation ................................................................................................................................................5

Organic Gardening ................................................................................................................................................................6

Eco-women movement: renewed focus on women’s ecological rights .........................................................6

Pakistan Environment and Health Portal .....................................................................................................................7

Sports Promotion ..................................................................................................................................................................7

Launch of the first amateur tennis tournament with Coaches and Ball Boy’s Exclusive Events .........8

Advocacy campaigns .............................................................................................................................................................8

Rainwater Harvesting (RWH) and Water Conservation Campaign ...............................................................9

SN at the Karachi and Islamabad Events................................................................................................................... 10

SN Disability Reduction and Rehabilitation Program.......................................................................................... 10

Research and development............................................................................................................................................. 11

Audited accounts and financial statements:.................................................................................................................. 12

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Introduction Subh-e-Nau, “a new dawn” is a registered charity under Section 42 of Companies ordinance of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan engaged in conserving nature, promoting sports, working on improving public health and targeting disability for more than two decades.

SN is a non-profit, apolitical organization working for, and with people from diverse backgrounds. SN has launched public awareness programs, lobbied for environment friendly Government projects, and used media tools to motivate opinion leaders and the general public alike to work for a greener, healthier natural environment. We strongly believe in working with the corporate, non-profit, public and private sectors, as our cause is universal.

Chairperson’s Message I congratulate the SN team for another year full of hard work, achievements, and despite the odds, for maintaining the vision and determination for the future. It gives me immense hope that SN will grow in its areas of operation with the passage of time. The year 2012-13 ended with great effort and greater achievements.

We were able to influence policy makers, legislators on various key policy issues, and we were able to expand our outreach to schools and universities. We exhibited our determination to help the needy patients and disabled segments of our society in with local solutions to different needs.

The issues are numerous, the journey is tough. But our aim is high, and the SN team will make try its best to play its little part in whatever way possible to benefit people of Pakistan and beyond – our causes are global.

Thank you.

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Main Activities from 2012 2012-13 saw ended with some highly remarkable achievements. SN continued working in all the its areas of operations like Health, Environment, Sports promotion, Disability and Rehabilitation and Relief and Development. During the fiscal year 2012-13, the organization optimized all its human and financial resources to streamline the following activities.

Indigenous Tree Plantation Pakistan’s forest cover has fallen to 2%, against a required 25%. Our plantation campaigns started in 1997, and we promote indigenous trees and plants taking care not to disturb local ecosystems. We have planted more than 100,000 indigenous trees in Pakistan, with a survival rate of more than 80%.

SN plantation with Schools and Tennis Players

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Organic Gardening During 2012-13, SN continued its campaigns promoting organic gardening with universities, schools and low income communities. Plantation with schools, CDGK and CDA were made possible during this fiscal year.

SN continued to promote the first ever guidebook on growing and sustaining organics titled “Urban Greens” for people living in cities, to take up organic gardening at individual and collective levels. The e-book was freely distributed and uploaded on the SN’s Pakistan Environment and Health Portal, while it is planned to be published as a hard copy book based on funding. SN will seek to produce the book this year, and work out its dissemination strategy.

Eco-women movement: renewed focus on women’s ecological rights Subh-e-Nau has pioneered the Eco-women Movement that aims at empowering women to realize and reclaim their environment through innovative means.

In this connection, SN’s activies on the International Women’s Day event centered on advocating for women’s ecological rights, as women and children increasingly and disproportionately suffer from the effects of environmental degradation, as compared to men. Freak weather conditions are also increasingly giving rise to homelessness and a wave of environmental refugees, of whom which women and children are highly vulnerable. The Eco-women Movement contends that inaction should be tackled with individual action, that will merge into societal action over time.

On the International Women’s Day, members of the Eco-women movement members also planted fruit trees at Islamabad Model College, junior section, in collaboration with CDA’s Environment Wing. Students and faculty members of this college planted trees with zest and showed their interest in environment friendly activities.

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Pakistan Environment and Health Portal The Pakistan Environment and Public Health Portal is a first of its kind resource designed towards meeting the information needs of students, technocrats, writers, journalists and the media. Being a one-stop solution, it hosts facts, figures, and policy reports. SN regularly maintained the portal this year, with plans of expansion and better search options. Next year, it is planned to integrate the portal with SN’s Facebook and twitter pages to promote issue through the social media.

Sports Promotion SN being the only national NGO in the country’s history to receive the status of a national affiliated sports body, continued its activity to support sports and sports persons. Sports play a critical role in nurturing mentally and physically healthy children. Although national and international events were planned, the latter could not be held due to security concerns.

2012-13 proved to be one of the most successful years for sports promotion where SN organized around 18 national level tournaments for men, women and children. Particularly, children were encouraged to participate and develop physical, mental and emotional skills. Girls’ participation was highly encouraged by different incentives, while dedicated girls’ events were also held.

Due to advocacy efforts by SN, the Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) agreed to resume sending the girls’ team for the Federation Cup, an equivalent of the mens’ Davis Cup, a team event where Pakistan was not being represented for the last many years.

Official from Toyota Corporation Japan and Chairperson SN with Senator Dilawar Abbas giving away the Men’s Trophy of the SN Vigo Tennis Championhip.

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Launch of the first amateur tennis tournament with Coaches and Ball Boy’s Exclusive Events Carrying on its legacy of sports promotion for the masses, SN launched the first ever ‘amateur’ in Karachi in February 2013, mixed with stars and newcomers. A new category was introduced in this championship - the “Coaches and Boys Singles”- a dedicated event for support staff. SN believes that these support staffs are completely committed to the game and they should be encouraged to play tennis too. To make sure that amateur talent is promoted, top five players of each category were not allowed to participate in this championship. The concept when introduced to the PTF many years back was not allowed. An excellent response from beginners and Coaches and Ball Boys across Karachi and adjacent cities was received. Other categories included Men’s Singles, Ladies Singles, Boys Juniors U-18 and Boys Junior U-14.

Advocacy campaigns SN advocacy efforts are aimed at involving the key decision makers to affect policy for the public good. SN’s advocacy campaigns are taken up on a longer term basis, since policy change requires continuous followup and adaptation.

Continous meetings were arranged with CDA official to grow new plants in place of old plants chopped down by CDA in Islamabad.

Top: Meeting the CDA Chairman regarding enforcing the byelaws for RWH.

Bottom: Advocacy for conservation of trees.

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Rainwater Harvesting (RWH) and Water Conservation Campaign SN lobbied for promoting rain harvesting. Concerns about the issue were shared with President, Prime-Minister, Senators, Parliamentarians and CMs of all the four provinces. Continuing its culture, SN Presented its recommendations on annual budget to the Finance Ministry to make it more environment friendly and pro-poor.

Water quality and quantity remained as one of the main focus. During the year, SN initiated advocacy and awareness campaigns targeting the Federal and Provincial Governments for informing policy, undertaking projects for conservation, rainwater harvesting, and recycling of water.

Awareness raising pamphlet for the General Public on RWH

The response to the RWH campaign was taken up by the Chairperson with stakeholders at various levels, including key government figures. The CDA in Islamabad has included RWH mandatory in its

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building codes as one of the key requirements for housing projects. Letters in this regard were sent to all senators and MNAs to introduce this concept in their provinces and constituencies. Pamphlets for public awareness for RWH were also distributed at SN’s events.

There is a great need for raising awareness on the issue, and SN plans to pursue RWH in the next year as well.

SN at the Karachi and Islamabad Events For raising awareness on environment and public health related issues in a cost efficient manner, SN also participated in few events, of which the 3 day show in Karachi at the Expo Center and the Rose and Jasmine Show in Islamabad deserve mention. The three day event in Karachi was held on 5th, 6th & 7th April 2013 by the E-Commerce Gateway Pvt Ltd. The sponsors and exhibitors included national and multinationals companies, and many other companies encompassing small traders to big industrialists of Pakistan and abroad. The media was especially interested and interviewed the Hon. Chairperson on efforts to raise awareness regarding saving Pakistan’s environment.

Subh-e-Nau participated in another notable event held in Islamabad, the annual flower, vegetable and bird show held at the Rose & Jasmine Garden. The CDA appreciated SN’s efforts in awareness raising events.

SN Disability Reduction and Rehabilitation Program

SN's Disability Program was put together originally for sportsmen suffering serious injuries, but was later expanded in response to the tragic October 2005 earthquake.

The program is committed to avoiding disabilities, and helps to successfully transition the disabled from facilities to the community. Collaborating partners include Toronto Rehab, the International Center for Disability and Rehabilitation at the University of Toronto, one of the world's most prestigious rehabilitation sciences programs, besides many other international and national organizations.

During 2012-13, SN continued to work with the network of medical

SN Disability Program’s Spinal cord injured person after intense rehabilitation working at his home in Muzaffarabad

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professionals and institutions to provide medical and related support to persons with severe disabilities including spinal cord injured in the AJK region. Of special mention is the support received for surgeries, from which 14 patients received emergency serious interventions including emergency surgery on the spine, wound management, ENT, implant removals, besides various medicines and diagnostic tests.

Research and development Research and Publication, Information disseminations is an integral ongoing process at SN. SN this year partnered with ICDR, University of Toronto and Heartfile - a non-profit NGO think tank with a focus on policy analysis and innovative solutions - for improving health systems in Pakistan. The partnership is envisaged to grow with multiple research and development projects, leading to peer reviewed and other valuable publications for improving the health of the population.

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Audited accounts and financial statements: SN received an unqualified opinion for the seventh year in a row from third party auditors. The main report from the auditors is appended here.

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