Potohar Organization for Development Advocacy (PODA)

PODA has developed educational and livelihood programs where very few exist. With EMpower’s last program grant, different strategies were employed for boys and girls to ensure that the needs of girls are not ignored while being responsive to different interests (e.g. boys played cricket, girls will played badminton)—some activities were joint and others were for each sex. Youth were be exposed to possible enterprises that can be established in rural areas (e.g. seed shops, communication hubs, travel ticket shops) and provided training, small seed capital and mentoring to start up several micro enterprises. Other activities included leadership development training, life skills workshops, and sports activities.

In late summer and early autumn of 2010, PODA responded with an Emergency Relief program to provide support for people left homeless by the disastrous flooding in Pakistan. Thousands were displaced into camps for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) around the country. EMpower’s first emergency grant supported PODA’s Emergency Relief Program for flood-affected communities.

In late 2010 and early 2011, Pakistan faced the worst winter on record for many years, particular dangerous for those left vulnerable and without shelter due to the flooding from the previous year. Again, with EMpower support, PODA distributed 200 sets of blankets and quilts, socks, sweaters, and shoes to children in the Mardan District of the mountainous Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) Province, which is particularly affected by cold temperatures.

Pakistan
Contact: Sameena Nazir
Contact Email: poda_pakistan@yahoo.com
Year Established: 2003