Poverty-stricken people of neglected, remote area change their living standard

Rafiullah Mandokhail

ZHOB: Surrounded by dry mountains Kakkal, Murgha Kibzai, 110km in the southeast of Zhob city – is name of a remote area that always remained backward and neglected. The area was once considered to be the strong hold of anti-development elements. They wanted to keep the poverty-stricken people ignorant, illiterate and backward through their baseless propaganda against the non-governmental organizations involved in development process and services delivery.

On one hand the government did not pay attention while on the other hand the non-government organization had no access to the area due to strong resistance and misconceptions against them. Illiteracy, no approach to health facilities and no development works were the major issues of the people. But today a change is visible and the people are committed to change their life standard as they realized that the work of a non-governmental organization is extensive, participatory and transparent to change their economic destiny

Most recently, an organization accessed to the mentioned above area and conducted a poverty alleviation survey, which is highly appreciated and welcomed by the local community. The objective of the door-to-door survey was to determine the state of poverty and identify those having nothing. Balochistan Rural Support Program with the financial support of European Union has launched poverty scorecard census under Balochistan Rural Development & Community Empowerment Program that would be continued for the next five years. According to In-charge Field SMT-3 Naqeebullah Babar their first ever social mobilization in the area yielded positive results as the people are now organized and in a position to fight poverty, adding the theme of the newly launched project is also reducing poverty through social mobilization. The social mobilization helps the rural community in its efforts in poverty alleviation, while the community organization – an organized group of community members is a platform to enable people to take an active role in the local development initiatives.

“A unique feature of an organization is that it puts the community on the path of progress and development”, he said adding BRSP has been struggling for over three decades for social mobilization, health, education and for the improvement of peoples’ living standard here in the poverty stricken district. He added.