How Do We Work?

MMWWO is providing services to support the development of community especially women. MMWWO services are provided through strategic project aimed at:

Ø Building the capacity of local community especially women.
Ø Build coalition and involve concerned organizations, media and other civil society institutions
Ø Empower rural women through various Women Empowerment Projects.
Ø Emphasis on women’s human rights
Ø Consciousness-raising about gender issues
Ø Promote positive and lasting change

Projects:

1. Education

The first school was established in 2003 with only a hope that some day the school would be able to provide education to the girls of Meerwala village but by the Grace of God, three schools are currently providing free of cost elementry education to more than 700 girls and boys along with school uniform, books, nutrition and pick and drop services.

2. Women Empowerment Project

We believe that poverty is the main underlying cause, which promotes violence against women and human rights. One of the prime goals of the organization is to uplift women economically.

MMWWO is running a dairy farm which is actually a component of education project with one of the major objective is to provide income generation oppurtunities to poor women in order to empower them economically and develop a system where by more beneficiaries can be included through revolving mechanism. The Dairy farm is also assisting one of the girls school for the its running expenses.

3. Crises Relief Center for Women

Fighting gender-based violence is a major concerned for MMWWO, because violence against women is a universal problem and one the most widespread violence of human rights. MMWWO works on several fronts to interrupt the cycle of violence against women.

The center is providing immediate support to survivors of rapes, domestic violence and Karo Kari by giving them immediate shelter, medical and legal aid, psychological counseling and further help them in getting access to media, other organizations working for women rights and concerned law and order departments.

MMWWO helps draw attention and resources to victims, make level best efforts to help them get legal aid and brings the voices of activists together across the country and onto the international stage.

4. Sensitization and Advocacy Project

The organization is also running an advocacy project by sensitizing some of the major stakeholders of society, creating awareness on women's human and legal rights through awareness raising seminars, conference and sensitization workshops.

The project is currently offering its services to three most deprived districts of Southern Region of Punjab i.e. Multan, Muzaffargarh, Dera Ghazi Khan. In near future MMWWO would extend this project to the other districts of South Punjab.

Achievements:

Ø 700 girls and boys from Meerwala getting education in Mukhtar Mai Schools along with pick and drop facility free of cost.

Ø Mukhtar Mai Women Crises Relief Center is providing help in the rehabilitation of survivors through legal support, shelter and other related assistance; the center is dealing with a large number of survivors from all over the country.

Ø The dairy farm in working to provide financial assistance for the running expenses of the school and women empowerment activities.

Ø Through to advocacy project MMWWO is promoting women rights awareness in Rural South Punjab.

Future Vision / Commitments:

Ø Further engage women in civil society and help them to organize and build a pressure group in the fight of violence against women.

Ø Expansion of Girls School branches in surrounding rural areas of District Muzaffargarh.
Establishment of Primary and Reproductive Health Care Center in Meerwala, District Muzaffargarh.

Ø Formation of Network of organizations and individuals striving against gender based violence from all over Pakistan.

Ø Establishment of a Women Resource Center in Meerwala, District Muzaffargarh.

Networking / Linkages:

Ø Ministry of Women Development, Govt. of Pakistan
Ø CIDA (Canadian International Development Agency)
Ø NED (National Endowment for Democracy), USA.
Ø SPO (Strengthening Participatory Organization).
Ø International Women's Health Coalition.
Ø Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.
Ø Mercy Corps International.
Ø U.S. Department of State.
Ø Glamour Magazine, USA.
Ø The Asia Foundation.
Ø New York Time.
Ø ANAA.

Needs:

Followings are the needs of MMWWO.

1. Extension of Mukhtar Mai Girls Model School:

The Mukhtar Mai Model Girls High School is under construction, just adjacent to the existing Mukhtar Mai Girls Model School (primary) with the financial support of a very generous donor (individual) from U.A.E. After the construction the school would be able to accommodate another 200 girls and we will also shift two classes to the new building, as currently the classes are over loaded.

After the construction we obviously need funds for the construction of computer lab, science lab, and library and for the purchasing of furniture and fixture as well as for the running expenses.

2. Extension of Community Dairy Farm:

The dairy farm is a component of education project with a major objective, to provide financial assistance to the girl’s school. The dairy Farm is also working as an empowerment project for women develop a system whereby more beneficiaries can be included through revolving mechanism.

So as we enrolled new girls into our school we will need more financial assistant from the dairy form, so we would like to purchase more cows and buffalos to sustain our school.

3. Mukhtar Mai Women Shelter Home:

As, fighting gender-based violence is a major concern for us, we are providing immediate and long-term support to survivors of rapes, domestic violence, Wani and Karo Kari. For some time now we have dealt with the survivors who come from far furlong areas, and they always asked for shelter; as we don’t have a proper shelter home, until now, the survivors seeking shelter share Mukhtar’s home.

We would like to establish a proper shelter home for the survivors.

4. Community Health Center:

Meerwala is about 30 kilometers from Tehsil Jattoi and there is not a single health center / hospital or even a private clinic in Meerwala, so people have to travel a lot to reach a health center. We would like to provide free health services to the people and for this we have already purchased land (2 acars) for the construction of a Community Health Center, and now try to find funds for the construction of a health center and its running cost.

5. Bus (Coaster) for Pick and Drop of School Girls:

We need a bus to provide pick and drop service to the girls of Mukhtar Mai Model Girls School, because without a bus it’s very difficult for us to provide pick and drop service to the girls and teachers of school from other villages and Jattoi. Currently we are using our ambulance for this purpose.

6. Women Resource Center:

We would like to establish a Women Resource Center for the women of Muzaffargarh district. The Resource Center will be consisting of a Computer Section, Art Section, Audio Video Lab, Library, Survivor Support Section (24 hours help line, UAN number), Training Unit, Skill Development Section and Research Section.

7. Mobile Unit:

We would like to set a Mobile Unit Service for the women (Survivors) to work in the field (Rural Areas) and to reach the survivors of Southern Region of Punjab.