Environmental research

Badin District is a costal area and frequently hit by natural catastrophes. Discrimination in natural resources and poor output from agriculture has reduced the resources of livelihood of the people resulting extreme poverty. This scenario has also put deadly impacts on environment. Taluka Golarchi has also witnessed serious socio-economic impacts. The villages in union council khorwah have poor social and economic indicators. According to recent survey (Conducted by the organization) it has revealed that the communities of Union Council Khorwah solely rely on fuel wood, animal dung, straw and crop residues such as rice husks for heating and cooking purpose due to unavailability of alternate resources. This situation has caused rampant cutting of trees resulting in rapid deforestation in the area. Simultaneously open fires are inefficient because they waste a lot of calorific energy and hence require large quantities of wood. They also emit noxious smoke within the household and into the atmosphere, which harm human health in general, and women and children in particular. The ever-increasing demand for fuel wood has placed a great pressure on local trees resulted in depleting forests and increased the risks of soil erosion and desertification. On the other hand, use of traditional open stoves by women to prepare food has resulted in the large scale consumption of fire wood. They spend much time and energy to collect the fire wood and prepare food. However, smoke from mud stoves is making the environment polluted and causing lung diseases in women and children in the area. Project objectives: 1.Introduction and promotion of Energy Efficient Technologies in 15 villages of Union Council Khorwah. 2. Plantation of trees in 15 villages of U/C Khorwah. 3.Demonstrating low cost energy efficient housing techniques/approaches in the target area through multiple activities. 4.Bringing attitudinal changes in the community members regarding environmental health and indoor air pollution in target villages. 5.Formation and capacity building of CCBs in target 15 villages for long term continuity and sustainability of interventions. Activities to be carried out under project: Selection and finalization of potential villages Project orientation meetings with community Formation of Community Organizations in target 15 villages. Consultative meetings with elected Local Government representatives Developing union council profile on the basis of baseline survey data. Consultative meetings with newly formed CO bodies for collective efforts. Capacity building of 20 local artisans through entrepreneurship training workshops in developing energy efficient products at local level. Installation of approximately 1600 demo units of Energy Efficient products like stoves, Muhafiz and Fanoos in 15 villages of Union Council Khorwah Establishment of 2 low cost environment efficient houses as sample for the local communities. Plantation of 1000 saline resistant trees as development of green belt in the proposed villages and promotion of tree plantation trends. organizing sensitization sessions on health and hygiene with the male and female community members Organizing Road Shows/ publicity workshops in targeted villages regarding orientation about the EE technologies to the rural masses. Organizing U/C level seminar on the project products and its benefits in terms of Environmental protection. Registration of CO as CCB. Capacity Building training for newly formed COs and CCBS in 15 villages Publicity and projection of products and techniques through different channels like printed and electronic media.

Pakistan