FAISALABAD – The story of APWA Faisalabad is, in fact, the story of care, help and patronage of the women in need spreading over a period of 60 years. It dates back to 1951 when a group of kind-hearted women, responding to the formation of All Pakistan Women Association (APWA) by its founder Begum Ra’ana Liaquat Ali Khan, founded its Lyallpur chapter (that was renamed Faisalabad in 1979) to extend their contribution to the cause of humanity in the newly established country facing the great challenge towards the rehabilitation of thousands of families displaced by the partition.
Its formation was the practical lesson to the local community that if a society could not help the poor who are numerous, it could not save the few who are rich. This was the spirit behind the formation of APWA that is undoubtedly the first women NGO set up in Pakistan in 1949. The torchbearer of APWA, Begum Ra’ana Liaquat Ali Khan, a famous activist for women’s rights, strongly believed that the role of women was no less important than that of men in a society.
It is heart wrenching to note that APWA Faisalabad, as the oldest NGO of the city, has withstood the great tests of time, but the vicissitudes of the modern age have pushed it into a position where it is struggling to survive in the face of multiple challenges that mainly include shortage of funds to continue their projects pertaining to skill development of less fortunate female segments of the society.
Faisalabad, being the second largest city of Pakistan in terms of bringing inward foreign exchange and the third largest one in terms of population, is a home to hundreds of flagship mega industrial units in textile industry owned by the richest individuals and groups. In this perspective, one might be justified to say that the association is literally an island of want and scarcity located on the oasis of affluence.
The success of an organisation is, in fact, the result of the degree of devotions, diligence and determination of those assigned to carry forward the cause of the mission. It is the driving force behind the association’s unending saga of female fortitude. They are none other than Chairperson Naheed Javed and General Secretary Ms Anjum Alam Shah who despite all odds have upheld the noble work and have not let the association drift away. They are playing a distinguished role to continue ‘helping people help themselves’, but the scarcity of funds has dampened all initiatives compelling them to make a desperate appeal to the city government, business community, corporate sector and philanthropist individuals and organisations to come forward and help their association to continue it charity work.
Presently, the immediate issue before the association is to generate funds for the complete renovation of the 50-year-old building that needs a substantial maintenance.
Secondly, its top priority is promotion of computer literacy programme and they have appealed to the Punjab government to set up a modern computer lab on their premises. They have computer teachers as well as a fair number of students in their present setup but they don’t have enough computers to take on the challenge. Thirdly, they need a financial patronage to launch a course for beauticians at APWA to enable women to become self-reliant by opening beauty parlours.
A bird eye view of the APWA’s activities calendar includes helping the women in need in a number of social spheres such as health, education, legal and skill development. The association is successfully running an industrial school at the building that provides computer courses, textile designing, knitting and tailoring skills and the participants are issued degrees by Punjab Technical Education Board. Moreover, free legal aid is provided to the women in distress for the alleviation of their sufferings.
The executive committee is studying the feasibility of forming business groups comprising 4-5 members to start their own small business through bank loans for which a private bank is willing to help. In the past, the association has helped a needy woman to open a general store that proved successful.
It goes to the credit of the association that they have hosted seminars and awareness programmes for the betterment of women on social issues. ‘Violence against women’ and ‘HIV programmes for female victims’ are particular cases in point. The association has played its role in national disasters like the last year’s flood and the 2005 earthquake and sent trucks of relief goods to the affected areas.
It is incredible to take up multi-pronged projects without any grant or regular source of income. The association is fully relying on donations contributed by members and donors from the business community.
Keeping in view the glorious track record and future challenges faced by the association, it is strongly hoped that the government and the community will come forward to extend a lifeline to the APWA by digging deep into their pockets to donate for a cause. The message is loud and clear: We have to repent in this world not only the evil deeds of wicked people but also the deplorable silence of good people.
APWA: an unending saga of female fortitude
