Cavish to Provide REFLECT Trainings to Plan Staff & Communities

Islamabad: Cavish Development Foundation is going to provide training on ‘REFLECT Approach’ to the staff and partner communities of Plan Pakistan.
An agreement was reached between the two organizations on August 13, 2009 in Islamabad.

Under the agreement, Cavish would initially assess training needs of the staff and partner communities of Plan Pakistan to understand their knowledge, attitudes and practices with respect to REFLECT, PRA and other participatory approaches.

Based upon the findings of these assessments, Cavish would launch a series of customized trainings in the coming months. Initially trainings would be conducted in Chakwals districts with 25-30 participants from Plan’s communities.

Cavish is among the pioneers of this approach in Pakistan and has implemented several projects using REFLECT approach training around 30 master trainers and about 200 teachers. The approach has successfully been implemented with over 6000 non-literates.

Evaluation of Cordaid Project Completed

Islamabad: Cavish has successfully completed a post-project evaluation for projects implemented by Cordaid in earthquake affected areas of AJK and NWFP.

Cordaid is a Netherlands based NGO which has been working with the affected people of 2005 earthquake. It has supported around two thousand families and rehabilitated sixty schools through provision of construction materials, furniture and other supplies during the two years of the project.

Cavish was asked by Cordaid to evaluate the satisfaction level of beneficiaries besides evaluating project’s appropriateness, efficiency, effectiveness and impact, connectedness and coherence.
Cavish conducted twenty two focus group discussions, five in-depth interviews and used ranking tools with beneficiaries and related stakeholders in Bagh, Neelum, Muzzafarabad (AJK) and Mansehra (NWFP) districts. Later, a report was shared with Cordaid that was based upon the findings of the process.

Training held on Data Collection for members of Youth Parliament Pakistan

Islamabad: Cavish Development Foundation facilitated a three-day training workshop on Data Collection for members of Youth Parliament of Pakistan (YPP) & staff of the British Council, recently.

Supported by the British Council, YPP is working with more than two thousand members across 10 districts of the country. It was formed by famous singer Abrar-ul-Haq.

British Council, being strong supporter of YPP, hired services of the Cavish to conduct a “training needs assessment” exercise of the members of YPP in order to develop a long term capacity building program for YPP. This training was part of the TNA exercise through which Cavish had to train YPP’s research teams in “data collection for TNA”.

During the training, Cavish facilitators conducted various exercises to assess training needs of the participants. Later, they were apprised with contemporary concepts on research and data collection, understanding of training needs assessment frameworks and tool designed for this particular exercise. In all, twenty three people participated in this workshop including nineteen members of the YPP belonging to ten districts of Pakistan and the AJK. The trained members would now collect data in ten districts for the TNA. In the next phase, Cavish is preparing to hold a two-day workshop on Data analysis for the YPP.

Project Launched for Accountability of Elected RepresentativesProject Launched for Accountability of Elected Representatives

Islamabad: Cavish Development Foundation is all set to change the public accountability landscape in two districts of Sindh by increasing civic engagement activities and strengthening local democratic platforms.

Under a thirty-month duration ‘Citizen's Action for Democratic Governance in Pakistan’ project, supported by The Asia Foundation, Cavish is going to facilitate formation of four ‘Constituency Relations Groups’ (CRGs) that would strengthen public accountability mechanisms for the members of the national and provincial assemblies. These CRGs would have members from different walks of life.

The CRGs will hold several public forums and peoples’ assemblies where elected representatives will be invited to listen and address issues of civic concerns.

Besides, the CRGs will also visit national and provincial assemblies after every three months to meet MPAs/MNAs and lobby with them for addressing issues facing their constituencies.
Being a founding member of ‘Free and Fair Elections Network’ (FAFEN), Cavish would also collect data for Corruption Index and State of Political Parties Index through surveys and focus group discussions, to be held under this project.