Rockflower Funds CSP to Provide Critical Disaster Relief in Flood-Ravaged Neelum Valley, AJ&K

Women carrying emergency aid food boxes provided by CSP.

In response to the devastating flooding that has struck the Neelum Valley district of Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJ&K) in the wake of torrential monsoon rains, Rockflower has extended emergency funding to partner organization, Community Services Program (CSP), to provide vital aid to those affected.

The flooding, which commenced in the third week of July 2023, has wreaked havoc on both Northern and Southern parts of AJ&K, particularly in the Neelum Valley district. Homes, markets, bridges, and essential road infrastructure have been swept away, leaving countless residents, including men, women, children, and the elderly, in dire need of assistance. The situation has escalated to the point where there are alarming concerns about severe food shortages and malnutrition among the affected population.

CSP swiftly took action, with their dedicated staff and volunteers conducting rapid assessments of the flood-affected villages of Tehjian and Dudniyal. This on-the-ground evaluation enabled them to gain insight into the immediate needs of the displaced families and damaged households. Despite the district government's appeals for assistance, governmental aid has yet to reach these two villages.

Flooded power lines in Neelum Valley, AJ&K

Recognizing the urgency of the situation, Rockflower allocated funding to CSP to address the critical needs of the flood victims. Through this support, CSP has managed to provide aid to 405 direct beneficiaries. Families have received essential food packets containing wheat, sugar, rice, and dry milk, ensuring that basic nutritional requirements are met during this trying time.

The impact of the flooding extends beyond the Neelum Valley district, as torrential rains have led to a landslide that blocked a key link road in the Bagh district of AJ&K. The cascading effects of these natural disasters have also resulted in rainwater entering houses and shops across various cities.

Adding to the gravity of the situation, Pakistan's Meteorological Department (PMD) reported that the national rainfall for the month of July 2023 was significantly above average, reaching a staggering 70% increase. This substantial increase in rainfall has only intensified the challenges faced by affected communities and has further underscored the need for urgent humanitarian interventions.

Rockflower's decision to support CSP in their disaster relief efforts showcases our commitment to making a positive impact on the lives of women and girls, even in emergencies that fall outside our regular mandate. By providing immediate assistance to CSP, Rockflower aims to alleviate the suffering of flood-affected communities in AJ&K and contribute to the ongoing efforts to rebuild and recover from this calamity.

Updates on Tine Model Girls School’s Three Campuses

One of Rockflower’s earliest projects, the Tine Model Girls School, named by the people of the village after Rockflower’s Founder, Tine Ward, began in 2014 and is operated by Community Services Program (CSP) in Pakistan. Over the course of three very impactful trips to Pakistan, Tine met Siddique Hussain, CSP’s President and through the power of the Currency of Mind™, the idea for a school was born. Creating a school for girls in Pakistan who have historically had little to no access to education has been no small feat. The mission of TMGS is to provide vulnerable students with positive thinking, vocational skills and confidence to realize their dreams, while teaching them the skills necessary to take responsibility for and transform their lives. Today, there are three Tine Model Girls Schools, in Muzaffarabad, Neelum Valley, and Islamabad, with a combined enrollment of 428 children. CSP’s President, Siddique Hussain recently created a report on the schools on their progress.

The Dhoke Liaquat Campus:

CSP chose to create schools in these three communities based on the lack of available education, specifically education accessible to girls, and on the lack of awareness of the importance of educating girls. This first school was established in Dhoke Liaquat, a rural community in Islamabad where 60% of the population are migrants from other parts of Pakistan who have been relocated due to conflict and natural disasters. These families lacked the resources to send their children to school and told CSP during their initial assessment that their children were more likely to beg in the street for money than to attend school because of the poor economic conditions. They told CSP that if they had an option to give their children an education, they would send their boys and girls to school. Since the creation of the school, 185 students are enrolled from playgroup age to grade 5. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, continuing to educate children in-person became an insurmountable challenge. The schools were not equipped for remote learning, so in 2021, they sought a solution to this problem and partnered with Origin Learning Fund to bring remote learning to students at the Dhoke Liaquat campus. Origin Learning Fund’s founder, Tania Rosas, is the creator of O-Lab, an offline app for inclusive and personalized learning designed for at-risk indigenous and refugee children and youths worldwide. The O-lab app is preloaded with educational content, in both the language taught in school as well as a native language and does not require students or teachers to have access to an internet connection, a game changer for those in such remote locations. Rockflower committed to funding the partnership between CSP and the Origin Learning Fund as they launched a pilot project to supply tablets and bring digital literacy and education to underprivileged students in Pakistan while also training teachers on this technology and style of learning. The program has been highly successful, and as more funding becomes available, the program will expand to the other campuses.

The Chack Sharda Campus:

The second Tine Model Girls School is based in the remote village of Chack Sharda, with a population of 1,250 people who work primarily in agriculture and day labor. The nearest existing government school is nearly 4 miles from the village and does not teach girls ages 4 - 8. Although older girls can attend the school, this barrier to early education meant that almost no girls in the village attended school. CSP met with the community and determined that they would be willing to educate girls if there was an accessible way to do so. CSP worked to recruit a team of female teachers to run the school and today they educate 127 children, 83 of whom are girls who would not have had the opportunity to attend school previously. 

The Chirran Campus:

The newest Tine Model Girls School is located in the village of Chirran. The village has approximately 125 households and before the school was established there were no private or government run schools available. 100% of the children in the village were out of school. Wages are extremely low, as 80% of the population are daily laborers. The school opened its doors very recently, in September of 2022. It offers a play group for very young children and toddlers, nursery school, prep class, and grades 1-5. In just five short months, the school has enrolled 80 young girls and 36 boys who will now have access to a quality education. 

Rockflower commends the work of CSP that has enabled over 400 children to attend school as well as the Origin Learning Fund for bringing digital learning to children in remote areas of the world. As Tania Rosas has explained, access to learning opportunities is the best weapon to fight against poverty and uphold sustainable development for at-risk communities. In 2023, we hope to be able to bring O-lab and tablets to all of our campuses because access to digital literacy and technology can open the door to a world of opportunities. 

CSP Organizes Medical Clinic for Flood Victims in Pakistan

In July & August of 2022, an unpredicted heavy monsoon season caused widespread flooding in Pakistan which led to extensive human and infrastructure losses. According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), 1,162 people were killed, 3,554 were injured, and 1,057,338 houses collapsed. Rockflower partner, Community Services Program, began distributing food following the disaster and was able to support more than 700 families. However, during this time, CSP saw the urgent need for medical intervention in displacement camps, and on October 24th, the organization, in partnership with the Government Health Department, utilized funding from Rockflower to purchase medical supplies in order to hold a free medical clinic and treat women and children in the Sanghar District of Pakistan who had been affected by the devastating flooding. 

Although Rockflower’s mission is not to provide emergency disaster relief, in times of great need, there is no choice but to provide what we can for victims of disasters, especially when our partners are willing to organize and distribute relief. The majority of those affected by the floods have been displaced and are now living in temporary camps and tents. The floods have left behind large pools of stagnant water, which have led to increased outbreaks of malaria, cholera and dengue. There is currently little to no medical assistance available for those who are sick and for pregnant women and newborns who require medical care. During one week in the camps of Sanghar District, 8 infants and 4 pregnant women were reported to have passed away due to the lack of available medical aid.

There are a number of disaster relief organizations providing food to the camps, but none providing medical assistance. Therefore, CSP, led by Siddique Hussain, was able to partner with the Government Health Department and raise funds to execute a one day medical clinic for vulnerable women and children. The government provided the doctors, while CSP organized the logistics and funding with support from Rockflower.

During the medical clinic, 282 women, including 56 pregnant women, and 106 children received checkups. The most common illnesses treated were Malaria, Cholera, Dengue, Dysentery, Common fever, Hypertension and Scabies. The doctors were able to provide free medicine and spread awareness about preventative measures to be taken for common diseases. 

It was no small feat for CSP to pull together this medical clinic in a matter of days, and serve hundreds of women and children in a single day. In total, this clinic, including the cost of medicine and medical supplies cost just under $7,000 USD. Although this amount is not insignificant, the thought that over 300 lives may have been saved with this funding in a single day is astounding. If divided equally, the clinic expended about $23 per person. Right now, Rockflower is in the midst of our 100 Gardeners in 100 Days campaign where we are working to sign up 100 monthly donors. If it is within your means to become a gardener, you could be providing life saving aid to women and girls with your donation each month.

100 Gardeners in 100 Days: Will you be one of them?

Climate change related catastrophes are increasing in their frequency and severity. Here in the United States, Puerto Rico is recovering from the devastation left by Hurricane Fiona and as I write this email Hurricane Ian has left a trail of enormous destruction in Florida.

For us, the last eight weeks has seen a steady increase of emails from our partners around the world, asking for emergency help in the face of their own intense climate change induced disasters.

Rockflower is not set up to provide emergency humanitarian relief, our mandate is to provide early stage investment for social enterprises and community based organizations improving the lives of women and girls on the global margins. However, as was the case during COVID, partnership is an ongoing responsibility and one that requires a listening and attentive ear during times of crisis.

These are real people, with real names, in real moments of need. Siddique in Pakistan has been working around the clock for weeks to ensure that the 45,000 people under the care of CSP are given the assistance they need as a result of the devastating flooding which has covered a third of Pakistan in water.

Moreen in Mbale, Uganda has been assisting those whose lives have been upended by recent flooding there, and Juliet and Mary in Kasese, Uganda, have been helping those affected by the recent mudslides who have lost homes and family members. Michael in South Sudan was left speechless by the devastating flooding in his home town in South Sudan.

All of this can feel overwhelming, but one thing I have learned from all the years of doing this work is that small acts of intervention really do matter.  We have sent funding assistance to these partners, which has provided some much needed respite, but we need to do so much more. I started to think about what that “more” would look like.  

Many of you are already monthly gardeners to Rockflower and for your generosity we are eternally grateful. But often I hear people say "I don't have much to give - what difference would $25 a month really make?" My reply is always - I can promise you it would mean a great deal. 

Starting today, October 1st for 100 days through to January 7th 2023, we plan to sign up 100 new monthly Gardeners. 

If 100 people sign up for just $25 a month, that will be an extra $2,500 a month and $30,000 a year, which will add significantly to our emergency fund. These climate related disasters are only going to increase and the needs will be even greater. Whilst we continue to support and fund those whose innovations are providing much needed climate adaptation, like our most recent partner Flicker of Hope in Kenya, we must also find a way to offer support at times of dire need. 

Please consider becoming a monthly Rockflower Gardener - I can promise you that it will be one of the best investments in hope and possibility you will make.

-Tine Ward, CEO, Rockflower

Emergency Relief Funding Needed for Community Services Program, Pakistan

The Situation: 

Community Services Program, Pakistan, has been a Rockflower partner for over a decade.  Since 2012 we have partnered with them on projects across a spectrum of our Five Key framework -  maternal and reproductive health, economic empowerment, peace and security and education. The most recent being the exciting Bridging the Digital Divide: From Colombia to Pakistan, bringing digital literacy to rural and remote communities. 

However at this moment CSP and 45,000 people in the communities they serve are struggling against the magnitude of the recent catastrophic flooding. Right now, over one third of Pakistan is covered in water, that is the equivalent to the whole of Colorado. 

Mr. Siddique Hussain, Chairman of Community Services Pakistan has been traveling to the affected areas in the last two weeks and shared the following: 

“I am traveling in the flood affected areas and have assessed that the natural calamity of the floods in Pakistan occurring in various parts of the country needs our immediate attention. With the immense destruction we are facing it is essential to provide rations, medical aid and assistance provision for the flood affectees who have lost their healthcare mechanisms due to this aggressive flooding. Especially females are being neglected and their essential needs, including basic hygiene and sanitary items. This is the time to stand together for humanity.”

The background to the flooding: 

What is causing this unprecedented flooding? Pakistan is home to 7,200 glaciers and they are melting fast. This is a direct effect of an increasingly warming planet, caused by global emissions. Pakistan is responsible for just 1% of those global emissions but will be one of the top 8 countries in the world subject to its devastating effects. 

The knock on effect of these melting glaciers are a series of dominos waiting to fall. 

“In the mountains of Pakistan, water from glaciers forms high-elevation lakes, which are often dammed by glacial ice. When there’s too much runoff, those lakes quickly expand and the ice dams can break, producing what’s called a “glacial lake outburst.” - VOX 

Pakistan’s climate minister, Sherry Rehman in an interview with The Guardian, makes the case for why rich nations must make reparations for the catastrophic consequences of their actions. 

“Historic injustices have to be heard and there must be some level of climate equation so that the brunt of the irresponsible carbon consumption is not being laid on nations near the equator which are obviously unable to create resilient infrastructure on their own,” - Sherry Lehman, Climate minister 

Getting Assistance to where it is needed: 

Add to this crisis the discrimination some Islamic charities are feeling in the rush to provide help as some are facing concern over bank derisking practices. 

“Pakistan is far from the only country where humanitarian responses by Islamic NGOs have seen their financial services disrupted by banks. Payments have also gone missing without explanation for programs in Syria, Somalia, and Afghanistan, according to Itani and others in the sector — all places deemed high risk by banks, but also with Muslim majority populations. 

Financial services to NGOs serving Ukraine, meanwhile, have largely gone smoothly, which has heightened a sense of discrimination that’s being felt by some in Muslim organizations, who also see their work as part of religious duty. “  DEVEX 

By having a ten year relationship with CSP we are able to get immediate relief to people. 

We have already provided direct support in the form of food aid, but so much more is needed. As a fund that specializes in early stage investment into previously underfunded community based organizations and social enterprises, emergency relief is not our usual remit. However, we cannot sit back and watch as one of our foundational partners struggles to meet the enormous needs of its constituents.

Please consider any donation amount to assist those who are currently struggling to get through the day.

• $43 buys a food pack for one family for 30 days 

• $23 buys a food pack for a family for 15 days 

• $13 buys a food pack for a family for 7 days 

The Pehran Project Celebrates its Third Round of Graduates

Rockflower partner, Community Services Program (CSP), Pakistan has completed the third round of the Pehran project, a Rockflower funded initiative providing employable skills to disadvantaged women in Kashmir, or who may already produce handmade crafts, but struggle to earn money. This 12 month project, broken into multiple cycles, recruits women who are interested in learning or improving upon a trade and supporting themselves financially. In this third round of students, CSP trained 24 women in embroidery, stitching, dressmaking, design and marketing. The goal of the project is to elevate the level of crafts that were produced so that the women could sell in-demand products, and have the knowledge to operate a business.

The rural women of Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJ&K) actively participate in the production of Kashmiri arts and crafts, but face significant hurdles in maximizing a return on their efforts - for themselves as well as their families and communities. CSP’s team, led by Mr. Siddique Hussain, understands that providing women with the opportunity to learn a trade, and how to market that trade effectively will not only benefit them economically, but will also help to build self esteem, a sense of responsibility, teamwork and effective communication skills. Throughout the training, the group also held two sessions focused solely on life skills, led by board member, Dr. Shazia. 

CSP is determined to train and support so many women that eventually, the Gurase Valley will have an established brand and reputation for its crafts. They have set up four training centers, led by graduates of the Pehran Project, to continue providing support and education. 

The third round of training ended in July of 2021, and CSP has been closely following the graduates on their entrepreneurial journeys. The organization found from previous groups that many of the graduates still need support in tapping into the market as they work on starting their businesses. The benefit of having multiple rounds of graduates, is that they are able to teach and support each other given what they’ve learned in both the training and in their own business. Not only has CSP provided job skills, but they’ve created a community of women ready to support one another as they work toward their mission of creating a reputation for craftsmanship in their community. 

Bridging The Digital Divide: From Colombia to Pakistan

Rockflower Partners with Fundación El Origen, Colombia; welcomes Tania Rosas to the Rockflower Partner Advisory Council; and begins first initiative on a joint pilot project with long time partner Community Services Program, Pakistan 

Rockflower is delighted to announce a new partnership with Fundación El Origen, Colombia,  an organization working to break the cycle of poverty by making virtual learning an option for all students and by focusing on other educational challenges faced by indigenous and rural youth. 

The organization was founded by Tania Rosas, a young social entrepreneur from La Guajira – Colombia, who founded both Fundación El Origen and Origin Learning fund, and launched O-lab, an offline app for inclusive and personalised learning designed for at-risk indigenous and refugee children and youths worldwide. The O-lab app is preloaded with educational content, in both the language taught in schools as well as a native language, and does not require students or teachers to have access to an internet connection, a game changer for those in remote locations. 

In addition we are extremely fortunate that Tania has agreed to join Rockflower’s Partner Advisory Council.  Tania brings deep lived experience and understanding of the needs of rural communities and the struggle to access education. As a political scientist and educational researcher her commitment to making education more inclusive for communities often left out of the technological landscape will be invaluable to Rockflower’s determination to expand opportunities in education and economic advancement to many more women and girls . 

Tania and the team at Fundación El Origen expressed a deep desire to focus on Rockflower’s existing partners who work at the edges of some of the poorest and hardest to reach communities, for whom access to digital literacy and technology would be a first. Community Services Program, Pakistan, one of Rockflower’s longest standing partners, has been chosen as the first in a pilot project that will bring digital literacy to 1000 students within the most marginalized and rural populations of Punjab Province, Pakistan.  Over the course of a 12 month period, El Origen will train teachers at the Tine Model Girls School to implement the O-Lab app and integrate a learning curriculum designed exclusively for this community enabling them to access and understand the tools needed for 21st century engagement and advancement.