SRI Programs Update

Dear SRI supporters,


I have just returned from Pakistan after spending three months in Swat, and want to give you an update on all the activities we conducted to ensure that your donations are being used efficiently and according to SRI’s high ethical standards. I spent a great deal of of time inspecting, improving and auditing all of SRI programs, and was very satisfied with the progress we have made so far. When my husband Arshad, who has 37 years experience in finance with GE, and myself, audited all of SRI’s accounts, we were extremely pleased with the efficient and effective utilization of funds.
Our Preventive Health Care program is making a big difference in the lives of women and children, as statistics show that we have brought down the infant mortality rate by 50%, and maternal mortality by 100%. In fact there have been no maternal deaths in our program area for the last two years.

In Education, SRI’s campaign to put “20,000 Children in School by the Year 2020“ is slowly gaining support in many corners of the world. One of our new initiatives for reaching the, 20,000 children in school goal, is building a new elementary school in the village of Gatto Sar, located at an altitude of 7,000 ft. and considered one of the most scenic places in the world (please see, attached, proposed school site and children’s pictures). This school will provide education to a underprivileged minority community who have never been educated before. We are also in the process of starting a Middle school program for the village of Akhon Baba.

All those who wish to join us in our “20,000 Children in School by the Year 2020”  campaign please let me know, so I can send you details on how to help. Our Vocational Training Centers for women now have expanded programs. We are offering many more trades and admitting 50% more students. More than 400 women per year are now graduating from our Centers with government recognized diplomas and tool kits for women to start their own businesses.

We have also adopted two government schools to improve their capacity and provide quality education to children in our target villages. The following is our progress to date:
Training for 50 teachers Installed a water pump in 1 school
Installed interactive, technology – based learning programs in three schools
Strengthened and reactivated Parent-Teacher Associations in the schools
We have added a new village, Baligram, to our program area. The people of this area now get the benefits of all of SRI’s programs – Community Development, Education, Preventive Health Care and Clean water.


I want to thank all of our supports for their generosity and trust in SRI to make a difference
in the lives of so many people.


Best regards,
Zebu

 

 

100% OF DONATIONS GO DIRECTLY TOWARD PROGRAMS FOR DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES. SRI’S BOARD MEMBERS PAY FOR ALL OVERHEAD COSTS FROM THEIR PERSONAL FUNDS.

Letter from the Founders

Dear Friends,

We have always felt a debt of gratitude to the social institutions under which we grew up: Pakistan in the 60’s.  Today, unfortunately, those institutions are but a pale semblance of what they used to be. We were privileged but came from families that, despite their station in society, gave and taught us to give of ourselves to those who were less privileged.

This background, and our subsequent achievements in life, put us in a position to help the most needy people in Pakistan.  We are most effective in Swat:  This is in the region we are from, this is where we best know the people and this is where the people know us well.

We started Swat Relief Initiative at a time when the people of Swat went through the first major trauma of three major disasters: the 2008 Taliban takeover, the ensuing 2009 war and the 2010 mega-floods.

The most vulnerable segments of Swati society are the women and children – they are our focus.  We bring the men along too, for they are key to helping develop a milieu in which women and children can grow into fully contributing members of society.

We have a holistic approach to social growth with programs in Social Mobilization, Health, Education, Economic Development and Sustainable Environment. While working in these areas of social development we partner, when necessary, with individuals and organizations that can supplement our expertise and impact.

Of course, we cannot do any of this without the help of your continuing generous contributions, which we continue to pledge will go directly to where they are needed the most: programs and projects on the ground that provide the greatest opportunity for less fortunate women and children to thrive.

Thanks,

Zebu and Arshad Jilani