Pakistan, despite progress and economic growth, faces significant challenges related to poverty and inequality in the social and economic inclusion of the most vulnerable people, particularly in rural districts.

An example, is Okara district in the north of the country, where agriculture and livestock breeding are the main activities, but without generating income for small landowners and livestock breeders who, due to low productivity, can barely meet their family’s food needs through the crops.

Thanks to the funding from Caritas Italiana, incollaboration with the Camillian Lay Family (FLC), last November we launched a Micro-project to promote the social and economic inclusion of families in this District.
Three families in extreme need have been identified: large families, with a lack of income and without support from the local administration, who do not have access to enough food for their basic needs.

The Micro-project works directly to improve their livelihoods and their social and economic inclusion in the community.
Firstly, three buffaloes for milk production were provided to the families to support them. Through training courses, they acquired technical and practical skills, needed for animal husbandry and for the processes of extracting and maintaining milk.

Part of the milk produced is used to feed the families, while a part is sold in the local market, thus ensuring a source of income.

Secondly, a local expert trainer provides training, involving families and the community, on the importance of dairy products as a source of animal protein and a preferred food in the daily diet. Awareness-raising sessions on food and nutrition safety have been also organised, in which information materials distributed showing some good food practices in a simple and straightforward way.

The appeals of Central African President Faustin-Archange Touadéra’s rivals were rejected by the Constitutional Court. He was officially elected with 53.16% of the votes.

On Monday, January 18th 2020, Danièle Darlan, the president of the Supreme Court declared that Faustin Archange Touadéra “is re-elected President of the Republic in the first round of the elections on December 27, 2020”.
The Court, however, lowered the participation rate to 35.25%, far from the 76.31% of registrants provisionally announced on 4 January.

His opponents denounced ‘massive fraud’ and the impossibility for two out of three voters to vote.

“The project has created an emotional and psychological impact on beneficiary families, financial as well regarding the nutritional aspect .The families have been feeling safe while receiving the animals. ” These are the words of Father Mushtaq, local coordinator of the Microproject for the promotion of the social and economic inclusion of families in Okara District, Pakistan.

The Microproject, funded by Italian Caritas, aimed to improve the social and economic conditions of three families in Okara district, in Pakistan, thanks to actions for food subsistence and income generation.
The beneficiary families, identified by the local partner, were in extreme poverty condition, because of the discrimination suffered for their different religious beliefs.They were marginalized and abandoned by local public administrations and and they did not have access to sufficient food or economic income.

To allow them creating their own livelihood, we have purchased some animals (cows, goats and buffalo) and through the production of milk they have been able to meet their nutritional and economic needs. At the same time, as a first step, stocks of animal feed have been purchased and delivered to them. A local veterinarian have been teaching them how to take care of animals, how to feed them,how to protect them from the most common infections and some essential notions for breeding regarding nutrition, hygiene rules, diseases.

The beneficiary families were able to use the milk for their own needs and thanks to the help of operators belonging to the Lay Camillian Family they were able to sell part of the milk obtained in the local market, ensuring a healthy and accessible product to the members of the communities of the three villages.

Furthermore we have been also organizing training classes on dairy products in order to wide the knowledge and the skill of beneficiary families. In those training were involved the beneficiariy families took part in the in the training sessions but also other inhabitants of the three villages involved in the project. This sortof training was highly appreciated because allowed them to diversify their diet and at the same time offer products that are not always available on the local market, increasing the chances of sales, raising their spirits and encouraging them to dream of a better life.

At last, we also have organized nutritional education activities to stimulate a positive change in their eating habits and to reduce malnutrition of which they suffer, which makes them eligible for a large scale of vulnerabilities. During the meetings, explicative posters and banners have been designed to give support for correct information, clearly showing some good food practices.

“In general, now everyone is hoping for better days and has expressed their intention to help others as well. This gift has renewed their determination to move forward”concludes Father Mushtaq.