Since its inception, Aahung has focused on sustainability as a key component of program design and implementation. As such, our programs focus on targeting long-term effectiveness whilst retaining the ability to change with the times.
Aahung has been instrumental in the Sindh government’s move to integrate the LSBE curriculum.
In 2009, the organization carried out its first pilot project with government schools in Sindh in order to develop a replicable model for integration into the school system at large. In 2014, we undertook a mapping and curriculum integration process in which the LSBE content was merged with the existing subjects of the national curriculum for classes 6 to 9. We worked with the Department of Education, Textbook Board, And Provincial Institute for Teacher Education and the Curriculum Bureau to finalize the integration of the LSBE content as well as roll out teacher training for master trainers in selected subjects.
In January 2018, 7 a year-old girl was found raped and murdered in Kasur, Punjab resulting in public demonstrations and pressure for change. This was a key moment for pushing the government to act. As a result of Aahung’s advocacy efforts, the Sindh Government agreed to integrate Aahung’s Life Skills Based Education (LSBE) content into class 6 – 8 textbooks. In May 2018, in collaboration with the Provincial Institute for Teachers Education (PITE), Aahung conducted extensive training of 442 Master Trainers. In June of the same year, a chapter on “Violence” was printed in class 7 Social Studies textbook.
Soon enough Balochistan followed suit. In May 2018, Aahung and the Secondary Education Department of Balochistan signed an MoU to integrate LSBE content into the secondary curriculum of the province.
Aahung has also worked on the sustainable integration of SRHR content with the curriculum of medical schools and nursing colleges with the intention of creating strong models that can be replicated. Correspondingly, the non-profit also advocated for improved training of public health workers and service providers such as community midwives, lady health workers and female welfare workers. By targeting pre-service providers, we aimed to influence change at the foundational level so that health workers can be better trained and prepared to deal with reproductive health problems during their service.