KU HEC launches social integration outreach project

The University of Karachi aims to improve the climate change in Karachi and one of the cornerstones of this strategy is to provide climate change education through social outreach to the less privileged communities.

In this connection, the Department of Social Work, KU, in collaboration with the Higher Education Commission had carried out a project to develop a closet interaction of the university with schools and raise awareness regarding climate change awareness, health and hygiene through different activities.

This project aimed to spread awareness and promote health by providing education to the students in less privileged, peri-urban areas in Karachi. The views were expressed by the Assistant Professor at Department of Social Work, KU, Dr Sakina Riaz.

She was giving a briefing to the KU Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Khalid Mahmood Iraqi, high-ups of the varsity’s and the Green Crescent Schools, at the VC Secretariat.

The project include visits of the Dr Sakina Riaz and her team members in two schools at Rehri Goth, Haji Qasim Goth and Gadap Town and organizes a cleanliness days, safe disposal of garbage and plantation drives, workshops in GTC, which is bring run by the nonprofit organizations, where the Principal Investigator Dr Sakina Riaz and her team had delivered these services by engaging the school’s students.

She mentioned that poster completion was also arranged. The students were given tasks to prepare diagrams on climate change health and hygiene.

During the briefing, Dr Sakina Riaz presented the overview of the project and acknowledged the financial contributions of the Higher Education Commission and the University of Karachi to carry out the project.

She also thanks t the GTC organization for participating in this project, facilitators, project team and the students.

Meanwhile, the KU VC Professor Dr Khalid Iraqi, stressed the need to lift more of such awareness projects and the long-term benefits of health education in less developed areas. He also spoke about the vision of Karachi University OR continuing such activities.

He observed that universities should also focus on highlighting and suggesting suitable solutions to the problems being faced by the Karachiites. Professor Dr Khalid Iraqi mentioned that research conducted by the faculty members in this regard would be very helpful and present it to stakeholders i.e. federal and provincial governments, its relevant departments and those who could produce financial support to bring improvement in the city.

The Director Office of Research, Innovation and Commercialization KU Professor Dr Alyia Rehman shed light on the significance of community outreach programs and the ORIC contribution.

Earlier, Dr Sakina Riaz presented the report to the KU VC Professor Dr Khalid Iraqi. She informed the participants of the meeting that the project successfully achieved its goals.

The Faculty Dean Faculty of Social Sciences KU Professor Dr Nasreen Aslam Shah, the Chairman Department of Social Work KU Professor Muhammad Shahid and Principal Investigator of the Project Dr Sakina Riaz, the Chief Operating Officer of Green Crescent Schools along with other officials, principals of participating schools, project management team, were present at the ceremony.

Later, the certificate of appreciations and shields were also distributed among the principals of participating schools, facilitators and support staff.

 

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