Background

 Friends Foundation (FF) is a non-government social welfare organization registered under the Societies Act, 1860. It was founded by a group of volunteers who rendered their services to the sufferers of the floods which struck the inhabitants of Rawalpindi in 2001. Moved by the spirit of social welfare and strengthened by the experience of helping the flood affected people these volunteers joined hands to organize themselves from lose group to a more formal structure dedicated for bringing change in the lives of the socially deprived segments of the society. FF endeavors to offer complete range of development activities for strenthing the poor communities.FF also works for the development and welfare of deprived rural communities especially mother and new born. Our organization believes that community participation in all phases of project designing planning, implementation, and monitoring is the key for sustainable development.  It was registered on March 09, 2003 and has been since then working for the social uplift of the under privileged sections of the society .Now FF is working in Punjab Fata and KPK responding to emergencies and increasing access of the under privileged of the society to social services.

Vision

A socially just and awared society having equal opportunities to claim social, economical and political rights regardless of any gender and ethnic discrimination

Mission

To support underprivileged and deprived communities through increased access to quality social services and livelihood opportunities with emphasize on equitable development

Current Areas of Interventions

The major areas of interventions which have been focused by FF for social uplift of the communities are:

1. Reproductive Health Services
2. Community Water and Sanitation Services
3. Educational Support
4. Social Capacity Building
5. Women Empowerment
6. Advocacy on child rights
7. Human Rights Protection
8. Disaster Relief Services
9. Social Organization
10. Gender Mainstreaming

Progress

Now with the grace of God, Friends Foundation has completed its 10th years, and is moving forward with each passing year in its struggle to support marginalized community suffering. Friends Foundation has successfully ventured out of Islamabad by executing projects in Rawalpindi, Muzzafargar, Jhelum, Gujrat, Kohastan, Kohat, Hangu and Aorakzai. It has established its sub-office in District Rawalpindi, Jhelum, Muzaffar Garh, Kohat and Kohistan.
FF, s struggles started by some volunteers way back in 2000 has finally borne fruit by helping helpless people and it will not end.  Mr. Abbas Gondal has been serving FF as Executive Director for over ten years. We wish him all the best for his future, and believe that he would be always available to provide guidance and advice to us

We thank all the friends, supporters, staff and volunteers of Friends Foundation who made it possible for us to continue with our struggle in all these years. We would like to mention two people here namely Mr Abbas Gonald – the Founder of Friends Foundation, and Mr. Ibrahim Manager Programs under whose able guidance we become able to serve humanity

Help a child in need, secure Child rights

Friends Foundation believes that all children have equal right, regardless of their age, gender, race, ethnicity or ability to enjoy his/her childhood, health, education, protection and parental care. These rights are clearly set out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), which was agreed in 1989 with the exception of two countries. The organization diverted its vision from health and emergency relief services to the most innocent and deprived part of the society that is children during the relief activities of  earth quake of 2005 because certain the facts revealed that the children those were the victims of earth quark were not only facing chronic health issues like malnutrition,  skin diseases ,water borne diseases lack, psychological problems due to loss of family and parental care  they were also at  the high risk of child trafficking, child abuse ,kidnapping and forced prostitution thus FF aimed to promote and protects the rights of the children through advocacy research, awareness-raising, outreach activities, human development and institutional capacity building. We believe that we cannot assure the health of a child if the mental, psychological health is lacking.

How we work.

We are working slowly by making interventions in to the existing awful culture where there is no respect for the rights of children and there is always resistance and barriers; however we are focusing on our mission that we will make every child of our target community aware of his/ her rights, protection against any kind of abuse and HIV and AIDS prevention.

Awareness raising sessions

Raising awareness among the parents and children of the slums, flood affected areas, schools colleges and universities about CRC specially child protection through health and hygiene functions (Melas), in schools and on the celebration of thematic days.

 
Distribution of IEC material

We have developed a very effective and simple IEC material and tool kits to raise awareness among the children and community members about the CRC and HIV and AIDS prevention through simple language and pictorial messages.

Training

Special training on Primary Health Care and Reproductive Health Services (PHC & RH) ,First Aid, HIV and Aids prevention are given under woman development prgramme where child rights awareness and protection are the major topics to be covered.

Referral system
The organization has strong links with the government as well as the local ngos, CSOs working for the rights of the children we refer the victims of any kind of child rights violation to such organization for the to address the issue.

Formulation of free treatment centers

FF is providing free medical services to the children from slums and their parents in 3 areas of district Rawalpindi in local language called mohanpura , Mohalah raja sultan and in texilla.

Innocents committees’ formulation
We formulated the committees of the children in schools and within slums with the support of volunteers, the purpose of the committee is peer education and flow of information about CRC and HIV and AIDS through child to child approach.

Way forward
FF is eager to uplift the minimum stranders of the life of working and street children and their families we works to make a serious and sustainable impact on poverty and its causes, especially as they affect children. We are committed to long-term change; FF strongly believes that the stability of the families of children is needed to be focus for that we are focusing on below listed plans.

1. Mass awareness among community members and children about child rights and protection, early marriages or forced marriages, child selling and child trafficking.
2. Advocacy with government to include CRC in the regular syllabus till matric Class and to reform or make amendments in their existing policy.
3.  Emphasis on government officials to take legal action and to seal hotspots of child prostitution.
4. Police reforms for securing rights of juveniles according JJSO 2000.
5. Formulation of youth alliance for CRC and awareness among youth ,parents and working children families about sexually transmitted diseases, HIV and AIDS and its prevention, Child protection.
6. Relief centers for victims of child abuse and taking them back to normal life.
7. Skill development centers for children involved in prostitution and edition  .
8. Adult literacy programme.
9. Prevention and Rehabilitation of Children Living on the Street.

Say no to the violation of CRC.
If any organization is interested in saving the life and childhood of innocents of our communities please fund us