Access Workshop for NGO's in Sargodha

April 29, 2001

SDNP took its ICT's initiative on the road once again, this time to Sargodha, in collaboration with Strengthening Participatory Organizations (SPO). The following fifteen NGO's working with SPO for the social uplift of the area, took part in an Access workshop on 29th April 2001:

1.  Tanzeem-e-Rafa-e-Aama, Suhawa Wariachan, Mandi Bahauddin
2.  Al-Hijaz Development Council, Pindi Kalo, Mandi Bahauddin
3.  Jamiat Islah-e-Muashra, Thattha Khan Muhammad, Mandi Bahauddin
4.  Tanzeem-e-Rafa-e-Aama, Sahana, Mandi Bahauddin
5.  Anjuman Naujawanan-e-Falah-o-Behbud, Bosal Sukha, Malikwal, Mandi Bahauddin
6.  Public Welfare Society, Shahpur, Sargodha
7.  Human Resource Development Organization, Shahpur, Sargodha
8.  Anjuman Mafad-e-Aama, Bhalwal, Sargodha
9.  Jinnah Welfare Society, Bhalwal, Sargodha
10. Majlis Tahaffuzz-e-Maholiat, Bhalwal, Sargodha
11. Youngblood Welfare Society, Tehsil and Zillah Sargodha
12. Kiran Welfare Society, Shahpur, Sargodha
13. Social Welfare Society, Shahpur, Sargodha
14. Kandeel Women Welfare Society, Sardar Alam, Sargodha
15. Khawateen Ittehad Welfare Society, Sargodha

Mr. Atif Sandhu of SPO conducted a plenary session to get a knowledge of the awareness level of participants about Information Technology.  A Note card was given to each participant, where he/she wrote their ideas about usage of ICTs.  This also helped the resource persons of this workshop to modify the contents as per need of participants.

Mr. Shahzad Ahmad from SDNP Islamabad briefly described SDNP's work; and elaborated upon the evolution, mechanics, and function of the Internet. Mr. Mohammed Ashraf from SDNP then carried out a hands-on training session on the use of email; and helped participants to open their email accounts.

SDNP's Pakistan Development Gateway (PDG) generated a lot of curiosity and interest among the participants, which contains vast and in-depth information about sustainable development issues related to Pakistan. They were especially excited to note that NGO's websites were widely available on the Internet. They explored some websites in Urdu, various Pakistani English and Urdu newspapers; and learned effective techniques about searching popular search engines to download maximum possible information in the minimum amount of time.

The participants hoped that more Urdu content would soon be avaialable on the Web; and were thrilled to know that SDNP intended to develop an Urdu Development Gateway so that Pakistan's national language is popularized worldwide.