Volunteers in Service Program

Campaign/Events Name:
1) Kashmir Day for Kids (Need Welfare Pakistan) 2) Seminar on Role of Youth in Prevention of Drug Abuse and Responsibility of Stakeholders

Volunteers Name:
Asad Riaz

Registration Number:
L1S10MBAM0118

Contact#:
0331-4764133

Campaign Duration
1) 3rd February 2012 To 4th February 2012 2) 15th February 2012(10:30 am) To 15th February 2012 (12:30 pm)

Account of All Activities

Kashmir Day for Kids: We the voluntaries were asked to appear in university of central Punjab by VIS office on the 3rd of February 2012. I am required to be there at sharp 9am. We were the batch of almost 24 students. On reaching there we were directed towards a classroom, where our orientation was conducted. Our orientation was conducted by the General Secretary of Need Welfare Foundation Mr. Arman Azam Saddiqui. He gave us the introduction of his organization and also gave us pamphlet which contained the brief information about NWF. In his speech he told us the importance of social work and encouraged us to participate in welfare activities. Then he enlightened the purpose for which we were gathered. We are required to help him in organizing an event of Kashmir Day. He made us understand about what we have to do during these two days. He divided us into 5 groups of 5 members each. We were supposed to go to a school located in the area of green town and made a speech to tell them the importance and purpose of the Kashmir Day. We went to Young Choice School System. This school is providing free education to unfortunate and needy children of the area who are poor and do part time work. We the group of 5 members reached there at 11am. It was a Friday and it was raining in the morning that is why there was not many students were present in the school. In school our duties were to give the students the brief introduction of individual members. In introduction we told them our names, our educational background (Name of institution and degree). We explained them the purpose of our visit, VIS and also told them about Need Welfare Foundation. After this we delivered the lecture on the importance of social work mad how it put its effects on individuals life as well as on a society as a whole. Then we told them about the Kashmir Day. What are the purposes of this day? We made them cleared that unlike our country, where we have all the rights to live, people of Kashmir are depriving from theses basic rights. Kashmiris rights are violated by Indian armed forces. They are not been given the basic human rights which include cultural, economic and political and religious rights. Student was very much motivated by our address on Kashmir day and then we asked student to participate on this event and play their role. We got the tremendous reaction from the students. There were many students who were ready to participate in different activities such as play, debate and national poem for Kashmir day. We selected teachers for national poem, group of young boys from play and 3 students from

4th class for debates. I assisted my group fellow in writing speeches and also assisted other members in rehearsing the short play while other members were doing rehearsal with teacher for poems. There we made sure that all the students who were participating are prepared enough to perform well on next day. We left the school at 1pm before Juma prayer. On the day of event 4th February we were required to be at venue by 9:30am. We made the arrangement for the event. We set the chairs, decorated the main stage, and arranged water from near place. While we were doing arrangements, the students, who were participating in different activities, came. We monitored their rehearsals. Mr. Arman Azam Saddiqui assigned us our duty for the day. in order to protest against the violation of human rights in Kashmir, few students held banners. Some students were busy in welcoming guests. I was assigned a duty on sage and hall management. As chief guest arrived the event started at 11:30am. The performances were excelent and exceeded my expectations there was this tabloid performed by students of Iqbal High school which was amazing and I loved every part of the event the speeches and the poems it was overall a very great working experience.

Seminar on Role of Youth in Prevention of Drug Abuse and Responsibility of Stakeholders: The seminar was took place in the auditorium of University of central Punjab on 15th of February 2012. The seminar was on the role of youth in prevention of drugs and responsibility of other stakeholders. The purpose of the event was to make students and youngsters understand about drugs abuse and its effects on their life as well as on society as a whole and to make Pakistan a prosper and drug free country, what steps should be taken by people to eradicate drugs from society. There were speakers from different walks of life and they aware the audience about the HIV AIDS and drugs abuse. A lady was a first speaker and she gave us the valuable information about the disease. She discussed different causes of the disease, how it affects human body and what safety measures should be taken to avoid HIV AIDS. She also shared some statistical numbers of Pakistan regarding the fatal disease HIV AIDS and in the end she told us the precautionary measures which we should take to avoid this disease. The next two speakers told us about drugs abuses. They thoroughly explained why people engage themselves in drug use. They said most people start it from smoking which leads them to other drugs like heroin and cocaine. They explained that mostly teenagers start smoking for fashion or they have depression because of social pressure and bad parenting and to avoid these depressions, children engage themselves in drugs abuses. In the end Chief Guest gave us a brief speech about HIV AIDS and drugs abuse and he stressed upon policy making on controlling the supply of drugs and how we as students can play our part in protecting our society from these abuses. He discussed about sheesha smoking and told us that sheesha smoking is more harmful for the health than cigarette. In the end he told us what efforts we can make to stop the causes of drug abusing in our society and in what other activities we should indulge ourselves to avoid these diseases.

Key Learnings
Kashmir Day for kids:. With all the above activities which I have done in those 2 days, I came to know that there is so much potential and capabilities in these underprivileged children and if given right direction and opportunity they could be valuable assets of our country, who will made Pakistan a prosperous state according to the vision of Allama Iqbal. By doing voluntary work in Young Choice School System I learnt the real meanings of hardship. I thanked to Allah Almighty for having his blessings on me and that motivated me to do some good for those unfortunate children Most of the students are doing part time job to finance their educational expenses or to assist their parents in meeting daily expenses. There is so much talent in Pakistan; just we need the proper policies by government and contribution by society in welfare activities. In a place like Pakistan, where the bigger part of population is living below the poverty line, social, economic and moral conditions are bad; everyone is trying to get more and more benefits for themselves, so we should assist and appreciate the efforts of those generous people who are devoting their time and resources for the betterment of society. We should spread the message of selflessness for building up a healthy community. The need of the time is to make the people rational for creating harmony among them through social awareness which will enable them to contribute towards development of a modern and strong estate and I think VIS is doing a great job in contributing to our society and should do even more.

Seminar on Role of Youth in Prevention of Drug Abuse and Responsibility of Stakeholders:

It was very informative seminar. I learned a lot about deadly disease HIV/AIDS. What are the different causes of HIV/AIDS and how we can protect our self and our society from this gravy disease? By attending this seminar, I came to know various reasons of why people engage themselves into the use of drugs like cigarette, sheesha, heroin etc. How it all starts and how it ends also learned a great deal about what are the drugs causing diseases and how it affects the human body resulting the death of the patients? There are a lot of diseases that can be caused by illegal drugs. Most of them are many types of cancers. Some of them are Heart disease and the most dangerous one is HIV/AIDS. What role do the drug abusers play in spreading the disease? I learned that drugs abusers not only ruining their lives but also victimizing the people who love you and depend on them. Secondly I learnt reasons for people engaging themselves in drug use? How it starts from smoking and leads to use of needle sticking drugs like heroin and cocaine. Mostly the abusers are youngsters and teenagers they range from early adolescent to late adolescent. How social pressures and bad parenting result depression and then children seeking their way out engage themselves into abusing drugs. I also learned that the main issue is not people use drugs but it is that how it can be stopped what contributions one should make to the society to end this and what initiatives should our government take to control the supply of drugs and seek alternatives to drug use like promoting sports and healthy living.

Volunteers Working Pictures

Kashmir Day for Kids:

Seminar on Role of Youth in Prevention of Drug Abuse and Responsibility of Stakeholders: