Dar-ul-Khushnud (DUK-ECC), established in 1980, is a registered day care center for children and adults who face intellectual challenges. The center is duly registered as a trust under the Trust Act No. 132/ 2005 of the Government of Pakistan. Dar-ul-Khushnud has served about 5,000+ individuals with intellectual disabilities. We have about 112 students, who are being trained under professional and devoted staff.
Ration Bank (RB-ECC), a rations distribution drive to the community in Khuda ki Basti, and currently supports over 100 families. In 2013, ECC, in collaboration with HELP, initiated a Ration Bank which provides monthly food rations to widows, those who have family members with disability, and families in lower socioeconomic targeted areas such as Neelum Colony, Lower Gizri, and Khuda ki Basti. The ration packs, used to supplement the incomes of working individuals, are generated by ECC, while HELP aids in the identification of eligible households and the distribution of ration packs. Over 100 families have benefited from Ration Bank on a monthly basis over the past five years.
Hunarmand (HM-ECC), a vocational training centre currently being established in Khuda ki Basti, will provide basic courses in cutting/stitching, intricate workmanship, basic grooming (including threading, waxing, trimming, basic facial techniques, and mehndi application), as well as handicrafts. The vocational centre will run shifts every day to impart basic skills to women re-gardless of their educational background and age. Our aim is to target the most marginalized in-dividuals in Khuda ki Basti and teach them a trade so that they may be able to generate wealth in their households and community.
Our first project, The Business Communication Center is a unique educational initiative: we intend to train men and women between the ages of 18 to 30, who already hold local intermediate or bachelor’s degrees or are in entry level jobs, in overall English proficiency and communication. This will help them increase not only their employability in the market, but will also groom them to move up the job ladder. Our research shows that the absence of English expertise limits the career growth of many young men and women in Pakistan who have BA, BSc, BCom, CA, MBA and other equivalent professional qualifications from local government institutions. We will also be exploring placement opportunities later.
The Business Communication Centre (BCC-ECC) at APSA, focuses on:
These courses will equip the students with appropriate professional education. The aim is to address the gap between their education and the requirements of tertiary level jobs in a bid to increase employability. The curriculum is geared towards business English, proficiency in MS Office (Excel, PowerPoint, and Word), as well as personal grooming, in order to prepare the students for work in an office setting.
