1. Title
   
2. Name of Organization
3. The People
4. Type & Nature
5. Year of Establishment
6. Vision
7. Mission
8. Broad Objectives
9. Core Programs / Thematic Focus
10. Focus Groups
11. Geographical Focus
12. Legal Status
13. Governance
14. Management
15. Partners & Partnerships
16. Memberships & Affiliations
17. Departments
18. Financial Portfolio
19. Approach & Strategies
20. Values & Guiding Principles
21. Policies & Systems
22. Human Resources
23. Review & Monitoring
24. Accounts & Audits
25. The Website

 

 

01 - Name of Organization:

The official full registered name of organization is “Scholars Welfare Foundation”

The abbreviation is “SWF”.

 

02 - The People:

Scholars Welfare Foundation is a Teachers Community Driven, Gender Sensitive, Youth Oriented, Environment Friendly and Multi-Dimensional not-for-profit, non-government and non-partisan registered entity in the Islamic Democratic Republic of Pakistan as a development agency with DUNS Number 645744736, SAM Registration Validated, NCAGE Code and Fahad Saeed Authorized Organizational Representative till Feb 01, 2017at States Gov funding agency with www.grants.gov.   It operates in Sialkot.  It was established by a very energetic and committed group of professionals and practitioners who were highly motivated and committed for contributing their time, skills and energies for the development and empowerment of socially disadvantaged and vulnerable communities, in education, free media, human rights, community health,  development  and addressing poverty issues and gender based discriminations  in Pakistan during.

 

03 - Type & Nature of Organization:

SWF is a development organization. It’s a non-government, not-for-profit and nonsectarian, non-partisan organization working for social development of vulnerable and less developed people. It’s a human-centered NGO. SWF could also be labeled as an implementing organization which designs and implements various developmental projects with the financial and technical support of international donor agencies and the government.



04 - Year of Establishment:

Scholars Welfare Foundation was established in year 2013.

05 - Vision:

SWF envisions a "poverty-free, empowered, educated, civilized, democratic and tolerant society in Pakistan; which is guided by the values of equity, accountability, inclusion and respect”


06 - Mission:

Scholars Welfare Foundation’s Mission is to ““work for the development & empowerment of socio-economically disadvantaged & vulnerable people in Pakistan and assist them in addressing their education, health, civic rights, freedom of expression, extremism and povert linked issues”


07 - Broad Objectives:

Following are broad objectives of SWF:

1. Promotion of Education with Special Focus on Girls’ Education,
2. Disabilities & Special Children
3. Promotion of Gender Equality & Women Empowerment
4. Address Gender Based violence issue
5. Promotion of Child Protection, Rights of Children, student’s & Youth Development
6. Promote Environment Protection and Address Climate Change Issues
7. Promote Basic Health Facilities and Address Infertility issues.
8. Address the Issues related to Abuse and marginalization of Children and women
9. Promotion of Livelihoods and Explore Sustainable & Disaster Resilient Livelihood
10. Youth Support Development of Civil Society and Institutional Development
11. Promotion of minorities Rights
12. Provision of Accessible and clean drinking water & quality Sanitation Facilities and Improvement of Community Physical Infrastructure
13. Counter extremism and terrorism
14. Abolish Child Labour and Slavery

08 - Core Programs / Thematic Focus:

Scholars Welfare Foundation has following seventeen core programs or thematic focus which helps Foundation in strategically achieving its mission & vision.

1. Education.
2. Health, infant’s health, health education and Azoospermia.
3. Children, women & Youth.
4. Gender Equality.
5. Livelihoods & Food Security
6. Water, Sanitation and Physical Infrastructure.
7. Free Print and Electronic Media.
8. Counter Extremisms and Terrorisms.
9. Environment Protection & Climate Change.
10. Equal rights for all without any discrimination of sex.
11. Abuse of Blasphemy Law in Pakistan.
12. Poverty Alleviation.
13. Governance and Accountability.
14. Disaster Risk Reduction.
15. Minorities.
16. Widows, orphans and physically impaired persons.
17. Retired Civil Servants and elderly people.

09 - Focus Groups:

Scholars Welfare Foundation’s focus is on the socio-economically disadvantaged groups of women, youth and children. Keeping in view the overall socio-cultural fabric of the society and the overall power imbalances and discriminations that exist at all levels; the focus, amongst these groups, is again on most vulnerable and the marginalized ones. SWF also focuses on the inclusion of minorities and special groups such as widows, orphans, physically impaired persons, retired civil servants and elderly people.



10 - Geographical Focus:

The Foundations overall geographic focus is all the provinces of Pakistan particularly Punjab.



11 - Legal Status:

Scholars Welfare Foundation is a registered entity. The Foundation is registered under the Registration and Control Ordinance (XLVI of 1961) of Government of Pakistan. The registration number is DO-SW-CD-SLK-2013- 169.



12 - Governance:

Scholars Welfare Foundation is governed by its Board of Directors . The Board is the key policy making and governance body of the Foundation and works independently. It formulates and approves policies and organizational systems and evaluates the overall performance of Scholars Welfare Foundation on period basis. The Board of Directors consists of ten members (both male and female) and is headed by its President. The Foundation’s board of directors comprises of development practitioners, professionals, intellectuals, academicians, activists and media persons. The Executive Members of Scholars Welfare Foundation serves the board as the secretary and ex-officio member. The Board works in the guidelines of the Board Policies and Manual.



13 –Leadership and Management:

Scholars Welfare Foundation is lead by its President who is the formal head of the organization. The Convener of Steering Committee reports to the President who is responsible for the overall management of the organization. Each Steering Committee Convener is supported by its members and the manager program or coordinator and renforced by Director M&E of different sections and they jointly form a management structure for the Foundation. The leader does not have to be an acknowledged expert but should know how to manage a group. A democratic leadership style is more effective and is often called facilitation, which means “making things easy”. The facilitator ensures that everybody feels that they are part of the group and has the chance to participate. At the point when each participant feels that they are important and that the group is important, behavior change may develop in a real and sustainable way. Women are included throughout in every activity or project. Of the 6 member Executive Board of SWF, two persons are women, including the representative of the women’s wing of SWF. According to SWF’s Constitution, if the chairperson is a man, the vice chairperson must be a woman, as is the case presently. Two of the 4-person project planning team is also women.All Operations of Scholars Welfare Foundation are performed under the umbrella of Steering Committees constituted for particular programs, projects and events. Each Steering Committee is headed by convener and supported by members. Monitored and evaluated by director of relevant field. Roles and responsibilities are fixed and documented with accountability parameters. Whereof, vision and mission is compatible with goals and objectives of Scholars Welfare Foundation.



14 - Partners & Partnerships:

Partnerships are the heart-line of Scholars Welfare Foundation. The Foundation refers as
“PARTNERS” to all those individuals, communities, and organizations and departments which join hands for extending program interventions, beneficiary community, the line departments, national and international donors, the provincial governments, and other key stake holders from civil society are the best examples of Scholars Welfare Foundation’s Partners. These partnerships help organization (financially and technically) to achieve its mission. Since its establishment in year 2013; Scholars Welfare Foundation has remained privileged in getting the opportunity to work with a number of diverse partners who not only extended financial support for various projects; but also adequately build the capacity of organization from different perspectives. Scholars Welfare Foundation greatly values and acknowledges the support of its partners who provided their great support to SWF for its previous current projects.



15 - Memberships & Affiliations:

Scholars Welfare Foundation believes that networking, collective efforts, sharing of knowledge, resources and information is a key to the success as for addressing the global developmental issues and challenges are concerned. Keeping this critical fact in mind; the organization always tries to join all such forums and networks which directly link to its mission and objectives. In this regard; the Foundation has joined the following important networks operating at local and international levels.

The World Association of Non-Governmental Organizations (WANGO) is one of the world’s important membership associations for NGOs, with members in over 140 countries. The WANGO (www.wango.org) is an international organization uniting NGOs worldwide in the cause of advancing peace and global well being. WANGO helps to provide the mechanism and support needed for NGOs to connect, partner, share, inspire, and multiply their contributions to solve humanity’s basic problems. Scholars Welfare Foundation received WANGO’s formal membership in year 2016.

Child Rights International Network (CRIN) is a very important network as for the promotion of rights of children around the globe is concerned. CRIN (www.crin.org) has inspiration from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and put childrens rights on the top of the international agenda. CRIN launch advocacy campaigns, lead international childrens rights coalitions, and strive to make existing human rights enforcement mechanisms accessible for all. Scholars Welfare Foundation became member of CRIN during 2016.Scholars Welfare Foundation also joined CIVICUS – The World Alliance for Citizen Participation in year 2016. CIVICUS is an international alliance of members and partners which constitute an influential network of organizations at the local, national, regional and international levels. CIVICUS (www.civicus.org) has a vision of a global community of active, engaged citizens committed to the creation of a more just and equitable world.



17 - Departments:

Scholars Welfare Foundation has established its various departments which help in smooth and systematic implementation of Foundation interventions: These include:

• HR Department
• Monitring Evaluation, Research & ISO Quality Documentation Department
• Admin & Logistics Department
• Budgets, Finance and Review Department
• Feedback and Complaint Response Unit

18 - Financial Portfolio:

Scholars Welfare Foundation implements its projects with the grants / funding from various local, national and international donors and government of the province where it works. These grants are usually time-bound and for specific project interventions. Scholars Welfare Foundation has well developed its financial management capability. Since its establishment in year 2013 till the mid of year 2016; the organization has implemented about 7 projects in education, health and media.

19 - Approach & Strategies:

Scholars Welfare Foundation strongly believes in the true and active participation of all key stakeholders; particularly the local communities or program beneficiaries. Fair efforts are taken to ensure that stakeholders participate and contribute at all the stages of the interventions.As its strategy, Scholars Welfare Foundation particularly focuses to ensure the maximum participation of women, children, youth, educators and medical practitioners wherever required and relevant – and particularly if the program has any direct or indirect impacts on their lives. The overall approach of work also identifies the gender sensitivities if any related to the program and strategically addresses the same. SWF as its overall implementation approach takes carefully into account the local culture and traditions and fully respects the same.Following are the key elements of SWF Program Strategies & Work Approach

• Capacity Building
• Thematic Partnerships
• Awareness Raising & Sensitization
• Dialogues & Engagements
• Social Mobilization and Community Participation
• Research & Publications
• Advocacy & Lobbying
• Review & Reflection
• Networking & Coalition Building

20 - Values & Guiding Principles:

In order to achieve its mission and to make its programs even more human-centered; Scholars Welfare Foundation follows certain values and guiding principles in all its interventions and dealings.These include the following:

• Equity & Fairness
• Non-Discrimination
• Participation & Inclusion
• Peace & Tolerance
• Transparency & Accountability
• Sharing & Openness
• Non-Violence

21 - Policies & Systems:

Scholars Welfare Foundation follows its specific set of policies and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) which has been revised and updated a number of times up till now in order to make them more staff friendly and organization-centered. Scholars Welfare Foundation uses its following manuals of policies:

• Manual of Human Resources and Administrative Policies
• Manual of Financial Policies- Manual of Travel Policies
  
• Manual of Monitoring & Evaluation Policies

These manualcontain a number of basic organizational policies and procedures which help in the creation and maintenance of a transparent, accountable and fair working environment in Scholars Welfare Foundation and ensure the effective achievement of overall objectives of the Foundation.

22 - Human Resources:

Scholars Welfare Foundation has a core team with various professional backgrounds such as management, finances and HR etc. In addition the RWF hires the project staff as and when required. The Foundation also engages volunteers and interns on need basis.


23 - Review & Monitoring:

Monitoring of projects in Scholars Welfare Foundation is always the important and priority matter. There is always a built in mechanism of review and monitoring for all the projects SWF implements. The processes of review and monitoring help Foundation in achieving the project objectives in smooth and timely manner. As the key mechanism of monitoring; the projects are monitored by the relevant Steering Committee Director M&E and the management of SWF.

24 - Accounts & Audits:

Scholars Welfare Foundation maintains its all accounts on double entry system. SWF financial disbursement procedures are transparent, accountable and democratic. Foundation has developed various financial policies, systems and formats etc. which help it in effective management of all its funds and maintaining a complete transparency in receipts and payments at all levels. Scholars Welfare Foundation gets its accounts (receipts and payments) audited by the recognized chartered accountants’ firms on the completion of projects or by the end of each financial year. YAMEEN Riaz and Company, Chartered Accountants, Peco Road Lahore is on our approved auditor since last three years. Any person or institute can monitor our annual report online for the fiscal year at http://www.scholarswelfare.com/. Our last three years audit reports and balance sheets are positive duly scrutinized by registering authority such as government of Punjab.


25 - The Website:

Scholars Welfare Foundation Website is one of the best websites of NGOs working in Pakistan. Efforts have been made to ensure that website contains all the relevant information of the organization and the same is easily accessible to the visitor. The website improvement and updating is continuous process and organization is trying to upload in the cyber space its maximum information possible.