SPARC Project

Owners of a number of mud houses in a village have joined hands in a conservation project for the purpose of promoting the traditional culture.

The program consists of part funding of conservation costs and it is accompanied by an observation program, in which physical measurements are carried out. The amount of support is disbursed at the end of the conservation work.

Since year 2000, the village has already been participating in a project called "Preservation of Cultural Heritage", in which SPARC has been giving away prizes for:

• the best mud-house,
• the best detail and
• the best brick-work.

SPARC decided last year to initiate an annual conservation program for selected objects as a reminder for the advantages of mud-construction and implementation for the public good.

Dr. Norbert Pintsch

Village TGD is changing fast. The relative prosperity is visible. TGD was the first village in Punjab to have its own solar power house a decade ago and it is still working. Villagers are putting their children, particularly the girls in school. The Woman Art Centre is also playing a part in the well being of the villagers. The Centre has provided furniture and educational training aids to the two government primary schools (one for girls and the other for boys) in village and has also opened a well equipped basic health care centre. Books are distributed among students every year. Fruit and flower trees are given to residents for their court yards and they are encouraged to grow their own kitchen gardens.

Best of all, an annual quality of life competition is held in the village when best mud houses and brick houses are selected in different categories. Owners of mud houses have lucrative incentives (thanks to SPARC) and they keep their homes in spanking condition and well maintained all the year. This alone has changed the look of the entire village. The Dolls Village has entered a new era with the start of the Internet Radio Project in the beginning of 2010. The idea of the Internet Radio originated from influx of visitors and their interests since early 90s. Now the local and focused information can be spread effectively with the Internet-Radio.

Here is an inspiring example of how work of a few volunteers can being a collective change in a community!

Salman Rashid - a travel writer from Pakistan

Read the travelogues here

History of my blog

Thatta Kedona

Thatta Kedona is a project of the first Pakistan international NGO network in rural area where handmade quality dolls and toys are crafted using all indigenous material and traditional designs based on cultural and folklore themes. The workmanship of the dolls and toys has acclaimed international recognition and clientele through their participation in numerous international events, exhibitions, fairs and display at International Doll Museum Iceland and Deutsche Gesellschafr zur Foerderung der Kultar, Germany. These toys are the embodiment of dreams, hopes and most of all self-reliance of the hands, which breathe a part of the soul into them.

This is a holistic project. Handicraft is in the spot on the stage but the project has a cultural philosophy. Education, science, agriculture, hydrogeology (drinking water project), appropriate technology (men center with around 18 young men), public health (basic health unit with 7 ladies), economy (marketing, distribution), tourism and communication, are all is practice.

yet another site

See how I got PageRank increase on May 3, 2012

Link Love: Salman Rashid 

I have moved to sajshirazi.com

I’ve been blogging for long time now but have never really, until last week, looked into “buying own domain.” I have been using Blogger, and always assumed that “I am doing at BlogSpot what others are doing with own domains. It did fine for me. Was I handicapped?

Friends and fellow bloggers have been telling me that getting your own domain name is a must for a long time. Reasons: You don’t really own your Blogger blog (as per Blogger’s ToS, the domain and the platform are properties of Google though you own content). And it has serious consequences. Having your own domain gives you more credibility (and yes, an ego boost – sajshirazi.com looks much better). And of course it gives you more flexibility.

Above all else, here is another reason. Those who are looking forward to making money from blogs now need own domain. Initially BlogSpot used to be the best way to get your adsense account approved, but later now it’s getting harder to get your adsense account with blogspot. News is that Google may pull down all adsense account on BlogSpot blogs any time. Similarly other paid posting platforms are also offering less and less on free platform blogs.

While I move to sajshirazi.com, I owe big thanks to all my awesome readers. Many thanks to you all for reading, sharing, liking and leaving valuable feedback that kept me going since 2003. Do please come and join me there. Internet (and blogging) is so lonely without friends.

Have a Blog or a Press

Who all should have a blog? The answer depends on who is being asked this question. Given my personal interest, I say everyone should have a blog.

For marketers, public relations professionals, writers and all those who need to reach out with their ideas and or products and services, blogs are a must; easier, cheaper, convenient. But think outside the box and you will find people have experiences to share, stories to tell and put the things on record. They all need a blog.

Other day I was suggesting to diplomat to have a blog. I remember getting a lot of publicity stuff from different embassies in my school years. Almost all embassies and consulates have publications to tell their governments’ policies and influence the public in whatever way they can. In the age when presidents of the states (Presidents of Iran and USA are known to have their own blogs), I argued that blogs should be a must for any diplomat. Anyone in foreign department listening?

Let me conclude the post on this statement; those who can’t have a blog should at least have a printing press.

Model United Nations Conferences

Lahore School of Economics won the coveted LUMUN Best Delegation trophy for the second consecutive year. LUMUN enjoys the distinction of being the largest Model United Nations Conferences in all of Asia. This ye, 2012, over 2000 individuals from over 100 institutions across the country gathered in LUMS to simulate various United Nation committees. Prominent amongst the universities were Lahore School, GIKI, NUST, LUMS, PU, FAST, BNU, IQRA, AIMC, Bharia University, Kinnaird College, Government College and UET.

The Lahore School of Economics team consisted of Abu Bakr Hayat, Affaan Sherwani, Umar Akram Sahi, Khawaja Talal Sadiq, Shahira Khan, Wasae Imran, Hamza Ghaznavi, Haziq Masood, Saad Sohail and Zain Hyder. The team won an unprecedented 8 out of 10 Best Delegate trophies and in addition two Honorable Mention Awards. Aitchison College stood second in the competition with a 6 out of 10 score.

Truck Art

From Women at Their Best