WFP would start Conditional Cash Transfers program in Girls schools of FATA

GHALANAI, Aug 16: The World Food Program will start Conditional Cash Transfers (CCTs) Programs in Girls Middle and High Schools of tribal areas to ensure 80% of girl’s student’s attendance in the tribal region Mohmand is also part of this project.

This was stated by Khalid Rasool WFP Livelihood Programme Officer while talking in a meeting to monitors World Food Program/ Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC) activities at the Political Agent Office here at Ghalanai on Tuesday.

The meeting was also attended by Political Agent Mahood Aslam Wazir, WFP Program Associate Maria Dawood, Additional Political Agent Hamid-Ur-Rehman, HUJRA Program Officer Nawab Zada, agency coordinator Sajid Ali, Agriculture Officer Mohammad Saeed Khan, Forester Sadiq Ullah and heads of others line departments.

WFP KP Program Officer Khalid Rasool told that they would starts a special conditional cash transfers programs in the next month from Khuram Agency in the Middle and high schools from class 6^th to 10 the class in which each student would get 1000 rupees every month to show 80% attendance in their respective schools.

“We have consulted with FATA Secretariat through which biometric systems will be introduced for attendance in the schools and the report would be shared manually or electronically on each month “said Khalid Rasool.  

He said that the cash will be paid from the month of April and it would be distributed through UBL Omni in various schools.

He added that the CCTs main object is that the girl’s students in the tribal region make sure their full attendance and children must physically be in schools and also to receive cash on the end of each month.

He said that WFP is working since 2008 in FATA as leading UN agency in displacement, Food provision and others programs.

He told the meeting that WFP worked in TDPs return of Mohmand, and Bajaur agencies while now we are still in recovery operation.

“Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC) and World Food Program have a joint project of livelihood & (DRR) Disaster Risk Reduction Initiatives for strengthening the Resilience of Disaster Affected Communities and cash for work program which is still continue in the tribal region “he said.

HUJRA organization program Manager Nawab Zada on the occasion informed that the organization working in 46 villages of two disaster prone tehsils Ambar and Pandiali of the tribal region and they completed trainings like DRM(Disaster Risk Management) Schools Based Disaster Management ,  First Aid and others training.

He said that that several schemes like 20 check dams, 16 plantation projects, 103 protection Walls, 12 Water ponds rehabilitation and kitchen Gardening 24 were completed under cash for work from July 2016 to July 2017 in the tribal region.

Political Agent Mahood Aslam Wazir told that Development of remote and ignored areas of is our top priority of the local administration.

He stress upon on the donors to include more areas of the tribal region in these projects because the region was badly affected by militancy.

  Speaking in the meeting, Political Agent said that Nongovernmental organizations must consulate with local administration/line departments while conducting developmental projects and activities in the area.

He urged all the organization to extend their activities to others thesils of the agency which are the most vulnerable and remote.

Additional Political Agent Hamid-Ur-Rehman also requested World Food Program officials to extend their food for education program to all the schools in the tribal area.

He said that the organizations must adopt skill development trainings for the workers of Marble mines and factories in the area.

He also suggested that efforts should starts to improve the attendance of

It will be mentioned here that presently education department with collaboration with WFP providing food to only 341 schools in Mohmand Agency through Food for education.

Additional Political Agent also urged organizations to spread their works to the ignored and conflict areas where the tribesmen are most vulnerable.

 He said that development of the remote area is our top priority and therefore organizations must plan and distribute their developmental works in the ignored areas on need baisis.