BEST has completed its first decade (2001 to 2011) with enthusiasm and professional zeal. Right from its inception BEST has made concerted efforts towards the socio-economic development of the downtrodden section of the society. Over the past decade, BEST has developed and implemented more than 91 large and small projects with the financial and technical support of UN Agencies and other organizations. Through these interventions, BEST exercised many new models and approaches to curb various socio-economic issues resisting the overall societal exaltation of the community.
The decade that began with the heralding of the Millennium Declaration by member states of the United Nations. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) highlights seven sectors of the society to be developed in order to upheave the living standard of the marginalized section of the society and bridge the gap between haves and have not. But the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and subsequent events changed the overall course of action of the world shifting focus from societal development to the confinement and eradication of extremist elements and ideology from the social landscape. Apart from the armed conflicts, planet Earth was also rattled by sundry natural calamities in the form of 2005 earthquake in Pakistan, Hurricane Katrina in US, the Indian Ocean Tsunami, the Haiti Earthquake and the 2008, 2009, 2010 floods in Pakistan, The last decade had been a topsy-turvy both globally and regionally in terms of economic development, natural disasters and political instability. Given the delicate and fragile economic conditions, extreme poverty, flabbergasting illiteracy, rampant unemployment and worse security situation the immediate effect and long term impact of this crisis were far reaching and contagious.
BEST commenced its journey towards the noble cause of serving mankind in such turbulent, ambiguous and hostile environment when there was agony all around.
From the very inception BEST remained focused on its set goals and never lost sight of the noble human agenda. Aware of the social norms and security concerns BEST strategized not to budge from its goals for a single moment and to accomplish the assigned tasks in time. A well thought out plan has been followed by the organization to prioritize its objectives and tread a path which is culturally acceptable and is in parity with the social needs.
Based on this judgment of social and cultural environment BEST has always laid emphasis on creating job opportunities, trainings on income generation and skill development to create small business and linkages with the market to enable masses to avail the learned skills and sell their products on a reasonable and profitable price to the market.
In order to create a skilled populace a minimum level of literacy rate is the pre-requisite to base on. In a society where literacy rate is abysmally low this could be a herculean task. Therefore, basic education, formal and non-formal, has been BEST’s forte and primary mandate. Throughout the last ten years BEST has been engaged in promoting and imparting primary education in the tribal areas in one form or another.
Opening of primary community schools in far flung and inaccessible areas and mobilizing community and the masses for universal primary education and access to schools for all the children of the disadvantaged people of the tribal areas has been BEST’s cherished job and a proud step forward towards the achievement of Millennium Development Goals (MGDs). To asses these ten years in terms of interventions in education sector BEST is proud of having a track record of increasing children enrollment in primary schools and opening new schools among the targeted community.
The interventions in various thematic areas such as Primary Education, Non-Formal Education/Adult Literacy, Vocational Education and Training, Small Business Start-up Training, Human Resource Development, Community Participation and Development, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Services (WASH), Emergency and Relief Services, and Community Infrastructure have recorded extremely positive benchmark achievements that yielded in outstanding outcomes and reinvigorating advantages both for the communities and for the organization in term of capacity building.
BEST activities over the past decade have not only enhanced and strengthened the institutional and technical capacity of BEST but it also contributed to change perception, spur awareness and initiate discourse among the think tank, opinion leaders, media and the general public regarding social evils and taboos in the society.
As it has happened over the past ten years BEST will continue to act as a catalyst, continue to stimulate and provide support to strive to address poverty, hunger, illiteracy and other social ills on priority basis.
In marking the end of a decade of dedicated work by all partners, BEST would like to extend its gracious gratitude primarily and fore mostly to all donors for their generous financial contributions. The role of donors in our achievement is remarkable and instrumental.
It is a matter of extreme pride and prestige to present this section in the annual report on the achievements of BEST and hope that it will serve as a record and a reference document for institutions and individuals alike.