We often talk about the ills of the society and how they need to be changed.....
awards
We often talk about the ills of the society and how they need to be changed. There would be countless ideas floating around in casual conversations, but only a few actually follow through them. Especially when it comes to big corporations and influential individuals, our expectations ride on them to take the first step towards a positive change. However, in reality that responsibility lies on every individual.
Initiated back in 2012, I Am the Change (IATC) is a project that encourages every citizen of Pakistan to make a difference. The initiative aims to collaborate with the corporate and the philanthropic sectors of the country and help individuals and institutions that are pioneering initiatives to improve lives across different spheres. Every year, IATC holds a competition on a national level where applicants come forward to present the initiatives they have taken to make a change in Pakistan.
Recently, IATC Impact Awards for 2018-19 were held at a local hotel in Karachi, where organisations making sustainable impact in Pakistan were recognised. In attendance were the senior management of Engro, guests from the private, public and development sectors, and esteemed members of the media. The IATC Impact Award is awarded in the two categories of ‘Social Development’, for non-profit organisations, and ‘Social Enterprise’, for profit-oriented organisations tackling critical social issues. The recipients in each category were awarded PKR two million after a rigorous selection process by an external jury.
This year, the award for ‘Social Development’ was presented to the ‘Association of Rehabilitation of the Physically Disabled’ (ARPD), a Peshawar-based non-profit working to empower people with disabilities particularly in remote villages. They offers a complete range of health care and rehabilitation services including clinical, diagnostic, out-patient, and others They also provide physiotherapy for stroke, polio, spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, and bomb blast victims. The award for ‘Social Enterprise’ was presented to ‘Training-Research-Inclusion-Capacity Building (TRIAC) Pvt Ltd’, for their work in bridging the communication gap in the hearing impaired community. They provide efficient, thorough and reliable technical and consultative solutions to non-governmental, public and private sector clients at an affordable cost and in a courteous manner.
Speaking at the occasion, Ghias Khan, President & CEO, Engro Corporation said, “We strongly believe in the importance of community investments and promise to continue supporting organisations tackling complex societal challenges on the ground. Our business strategy of expanding into areas essential to Pakistan’s economic and social development further reflects our commitment towards creating a sustainable future for the country.”
Addressing the audience, Favad Soomro, Head of Engro Foundation, said, “IATC is an initiative that celebrates and supports trailblazers who are not only benefiting people through their work, but also have a sustainable model that can be scaled up to increase social impact. Our focus through this campaign is essentially to help and empower these change-makers so that they may expand the magnitude of their work with the masses.”
If empowered individuals focused their energies for the greater good, we would see a positive change very soon. Kudos!
— A. Jafri
