Shehersaaz Celebrates PUCCAR Achievements, Recognises Collective Climate Action
ISLAMABAD: Shehersaaz marked the achievements of the Project for Urban Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience (PUCCAR) with a celebratory event at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA), Islamabad, bringing together partners, team members and stakeholders to recognise collective efforts toward building climate-resilient communities.
The event reflected on PUCCAR’s achievements in Rawalpindi and Nowshera and highlighted the importance of partnerships, community participation and sustained action in addressing the impacts of climate change.
A total number of 450 participants were present at the event, including 298 men and 152 women. Community members and staff from Rawalpindi, Nowshera and Islamabad along with notable dignitaries were present at the event to celebrate PUCCAR achievements.
The ceremony featured messages from Ms. Almas Shakoor, Executive Director of Shehersaaz, Mr. Jawed Ali Khan, Senior Advisor, UN-Habitat Pakistan, Ms. Odicea Angelo Barrios, Human Settlements Officer at UN-Habitat, and Mr. Waqar Syed, Country Program Manager at UN-Habitat Pakistan. Speakers highlighted the role of collaborative approaches and community-led initiatives in advancing urban climate adaptation.
Implemented by Shehersaaz in partnership with UN-Habitat, with financial support from the Adaptation Fund, PUCCAR reached communities across 15 Union Councils and Neighbourhood Councils. The project resulted in the installation of 5,060 rainwater harvesting units, creating a combined storage capacity of 7,570,450 litres of rainwater and benefiting 97,867 people.
The initiative also provided climate-related training to 16,662 individuals, supported interventions in 60 educational institutions, and facilitated 80 youth-led climate adaptation projects.
The celebration brought these efforts to the stage through Theatre Wallay’s “Pani Sab Ka Aik,” a powerful Urdu social theatre performance directed by Ahad Ali Siddiqui, highlighting water conservation, responsible resource use, community participation and behavioural change.
The 5 years extensive and impactful work of PUCCAR was shown as a documentary evidence of the project, filmed by Keychain Films.
The audience greatly appreciated the efforts. From social mobilizing to building technical drawings and execution, from segregating waste to making compost and becoming women entrepreneur and from disaster worried to being disaster ready, Shehersaaz Team made this possible and stood proud.
The evening also featured the exclusive musical piece “Boond Boond Pani – Ik Nai Kahani,” written, composed and performed by Mr. Furqan Ahmad, a visually impaired artist from FA Virtual Studio, with Ms. Anahita Sajjad also lending her voice to the production.
Certificates of Appreciation were presented to Shehersaaz team members from Nowshera, Rawalpindi and Islamabad in recognition of their dedication and contribution to the successful implementation of PUCCAR.
Through “Voices from Communities,” participants from Rawalpindi, Nowshera and Rescue 1122 shared their experiences, bringing the people-centered impact of PUCCAR to the forefront.
From rainwater harvesting and climate adaptation to theatre, music, project documentary and community voices, the evening reflected a shared message: climate action and resilience become meaningful when people come together.
The ceremony served as an occasion to acknowledge the people, communities and partners whose collective efforts contributed to the project’s achievements and to reaffirm the importance of continued climate action.
Together, Shehersaaz and its partners are working toward more resilient communities in the face of a changing climate.
The event reflected on PUCCAR’s achievements in Rawalpindi and Nowshera and highlighted the importance of partnerships, community participation and sustained action in addressing the impacts of climate change.
A total number of 450 participants were present at the event, including 298 men and 152 women. Community members and staff from Rawalpindi, Nowshera and Islamabad along with notable dignitaries were present at the event to celebrate PUCCAR achievements.
The ceremony featured messages from Ms. Almas Shakoor, Executive Director of Shehersaaz, Mr. Jawed Ali Khan, Senior Advisor, UN-Habitat Pakistan, Ms. Odicea Angelo Barrios, Human Settlements Officer at UN-Habitat, and Mr. Waqar Syed, Country Program Manager at UN-Habitat Pakistan. Speakers highlighted the role of collaborative approaches and community-led initiatives in advancing urban climate adaptation.
Implemented by Shehersaaz in partnership with UN-Habitat, with financial support from the Adaptation Fund, PUCCAR reached communities across 15 Union Councils and Neighbourhood Councils. The project resulted in the installation of 5,060 rainwater harvesting units, creating a combined storage capacity of 7,570,450 litres of rainwater and benefiting 97,867 people.
The initiative also provided climate-related training to 16,662 individuals, supported interventions in 60 educational institutions, and facilitated 80 youth-led climate adaptation projects.
The celebration brought these efforts to the stage through Theatre Wallay’s “Pani Sab Ka Aik,” a powerful Urdu social theatre performance directed by Ahad Ali Siddiqui, highlighting water conservation, responsible resource use, community participation and behavioural change.
The 5 years extensive and impactful work of PUCCAR was shown as a documentary evidence of the project, filmed by Keychain Films.
The audience greatly appreciated the efforts. From social mobilizing to building technical drawings and execution, from segregating waste to making compost and becoming women entrepreneur and from disaster worried to being disaster ready, Shehersaaz Team made this possible and stood proud.
The evening also featured the exclusive musical piece “Boond Boond Pani – Ik Nai Kahani,” written, composed and performed by Mr. Furqan Ahmad, a visually impaired artist from FA Virtual Studio, with Ms. Anahita Sajjad also lending her voice to the production.
Certificates of Appreciation were presented to Shehersaaz team members from Nowshera, Rawalpindi and Islamabad in recognition of their dedication and contribution to the successful implementation of PUCCAR.
Through “Voices from Communities,” participants from Rawalpindi, Nowshera and Rescue 1122 shared their experiences, bringing the people-centered impact of PUCCAR to the forefront.
From rainwater harvesting and climate adaptation to theatre, music, project documentary and community voices, the evening reflected a shared message: climate action and resilience become meaningful when people come together.
The ceremony served as an occasion to acknowledge the people, communities and partners whose collective efforts contributed to the project’s achievements and to reaffirm the importance of continued climate action.
Together, Shehersaaz and its partners are working toward more resilient communities in the face of a changing climate.
Shehersaaz Conducts Faculty Development Training at NUML on Advancing the SDGs
ISLAMABAD: Shehersaaz conducted a Faculty Development Training at the National University of Modern Languages (NUML) for faculty members of the Department of Accounting and Finance, focusing on the role of higher education in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The training explored practical approaches to integrating sustainability into higher education, including curriculum transformation, SDG mapping across existing courses, and incorporating sustainability into classroom teaching and learning.
The session provided faculty members with practical entry points to connect academic content and pedagogy with broader sustainability challenges, strengthening the role of educators in preparing students to contribute to a more resilient and sustainable society.
Participation certificates and jade plants were also distributed to faculty members as part of the session.
Through capacity-building initiatives such as these, Shehersaaz continues to support educational institutions in embedding sustainability into teaching and learning and advancing the SDGs through education.
The training explored practical approaches to integrating sustainability into higher education, including curriculum transformation, SDG mapping across existing courses, and incorporating sustainability into classroom teaching and learning.
The session provided faculty members with practical entry points to connect academic content and pedagogy with broader sustainability challenges, strengthening the role of educators in preparing students to contribute to a more resilient and sustainable society.
Participation certificates and jade plants were also distributed to faculty members as part of the session.
Through capacity-building initiatives such as these, Shehersaaz continues to support educational institutions in embedding sustainability into teaching and learning and advancing the SDGs through education.
From Community Participation to Climate Action: 110 Trees Planted in Rawalpindi
RAWALPINDI: A greener and more climate-resilient Rawalpindi begins with communities taking action.
At Railways Officers Colony, Rawalpindi, Shehersaaz facilitated a community-driven plantation campaign that resulted in 110 plants being planted, turning local participation into tangible environmental action.
The initiative goes beyond tree plantation. It reflects Shehersaaz’s efforts to encourage communities to take an active role in addressing climate change by promoting environmental responsibility, climate adaptability and collective resilience at the neighbourhood level.
The campaign is rooted in the principle that sustainable change is strongest when communities are not merely beneficiaries, but active participants and owners of solutions.
Through community-led initiatives, Shehersaaz continues to support greener, more environmentally conscious neighbourhoods that are better equipped to respond to the growing impacts of climate change.
One community. 110 trees. A growing culture of climate action.
At Railways Officers Colony, Rawalpindi, Shehersaaz facilitated a community-driven plantation campaign that resulted in 110 plants being planted, turning local participation into tangible environmental action.
The initiative goes beyond tree plantation. It reflects Shehersaaz’s efforts to encourage communities to take an active role in addressing climate change by promoting environmental responsibility, climate adaptability and collective resilience at the neighbourhood level.
The campaign is rooted in the principle that sustainable change is strongest when communities are not merely beneficiaries, but active participants and owners of solutions.
Through community-led initiatives, Shehersaaz continues to support greener, more environmentally conscious neighbourhoods that are better equipped to respond to the growing impacts of climate change.
One community. 110 trees. A growing culture of climate action.
Shehersaaz Promotes Climate-Smart Water Management in Nowshera Schools
NOWSHERA KALAN: Shehersaaz continues to demonstrate how practical and locally relevant solutions can strengthen water conservation and climate resilience in schools.
During a recent visit with the District Education Officers (DEO) Mr. Khalid & Ms. Safia to schools in Nowshera Kalan equipped with Rainwater Harvesting Units (RWHUs), officials took keen interest in the system, including its operation, rainwater collection process and integration with the schools’ existing water supply.
The visit highlighted the potential of RWHUs to serve not only individual schools but also as a replicable model for wider institutional action across the district.
The engagement reflects growing interest in practical approaches that promote water conservation, strengthen climate-resilient infrastructure and build awareness among educational institutions.
Through initiatives such as RWHUs, Shehersaaz is demonstrating a pathway for schools to become models of responsible water management and climate-smart development-setting an example, creating a pathway and inspiring a district.
During a recent visit with the District Education Officers (DEO) Mr. Khalid & Ms. Safia to schools in Nowshera Kalan equipped with Rainwater Harvesting Units (RWHUs), officials took keen interest in the system, including its operation, rainwater collection process and integration with the schools’ existing water supply.
The visit highlighted the potential of RWHUs to serve not only individual schools but also as a replicable model for wider institutional action across the district.
The engagement reflects growing interest in practical approaches that promote water conservation, strengthen climate-resilient infrastructure and build awareness among educational institutions.
Through initiatives such as RWHUs, Shehersaaz is demonstrating a pathway for schools to become models of responsible water management and climate-smart development-setting an example, creating a pathway and inspiring a district.