Past Projects

Our Past Projects

Education
Women Empowerment
Agriculture
Healthcare

FFB’s Educational Initiative for Girls

The Felix Foundation Baltistan launched an initiative to provide higher education opportunities to 20 talented but underprivileged girls from the remote Hushe Valley in northern Pakistan. The foundation covered their accommodation, transportation, stationery, and tuition fees.

Over the years several girls’ completed their education and now studying in universities.

Challenge

Hushe Valley, with a population of 13,000 across eight communities, has only one high school and no colleges. Graduated girls face barriers to continuing their education due to the male-dominated society, lack of government support, unaware parents, and widespread poverty.

Solution

This project aims to send 20 financially disadvantaged yet talented girls from Hushe Valley to colleges in different cities across Pakistan, ensuring they receive a quality education.

Long-Term Impact

These educated girls will return to Hushe Valley as role models and leaders, inspiring others in the community. They will also have better career opportunities, contributing to the overall development of their community.

Teacher Training, Hushe Valley, Baltistan

Felix Foundation Baltistan’s teacher training program is a vital component of their education initiatives. Here’s what I found:

Why Teacher Training

Recognizing that teachers are the backbone of any education system, Felix Foundation Baltistan focuses on empowering local teachers with the skills and knowledge necessary to provide quality education.

Many teachers in the region lack formal training, and this program aims to bridge that gap.

Key Aspects of their Teacher Training

Capacity Building: Training focuses on enhancing teachers’ subject matter expertise, pedagogical skills, and classroom management techniques.

Child-Centered Learning: Emphasis is placed on child-centered learning approaches, encouraging interactive and inclusive teaching methods.

Continuous Support: Ongoing support and mentorship are provided to teachers, ensuring they can apply their new skills effectively in the classroom.

Local Context: Training is tailored to the local context, addressing specific challenges and needs faced by teachers in the Baltistan region.

Goals:

Improve teacher effectiveness and confidence
Enhance student learning outcomes
Foster a culture of continuous professional development among teachers
Support the growth of a sustainable, locally-led education system

By investing in teacher training, Felix Foundation Baltistan aims to create a ripple effect of positive change in the education sector, ultimately benefiting generations of students in the region.

Training Session in Gilgit & Hunza Tour

Felix Foundation Baltistan’s teacher training programs in Gilgit and Hunza are a testament to their commitment to empowering educators in the region. By conducting training sessions in these areas, they are reaching teachers from various parts of the region, including: – Gilgit: A city in the Gilgit-Baltistan region, known for its stunning natural beauty and strategic location at the confluence of the Indus and Gilgit rivers.

Hunza – a picturesque valley in the Gilgit-Baltistan region, famous for its breathtaking landscapes, fruit orchards, and ancient Altit and Baltit forts.

These training sessions likely focused on:

Capacity building for teachers
Enhancing teaching skills and methodologies
Introducing innovative and interactive approaches to learning
Sharing best practices and experiences
Building a network of supportive educators

By conducting training sessions in different locations, Felix Foundation Baltistan is able to:

Reach a broader audience of teachers
Address specific regional needs and challenges
Foster a sense of community and collaboration among educators
Promote sustainable development in the education sector

Their efforts are indeed commendable, and I’m sure the teachers and students in the region have benefited significantly from these initiatives!

Women Empowerment

Ringchan Women’s Empowerment Project

In collaboration with Baltistan Fundazioa, we are proud to launch the Ringchan project, a women’s empowerment initiative in the Hushe Valley, Pakistan. Our objective is to establish a cooperative that promotes work opportunities for women, enabling them to achieve economic autonomy and improve their future.

The Hushe Valley Context

Located in the Baltistan region of Pakistan, the Hushe Valley faces numerous challenges. The valley is remote, with harsh winters, limited access to electricity, and poor infrastructure. Hygiene and cleanliness are significant concerns, leading to various diseases. Additionally, women in the valley face cultural and religious barriers that restrict their basic rights, including education, health, freedom of movement, and freedom of choice.

Our Partner: Baltistan Fundazioa

Founded by Alberto Iñurrategi in 2001, Baltistan Fundazioa has been working tirelessly to improve the lives of the Hushe Valley population. With a shared vision, we have partnered to empower women in the region.

Together, we can make a difference in the lives of women in the Hushe Valley. Support our Ringchan project and help us create a brighter future for these women.

Join Us in Empowering Women

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Project Goals

Establish a women’s cooperative to promote work opportunities
Provide economic autonomy and improve future prospects
Address literacy and education among adult women
Enhance healthcare resources and access
Empower women to participate in collective decision-making

Women’s Cooperative: A Symbol of Empowerment

Baltistan Fundazioa has been dedicated to improving lives in the Hushe Valley since 2001. Through the Ringchan project, we have partnered with Ternua to empower women in the region.

Together, we are supporting the creation of a women’s cooperative that produces woollen hats. This initiative provides women with a sustainable source of income, promoting economic autonomy and self-reliance.

Skill Development and Empowerment

For over 10 years, women in the valley have been attending sewing courses, learning valuable skills and techniques. Additionally, they have received training in human rights and self-esteem, fostering their personal growth and empowerment.

Entrepreneurial Spirit and Leadership

Our aim is to inspire the entrepreneurial spirit in these women, enabling them to become leaders of change in their community. By supporting their economic independence, we are helping them weave a brighter future for themselves and their families.

Join the Movement

Your support is crucial in empowering these women to break free from the shackles of poverty and inequality. Together, we can create a ripple effect of positive change in the Hushe Valley.

Ternua & Felix Foundation Baltistan: Empowering Women through Sustainable Fashion

In collaboration with Ternua, we are proud to launch a pioneering project in the Hushe Valley, Pakistan. Women from the valley will produce woolen hats for Ternua’s winter collection, sold globally. This initiative supports the creation of the Ringchan cooperative, promoting economic autonomy and female empowerment. For over 10 years, our foundation has provided sewing courses, human rights training, and self-esteem workshops to these women. Together, we are driving socio-economic development and sustainable progress in the region. Join us in this journey, where fashion meets social impact.

Healthcare Initiatives by FFB

Felix Foundation Baltistan has been actively involved in supporting healthcare initiatives in the valley, focusing on improving access to quality healthcare services for the local community. Here are some key highlights of their healthcare initiatives:

Medical Camps: Felix Foundation has organized numerous medical camps in remote areas of the valley, providing free medical consultations, check-ups, and treatments to hundreds of patients.

Healthcare Infrastructure Development: They have renovated and equipped healthcare facilities, including hospitals and clinics, to improve the quality of care and provide better infrastructure for healthcare professionals.

Training for Healthcare Professionals: Felix Foundation has conducted training sessions for healthcare professionals, enhancing their skills and knowledge in various areas, such as emergency care, maternal health, and disease prevention.

Community Health Education: They have implemented community health education programs, raising awareness about important health issues, such as hygiene, sanitation, and disease prevention.

Support for Local Health Institutions: Felix Foundation has provided financial and material support to local health institutions, enabling them to better serve the community.

Emergency Response: They have responded to medical emergencies, such as natural disasters and outbreaks, providing critical support and resources to affected areas.

Healthcare Access for Remote Communities: Felix Foundation has established a network of community health workers, connecting remote communities with healthcare services and providing vital health information.

By supporting healthcare initiatives in the valley, Felix Foundation Baltistan is making a significant impact on the well-being of the local community, improving access to quality healthcare, and enhancing the overall health and resilience of the region.

Improvements in agriculture

The project to transport water from the Hushe River to the fields to irrigate the fields has been a reality for a long time. The valley is a mountain desert, and although the soil is fertile, it hardly rains in the spring and summer. And, of course, if the crops are not watered, they do not grow. Although there is not much rain, there are many glaciers, and the Hushe River carries enough water. Therefore, it was decided to pump water from the Hushe River. The water is pumped to a reservoir 250 meters from the river. Thus, they transport water from the reservoir, through the old canals. “The works have been very important, in addition to facilitating the work of farmers, because there is no such infrastructure in Baltistan. They mainly sow wheat, and they hardly have water to irrigate it,” explained Kamara. It was a need requested by them, and it has been running for seven years. In addition, they are working with the local farmers to improve the production of vegetables and fruits. They have built greenhouses and are starting to experiment with different products, for example potatoes that were not sown until now. In terms of fruit production, Albertxi is dominant in the valley. They are working to improve production and marketing. They have installed facilities to wash and dry the fruit, so that they can eat this product even in the winter, and they will also install presses to extract oil from the seeds.

Women, essential

The Foundation has implemented several projects to encourage the development of the inhabitants of Hushe, but over the years it has been noticed that improving the situation of women requires special work. To make this possible, projects related to women have begun to be worked on. “The foundation has understood that 50% of the population are women, but we were not doing anything with them,” emphasized Kamara. For this purpose, the Felix-Baltistan Foundation is working closely with the Felix Iñurrategi Foundation Baltistan Machulu (FIFBM), created in Matxulu. In 2007 they created the Vocational Center for Women project. Two women there are responsible for the organization: Kaniz Fatima, the FIFBM coordinator, and Razia Mehdi, a social entrepreneur. Since then, 370 women have received training in various subjects and are starting to notice that they are part of the change.

In numerous courses, they have studied various topics: how to sew and embroider, the drying process of albertxicos, how to make jam or pickle juice or saffron. Thanks to these courses, they have a place to exchange their needs and interests. They have also held workshops with women to improve cleanliness, health and nutrition. Because of these three deficiencies, frank women lose their lives after giving birth. In the courses, they were warned about the importance of cleanliness and nutrition in health.

In many communities in the valley, women have a heavy workload, because they are responsible for the family and agricultural work. However, they want to be a big part of the development process. Unlike before, they have begun to participate in the meetings held by the community, and explain their needs to the men. Although changes are being made little by little, Kamara believes that there is no turning back for development. “The younger generations are changing because the world is changing, and not just because we are there working with them. Young people want to change things.”

Healthcare Initiatives by FFB

Medical Camps: Felix Foundation has organized numerous medical camps in remote areas of the valley, providing free medical consultations, check-ups, and treatments to hundreds of patients.

Community Health Education: They have implemented community health education programs, raising awareness about important health issues, such as hygiene, sanitation, and disease prevention.

Support for Local Health Institutions: Felix Foundation has provided financial and material support to local health institutions, enabling them to better serve the community.

Emergency Response: They have responded to medical emergencies, such as natural disasters and outbreaks, providing critical support and resources to affected areas.