Human and institutional development is fundamental to ensure that sector investment is efficient and intervention is self-sustainable. It is GRACE policy to implement all projects with the partnership of CBOs for sustainability. Transparent and accountable local institutions can more actively mobilize local resources vis-à-vis ensure their effective and efficient deployment. Community mobilization and organization and enhanced capacity development of partners is importantly integrated in the development programs.

Variety of vulnerable groups i.e. children, adolescents/youth, girls, women and disable persons constitute GRACE target groups. Their needs and challenges cannot be addressed without their consideration and mainstreaming in program planning and management for results. To ensure inclusive empowerment GRACE particularly focuses on equitable community development and gender and diversity empowerment.

This is one of the major strengths of the organization. Local resource contribution guarantees serious ownership of the program/project by the beneficiary partners and they are committed to manage for sustainability.

PR&D keeps the motivational level of the communities with ever changing needs, challenges and opportunities very high. GRACE emphasizes upon community owned research and encouraging the active participation of key stakeholders in the design and implementation of projects. GRACE has for years tested this approach in Gilgit – Baltistan ready for extension to other parts of the country.  

• Promote early childhood care and development, quality inclusive girl education through secondary and beyond in disadvantaged grassroots communities;
• Strengthen human and institutional development through awareness raising, capacity building training, partnerships building and networking;
• Enhance access of poor and disadvantage communities to safe drinking water and sanitation, irrigation water, English language programs, youth skills enhancement initiatives and livelihood opportunities;
• Introduce sustainable models of community-based climate change mitigation and adaptation projects in rural villages;
• Support people affected by disasters and conflict situations through rescue, relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction initiatives.

Overall purpose is to improve living conditions of people suffering from poverty, ignorance and illiteracy at the grassroots level – empowering them to access economic development opportunities and providing new generations with knowledge and skills they need to thrive in life.

GRACE adds 200% value to the charity it receives. So far GRACE has changed and improved lives of almost 200,000 individuals; children (25%), youth (30%) women (25%) and men (20%) from the most disadvantaged, vulnerable and marginalized communities in Gilgit-Baltistan and rural villages in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. This has been done with the total meager investment of only 1,350,000 USD. The total per capita cash spending stands equal to USD 6.78 which is quite competitive. If parallel community based in kind investment is also calculated even then per person spending remains below USD 15. It reveals GRACE demonstrated capacity of making larger impact by optimizing investment and its institutional strength to ensure effective use of aid.

GRACE Association Pakistan is fully capable of impacting the lives of masses and individuals which guarantees peace and prosperity in the society. GACE is highly innovative in its approach and leads by example. It incubates and matures best practices which result in the empowerment, self-reliance and self-esteem of its target group.

GRACE interfaces its programs with ongoing larger programs at national level for learning and complementarities and aligns its outcomes and results with National and International Organizations for collaboration and partnership. GRACE niche is in synch with the Prime Minister’s statement regarding uplifting of most vulnerable and deprived populations.

GRACE works in close partnership with government and other stakeholders for sustainability of its programs. Policy advocacy is main vehicle for mainstreaming GRACE target groups in governments’ policies and programs.

The most prominent impact it has brought reflects in changing mindset of target communities regarding girl education. In rural villages where girls were treated as others property, now claim their social and cultural rights. Tangible reduction in early child marriages and early child bearing can be observed. Empowered women can go for higher education abroad while they were not allowed to travel alone to neighboring villages. People with disabilities are remarkably empowered. GRACE made a hammer in the peoples’ perception about the disable persons. GRACE Founder is polio affected disabled person who now stands amongst one of the most dynamic and useful members of the society benefitting and empowering 10s of 100s of adolescent girls and boys to become social and economic leaders. Particularly people living with disabilities are no more considered a burden and are now much respected and valued in the society.

GRACE’s intervention such as English and employability skills development program for adolescents developing 21^st century employability skills is resulting in mainstreaming youth in the employment market as skilled workforce. GRACE community-based climate change mitigation technology has resulted in the promotion of underground water exploration and utilization of water for irrigation of orchards and forests. A trend of reforestation started which actually could not be done due to water scarcity in the past. This idea is replicated in three valleys of Baltistan region. In addition, GRACE is collaborating with UNDP and University of Baltistan for Glacier Grafting in villages where scarcity of water is the biggest challenge to promote agriculture and forestry.

Lastly, GRACE sustains resistance for change as its story is all about change; it brought change in the lives of its target groups by empowering the most vulnerable groups of the society. Groups of people with status quo resist change but GRACE efforts break those barriers of resistance for change. The lessons learned are replicated and beneficiaries are trained to sustain change in the community.

GRACE work with UN Online Volunteers to overcome its human resource problem has impacted Pakistan’s soft image at global level. A volunteer of GRACE from USA wrote her travel story for the United Nations Online Volunteers blog (www.unv.org/our-stories) She wrote, “I realised the media had painted an inaccurate picture of Pakistan, and Americans would continue to believe these inaccuracies if they had no access to real information”. This kind of reflection add Pakistan’s soft image globally and help promote tourism in Pakistan.

GRACE has prioritized following three programs for the five year strategic plan.

1. Quality Education;

2. Skills Enhancement and Employment

3. Environment and Climate Change

These areas are strongly linked to the Government’s Vision 2030 and the UN SDGs particularly SDG 1: end poverty, 4: quality education, 5: gender equality, 7: affordable and clean energy, 8: decent work and economic growth, 10: reduced inequalities, 13: climate action and 16: peace, justice and strong institutions.

These Priority programs appreciate other International instruments inter alia; Convention on the Right of Child, UN Declaration on Human Rights, UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability and UN Convention on Climate Change etc.