Umeed Partnership » News

Umeed AGM

admin — Sat, 01 May 2010 14:15:29 +0000

The AGM for the Umeed Partnership was held on 13th May 2010 at 7.30pm

The venue was:

The Vicarage,
Llanasa Rd,
Gronant
LL19 9SP (sat-nav drops you in on our neighbour!)

01745 888797

Joseph in Lahore

John Perkins — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 07:30:30 +0000

Rev’d Clive Southerton, Vice-Chair of the Umeed Partnership (UK), has arrived in Lahore to prepare ten young people for parts in the musical ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat’ to be staged in Wales and Ireland in October 2010. Members of Umeed across Pakistan will learn songs and dance routines, and will make costumes and props for this ambitious production.

Yousuf Jalal Gill, the UP Co-ordinator, believes that participation by young people of all faiths in a venture such as this leads to a greater understanding of other cultures and reconciliation where there is discord in poor communities.

Further details will be available shortly.

Bygones at Bodrhyddan Hall

John Perkins — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 20:18:11 +0000

On Monday 28 September the owner of Bodrhyddan Hall near Dyserth hosted a Umeed fundraising event, which included an antiques fair. Refreshments in the form of Delicious Desserts and Tasty Tarts were included in the admission price.

The event made a net ‘profit’ of £1162 to support the ‘Open Every Door’ Project which will be launched by the Rev’d Clive Southerton in Lahore, Pakistan on 28 October.

Many thanks are due to the Umeed supporters in the Prestatyn and Rhyl areas for their commitment to the Umeed cause for providing opportunities for women and children across Pakistan.

Beriah’s Boutique, Lahore

John Perkins — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 19:54:23 +0000

Beriah’s Boutique in Lahore is an outlet for Umeed-trained women to sell their embroidered products for a fair wage. Opened in 2006, the Boutique provides work for the UP-trained women to enable them to earn enough money to support their families without depending for 100% support from their husbands and brothers. Beriah’s Boutique is effectively a wholesaler supplying products to shops in other major cities in Pakistan. The Umeed Partnership, through Beriah’s Boutique, needs outlets overseas, and especially in UK and Ireland.

Retail outlets in the UK and Ireland are invited to contact John Perkins (john@justshopping.co.uk) in the UK or Yousuf Gill (gillyousuf@hotmail.com) in Pakistan to view samples of Umeed Products and arrange for delivery of consigments.

New Umeed Schools – Yazman/Cholistan Desert

John Perkins — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 19:23:37 +0000

Along with women, children are also equally vulnerable in Pakistan. For such children the Umeed Partnership has opened one primary and one middle school in two marginalised ‘dalit’ communities near Yazman in the Cholistan Desert in southern Punjab Province.

These schools are being run for the children of desert communities far from major cities, and so do not enjoy the fruits of urban development. There are no roads, sanitation, schooling, nor health care. The population lives almost without having any basic human needs. They are slaves to their landlords and their lives are governed by their task masters. It is very rare to find any educated person in these communities.

The Umeed Partnership, after receiving constant appeals from these communities, established these schools three years ago with between 100 and 150 boys and girls and 2 or 3 teachers. All students receive free education. They are provided with text books, stationery, uniforms, sports equipmentsand study aids. No fee is charged at all. At present each school has a classroom and sheds, but no potable drinking water, nor toilets nor security wall. Apart from these essentials the schools are desperately looking for more classroom space to satisfy the significant demand for a place in the schools.

These schools are the only sign of hope for these communities. It is recognised that, without education, communities will fail to escape from the bondage of their overpowering landlords. Umeed is effectively providing hope for these marginalised people as they strive to free themselves from what is in all but name slavery.

Open Every Door

John Perkins — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 06:20:07 +0000

The UP Project Co-ordinator in Pakistan is working with Clive Southerton (UP[UK]) to bring to fruition Clive’s ambition for a multi-cultural/multi-national production of Joseph & the Amazing Techicolour Dreamcoat in Wales and Ireland. This production, involving young people from Pakistan, Wales, England, Ireland and Singapore will take place in October 2010. Clive will be rehearsing young people from UPP in Pakistan during late October this year in Lahore. As with other Umeed activities, the Open Every Door Project provides a wonderful opportunity for intercultural and inter-faith dialogue amongst young people, both within Pakistan, and between the participating nations.

Umeed Sports Club

John Perkins — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 06:03:25 +0000

Yousuf Gill Jalal, the Umeed partnership Project Co-ordinator, has reported that the Umeed Sports Club has recently been formed to provide opportunities for young men to participate in cricket, who would otherwise not have the opportunity due to lack of leadership and resources. At present there are three Umeed cricket teams – Loralai (Balochistan), Yazman Bahawalpur and Yohannabad slums (Lahore). A three day tournament is planned at the end of October this year during the visit of Rev. Clive Southerton, the Vice Chair of UP(UK), to Lahore. Clive will be donating and presenting the trophy.

This development provides a great opportunity for fellowship between young men from three very disparate parts of Pakistan, and will inevitably lead to a greater understanding between different faiths and cultures.

Lahore bomb blast

John Perkins — Thu, 28 May 2009 07:06:39 +0000

Following the bomb blast which hit Mall Road in Lahore on Wednesday 27 May, Yousuf Gill (the Umeed Partnership Project Co-ordinator) sent the following comments:

“…..The question you raised whether the beneficiaries of Umeed are affected by these bombings, regarding this I would say that as you know we work among the most disadvantaged people living on the fringes of society. These people are worried about their daily bread and are least bothered about the day to day happenings in the big cities. They are least affected by these happenings. However the security and political situation in the country has become much better since the time the military operation started against the Taliban. I am quite optimistic about the future of the country.

Regarding the safety of my family I would say that we live in a peaceful area away from the city centre. Therefore we are safe and please don’t worry about us. We are perfectly ok. Please do remember my family, my people and my country in your daily prayers.

The work of Umeed is going on very well, creating a huge impact and difference in the lives of many disadvantaged people of my country. Thank you for your thoughtfulness, concern and love you have for all of us.

Yousuf Gill Date 27 May 2009 “

It is clear that the Umeed Education and Training Centres are unaffected by this bombing, and such occurences make the value of the work of the Umeed Partnership in providing opportunities for women and children more compelling.

Umeed AGM – new Committee members

John Perkins — Fri, 01 May 2009 21:11:03 +0000

Three new members have been elected to the Umeed Executive Committee, viz: Stuart Elliott (Website Manager), Ann Horobin (Mayor of Prestatyn) and Geraldine Sanders (Assistant Treasurer).

Minutes of the AGM and subsequent Committee meeting will be posted shortly.

Literacy Seminars

John Perkins — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 09:55:31 +0000

Riffat Rizvi from Bangor UK (and Umeed Partnership Treasurer) conducted a three-day series of literacy seminars in Zanas House, Johor Town, Lahore on 14, 15 & 16 April 2009. These were aimed at teachers and supervisors associated with the Umeed Project in Pakistan. Further details from Yousuf Jalal, Project Co-ordinator (gillyousuf@hotmail.com)