RSPN CONVENTION HIGHLIGHTS THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF NEARLY 400 LOCAL SUPPORT ORGANISATIONS (LSOs) FROM ACROSS PAKISTAN

13 December 2010, Islamabad: The Rural Support Programmes Network (RSPN) held its Third National Convention of Local Support Organisations (LSOs) on 13 December 2010 at Marriott Hotel Islamabad. The event took place with the support of the principal donor agency of the United Kingdom, the Department for International Development (DFID).

Former Health Minister, Mr. Ejaz Rahim was the chief guest and keynote speaker at the convention, while Ms Shandana Khan, RSPN’s Chief Executive Officer, also attended and spoke at the event. The convention, RSPN’s largest yet, featured nearly 400 participants representing as many LSOs fostered by the Rural Support Programmes (RSPs) across rural communities in Pakistan. Representatives from the RSPs themselves, the government, civil society organizations and international donor agencies also attended the convention. 

Representatives from the LSOs highlighted their successes and achievements in various fields, including in gender mainstreaming, institutional strengthening, linkages development, resource mobilisation and social sector development.  The convention placed special emphasis on flood-relief. Among the notable efforts highlighted was the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) supported, RSPN implemented ‘Sindh Agriculture Recovery Project’. The project, which represents $15 million in assistance from the American people to Sindhi farmers, is sowing sunflower over 93,240 acres of otherwise unseeded flood affected land.

The event closed out with a recognition, by voting, of LSOs that have demonstrated exceptional effort and impact within their rural communities over the past year.