Shaharsaz, a community-based sustainable development organization, marked its 29th anniversary in Rawalpindi with a ceremony announcing the formal handover of rainwater harvesting units to 18 government schools. The initiative reflects Shaharsaz’s commitment to safe, resilient, inclusive and sustainable learning environments and places rainwater harvesting at the centre of school-level resilience efforts.
The chief guest, Tariq Mahmood, CEO of the District Education Authority Rawalpindi, praised the programme’s achievements and underscored the importance of sustainable education, environmental protection and active community involvement in school development. His remarks highlighted how rainwater harvesting can support schools facing water insecurity and promote long-term sustainability.
The event featured senior education and project officials including Anita Sajjad (DEO Secondary), Ms Tabinda, Ahad Ali Siddiqui, Dr. Banish and Mrs Shaheena Babar. Dr. Banish, the project manager, presented details of the progressive programme under the PUCCR project, while Ahad Ali Siddiqui and Mrs Shaheena Babar spoke about integrating environmental education and strengthening community partnerships to sustain school initiatives.
Ms Tabinda commended the strong participation of students and teachers, saying these measures help guarantee a healthier and more sustainable environment for future generations. Onsite engineer Mr Abdullah led an interactive question and answer session, responding to participants’ queries and sharing practical experiences, implementation challenges and key milestones from the field.
A notable moment of the programme was the signing of memoranda of cooperation with principals of the 18 beneficiary schools, designed to ensure protection, maintenance and continuity of the newly installed RWH units and related sustainability measures.
Implemented with support from UN-Habitat and the Adaptation Fund, the project has helped transform participating schools into models of sustainable education. Students, teachers, local communities and vendors collaborated to create resilient school models where rainwater harvesting, urban agriculture and energy-saving solutions are adopted as practical responses to environmental and resource challenges.
The ceremony concluded with Shaharsaz cutting its 29th anniversary cake, followed by a group photograph and a dinner. Attendees paid tribute to the organization’s nearly three decades of service and reaffirmed their support for long-term community engagement in sustainable school development.
