Thatta once the capital of Sindh is highly challenged by poverty and environmental degradation. District Thatta is located in the Indus Delta area, which is most threatened ecosystem. Indus Delta regulates the monsoon system and controls the sea intrusion. But this important ecosystem now has been degraded upto a considerable level and has remained only 10 percent of its original size.

UNDP GEF SGP has declared Indus Delta area its geographic focus to conserve environment. The present proposal is developed in line with the activities that promote environment in the area which is located in the Indus Delta area beside its important geographical position. The activity will be implemented in Union Council Bello which is located beside the river Indus.
District Thatta once the capital of Sindh in 14th century, has vast cultural history situated about 100 Kms east of Karachi with its glorious past which may not be found now but in monuments, buildings, mosques, graveyards which speak eloquently of its glorious past. Its major monuments are listed among the World heritage Sites. The district is declared as the least developed district in Pakistan in terms of environmental degradation and poverty. District Thatta is spread over 17,355 square kilometers with estimated population of 1,113,194 based on 1998 census. The density of population is 64 people/ square km which is the 2nd lowest in Province of Sindh after District Tharparkar. The figures shows that 80% of the population living below the poverty line in the district. District Thatta get the water from River Indus which flows from here till it meets to the great Arabian Sea in the south, District?s economy based on Agriculture and Fishing is the 2nd largest source of income of the people, major portion of the population is related to these means of occupation. Main Crops are Rice, Sugarcane, wheat,
Banana and Tomatoes. Male to Female ratio of population is (48:52) but the Gender disparity is visible in the social sector and in all the areas of human development.

Union Council Bellow is located in Taluka Sujawal district Thatta. There are total ?villages in entire union council. Mostly villages are established on castes and clans. The union council is located beside the river Indus. Located in the riverine belt, the uion council has approximate population of 21183 as per 1998 census. Wood is the predominant source of energy, which is used for cooking and heating purposes. In entire union council there is only one high school, which was established in 1990 and there are almost 485 students (350 boys and 135 girls) are enrolled. As per SEMIS data of the government of Sindh, there is no any latrine facility in the Bello High School, wherein girls are getting education. This is a huge problem being faced by the students specially girls who come from far flung village to get education. As per SEMIS data there is no any library, hall and play ground in the school.
Project objectives:

1. Improve School Environmental Conditions in 10 primary and secondary schools in Union Council Bello Thatta by the project period
2. Improve environmental sanitation in 10 primary and secondary schools in Union Council Bello Thatta by the project period
3. Revitalize School Management Committees to address environmental issues in the selected schools by the project period


Activities to be carried out under project:

1. Initial Assessment and Base line survey
2. Establish 10 school environment clubs and sensitize school children boys and girls in 10 schools on environment
3. Organize sessions on Climate Change, Biodiversity, Health and Hygiene for the targeted schools
4. Mobilize and organize students, teachers and parents for tree plantation in and around targeted schools
5. Organize meetings with teachers and parent associations for their active participation in the project activities
6. Organize 2 student walks on climate change in particular and environment in general
7. Organize 5 school festivals to stimulate the creativity and visioning of students
8. Organize 2 exposure visits of students to the GEF SGP Projects
9. Demonstrate and construct 5 latrines in girls schools
10. Showing ?Mina Ki Kahani? films in the schools to sensitize the students on Open Free defecation and environmental sanitation
11. Plant 10,000 trees in and around the targeted schools with the participation of parents, teachers and citizens
12. signing Terms of Partnership with District Education Department
13. facilitate SMCs in developing school development plans and incorporate environment conservation component in the plans
14. Publicity and development of promotional material
15. Monitoring and Final Evaluation
16. Project Inauguration Ceremony

Project stakeholders and beneficiaries:

- Project would extensively and actively involve the relevant stakeholders including school children and teachers who are the primary beneficiary of the proposed activity.
- Parents of the students and other local community members and activists of the proposed project area
- Local government and district education department
- Mashal Foundation and other community organizations working in the area
- UNDP GEF SGP

Anticipated output of project:

1. Improved environmental conditions in and around the targeted 10 schools
2. Reduction in the CO2
3. Developed green belt in and around the targeted 10 schools
4. improvement in the school built environment
5. constructed 5 latrines in girls schools and improved environmental sanitation conditions
6. a general improvement is brought in the health status of the targeted school children and general population
7. Revitalized SMCs and facilitated to developed school development plans
8. communities/beneficiaries are facilitated to have access to the information available on climate change and environment
9. A booklet in local language on Climate Change is published and distributed in the schools, libraries and NGOs.
10. the work and worth of GEF SGP work is communicated to the students and they are sensitized on the environmental conservation efforts