DOST Programmes
Dost Foundation reaches out to all those people who have been marginalised by society, whether they are drug addicts, street children, women and children in prisons, refugees or others in dire need. We provide a continuum of care starting at prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, after care and ultimately reintegration back into society. Dost UK supports Dost Foundation in Pakistan by helping to create awareness and fundraising, and to ensure long term sustainability of their programmes.
Dost UK Projects
Street Children
Street children in Pakistan remain amongst the most neglected and exploited groups, with most of the children vulnerable to bonded labour, drug abuse, harassment, sexual abuse, trafficking, criminalization and lack access to health, education and other basic needs.
With the growing problems and high risks for children living on the streets, Dost Pakistan has intervened and set up day care and a night shelter for these children. Through this project, we have been able to reach out to the children living on the streets of Peshawar and provide them with protection, counselling, healthcare, basic education, social services, and family reunification services. They are also provided shelter for the night, food, clothes, and referral services. These projects need funding to continue their services
Prisoners
The Central Prison in Peshawar has the largest population of women prisoners with minor children in the province. On any day 22 to 33 children are held in this prison. Some children stay for weeks or months while others may stay for years. 40% of these are with convicted mothers and are held up to 7 years.
Dost has set programmes in place for the well being and physical, social and mental development of
these women and children. They are given regular health check ups and provided with medicines. The children are given toys and books and those of school age sent to school whereas the mothers receive non formal and life skills education. Mothers are provided with vocational skills training, as well as midwifery training which enables them to provide prenatal and post natal services to pregnant mothers and newborns. These women and children form part of a “Therapeutic Community” which serves as a substitute family for emotional and moral support
Child Addicts
Peshawar is particularly affected by the narcotics surge from neighboring Afghanistan. Street children living and working on the streets of Peshawar are estimated at approximately 10000 to 12000 in number. Street children are at high risk of contracting HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B and C and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) due to sexual abuse, lack of awareness and injecting drug use.
DOST’s strategies for early intervention, treatment, rehabilitation and reintegration of children with SUDs recognize the pivotal role the family and community play in all these processes and ensures their participation. Child-specific intervention and service provision commences in street locations frequented by street children, where DOST mobile teams identify the children at high risk, provide first aid services to them and refer them for services based on their needs. The outreach team registers street working or living drug addicted children and refers them for a 3 months comprehensive evidence based child specific treatment and rehabilitation programme.
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