‘13 of UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals being implemented in Tharparkar’

The implementation of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the poverty-hit Tharparkar area has resulted in rapid human development. Amid poverty, water scarcity and restricted access to essential services, the Thar Foundation, the corporate social responsibility (CSR) arm of the Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company (SECMC), has been running several healthcare and education programmes to uplift the Thari community.

The Thar Foundation stated that it had been implementing targeted initiatives in education, health, poverty reduction and access to clean water, aligning with 13 of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The foundation is operating 28 schools that serve over 5,000 students, 35 per cent of whom are girls, while 180 female instructors are currently employed in villages near the Thar Block II coal project.

More than 300 students are enrolled in diploma programmes in mining, mechanical, electrical and civil engineering at the Government Polytechnic Institute in Mithi. Moreover, over 2,000 citizens are undergoing vocational training in fields like solarisation, welding, information technology and hospitality.

Furthermore, 75 students were sent to China for specialised training in power plant management and maintenance. The Thar Foundation is also running eight medical facilities, including the Thar Foundation Hospital, Marvi Clinic and Gorano Clinic, which have provided care for over 300,000 people. These facilities offer the community with primary and maternity care services with no charges, while the foundation has trained more than 300 women as lady health workers.