A Professional Impression

Binding is importance for any presentation that matters to you. If the document appears to be neatly presented, it will sure have an effect on its readers. Why? Because sometimes people like to judge the presenter by the first impression they form.

Coverbind - a wholly owned subsidiary of Bindomatic A.B., a Swedish corporation currently doing business in 40 countries worldwide - is one of the leading companies that makes and supplies covers and binding machines. They have been providing a patented covers and binding machines for over two decades to their satisfied clients (from different industries and institutions including insurance, education, accounting, government, consulting, real estate and many others) around the world.

The Coverbind concept is all about creating “A Professional Impression”, and to do this, they have a range of covers and binding machines ready for you to use right away, in your office or print shop. “You never get a second chance to make a first impression” is that a worn out cliché or an important truth? In our visually-oriented information society, most people would agree that first impressions are very significant in a variety of contexts. During the binding process, the pages and the book binding cloth flow into the adhesive. The vertical edges of the adhesive attach to the cover, ensuring all papers melt into the adhesive. After cooling, the cloth, adhesive and cover stock fuse together. The book binding cloth in the adhesive improves the spine, durability and assists the hinge effect on the spine.

Coverbind produces many types of binding machines including plastic coil binding machines. Their products are high quality because they keep improving through continuous research developing.


There are multiple options available to ensure that you get the productivity that the digital print format promises. Their off-line Coverbind 101 DFS is vastly superior to any punch and bind method and is the only automated off line perfect binding machine. Also the Coverbind 301 DFS matches the speed of the printer resulting in peak efficiency. The new Coverbind 301 Near-Line handles multiple printers.

One of those Coverbind machines is on m wish list already.

In Pictures

Best mud hut in Thatta Ghulamka Dgeroka

Best exterior

Best brick house

Thatta Kedona stall

Growing with Thatta Kedona

Meeting

Volunteers at work

Some of those who work togather to make all that happen

More images in daily zeitgeist down the sidebar.

Dolls Have Always Been There

Proof of this is found in the escavations in South America, the Subcontinent, Japan, Italy, Greece, and other sites all over the world. Made out of sa number pof materials like wood, wax, clay, cloth etc., they were not only a toy but used also as religious symbols and cult items for example as miniaturized images of persons.

Even today they are used by many people as fetish. Today, the experts are not sure what was the first purpose of the dolls; as a toy, out of which the cult figure developed or the cult figure which became a toy.

Over and above their value as toys with educational value, dolls are realistic documentation of past and present times and therefore important source of our knowledge about the games, life, living and work conditions and economy. They are important cultural carriers.

Dr Senta Siller established different projects in Pakistan, Cameroun, Columbia, etc., in which small but long-term progress was made towards development of rural areas, help towards self-sustained development, discouragement of urbanization by way of income generating projects in the rural areas through production of certain types of handicraft items. Dolls are manufactured here lovingly and clothed in traditional dresses and accessories. Fabric design and types of clothing are revived and take an important place in daily life.

Dolls from Pakistan

The women project established by Dr Siller in 1993 in the pakistani province of Punjab, which has in the meanwhile also added a men centre, has 120 women members and it is generating income. The women here work not on full-time basis but in a traditional way so that family and field work is not compromised and festivals of different types, common in villages, can be celebrated as usual. The village Thatta Ghulamka Dhiroka has about 1200 residents. The villagers established the NGO Anjuman-e-Falah-e-Aama in 1991, which co-operates with the DGFK e.V. (German Society for Promotion of Culture). The Anjuman itself co-operates with six further projects in the country.

Dolls from Cameroun

Three co-operatives (Akwatinuighah, Akaankang, HandiCraft CAT) are functioning since 1998 in Bamenda, the capital of the North-West Provinz in Cameroun, which is located near the border to Nigeria. Also this NGO co-operates with the DGFK, Germany. Bamenda has about 60000 residents living on seven hills, who speak eight different languages. Apart from the men of CAT, over 100 women manufacture a variety of handicrafts.

Dolls from Columbia

The co-operative Tantomejor was established in 1999 in Saboya and it works in the meanwhile with three other initiatives. Saboya has about 6000 residents near Chiquinquira, the capital of Departemento Boyaca, north of Bogota. Also this NGO enjoys cooperation of the DGFK. Over 100 women are engaged in the manufacture of handicraft items.

In other languages:

Dukker Projekt
Puppen der Welt
Muñecas del Mundo
Poupées du monde
Куклы Hародов Mира

Telemarketing

Technologies are changing the face of marketing making it easier to reach out. Sales persons are using so many methods including telemarketing - a method of direct marketing in which a salesperson uses the telephone to solicit prospective customers to buy products or use services. This is one of the most effective marketing methods.

Blueberry Marketing Solutions Ltd - company that focuses on Telemarketing, using unscripted calling to generate warm, relevant leads for our clients – is offering telemarketing solutions since last 15 years. Their expert team members work hard to produce consistent results for satisfied clients. (See their clients’ list in case study section.)

Blueberry Marketing Solutions understands and presents your products or services in order to win customers, increase revenue and grow. Their claim to fame is lead generation, providing qualified, warm appointments for your sales team. In addition, they also provide services like appointment making, database cleaning, customer maximization, sales training, and market research.

Explore their neatly laid out site and see what all they are offering and how they can help you to next level of success. Better still, ask for a free sales and marketing review worth £250 Blueberry Marketing Solutions Ltd are offering these days. I suggest you try them and see the results.

Thatta Kedona at Dubai Global Village

A possibility for the participation of a Pakistani NGO at the Global Village of the Dubai Shopping Festival for exhibiting and offering its outstanding handicrafts products emerged in 2000 on the invitation of the consulate general of Pakistan in Dubai.

The first participation in the fair followed in 2001 and was quite successful right from the start, -reports of the local media also confirmed the success of advertising and media attention.

The stand in the Pakistan Pavillion through the courtesy of the pakistani commercial counsellor however required careful organization, transport, resolution of visa matters and schooling of the the village NGO staff as well as locating cheap accomodation in Dubai.

Two young women as well young men from the village NGO have participated in the festival uptill now. A german volunteer was also found as a temporary arrangement to bridge the staff requirement at the stand. Additionally, we also succeeded in winning a permanent customer for the products at this temporary forum so that it became possible to sell the products over the whole year.

An arabic pair of dolls was specially developed by the pakistani NGO for the arabian market, which can be purchased on the spot as well as orders cab also be placed. Local volunteers are also helpful in the order processing and they have also participated in village project in Pakistan.

Wish you Nice Sleep

I work hard (I think I do) and sleep like a log. My only preference is a nice looking and comfortable bed in a neatly laid out room. Which is one of the reasons that I liked time4sleep instantly. They also love beds.
Time4Sleep – company that offers the latest styles in beds at prices that are not beatable anywhere.

The oak Beds from www.time4sleep.co.uk really look great and one of them will suit my bedroom theme well. I would love to have white sheets and fluffy pillows on that. It is already come on my wish list.

Besides wooden beds, this online shop also offer leather beds, children beds, divan beds, upholstered beds and antique style beds. Their collection is really amazing. Explore the site and see what they display on the site.

Users can also search on the kind of the bed they are looking by entering the type, size, color, or the price. The site also offers some top tips for getting some good sleep (I needed those).

Shopping is easy on this site. They give free home delivery for purchases above 499 pounds. There are several payment options available. Anyone thinking to buy a new bed should start at www.time4sleep.co.uk. Try them. I wish you nice sleep in one of their beds.

Culture

Prof. Dr. Norbert Pintsch

The culture, the traditional rural culture and the industrial city culture, the contents, the characteristics, changes are more or less the topics of discussion in various considerations on the subject. It may not be clear to many where the problem really is, or why the restlessness, why the discussion?

The term Culture is gladly used in these times. To be lacking in culture or be devoid of culture, no please! It does not surprise when one talks of eating, sleeping and drinking cultures. Educated people have the reading culture. Many are members of special cultures like leisure activities. One is sure to maintain high standard in body culture, which is by the way synonymous with the intensive use of perfumes. It underlines the positive image towards outside.

All these consumption-oriented cultures please the producers the most. They help to obtain satisfaction in the life, with appropriate message to other population groups; for example, people in the rural areas want to follow suit without thinking or any other consideration.

As an example for the short-sightedness, we may refer to Thornbury’s LIVING CULTURE (Random House Business Books, London 2000), who would surely not be happy on his being quoted in actually the opposite sense; a world-wide operating consultant company mentioned by him has described the performance as expected from managers, to achieve what they should do. It is assumed that the desired culture is already known and nothing more is required.

Who should they have the time to ponder upon the meaning of culture and to follow the connection to commercial enterprises? The direction of expected results here is rather clear: the industrially produced products are considered as guiding line and there are only minimal deviations, for example the argument of fantastic possibilities of informing oneself in a world over-flooded with information. This reminds of the satisfaction of bodily desires in a Fast-Food-Restaurant, where one can select between number of dressings for the salads.

The scope of the keywords used to search the Internet gets narrowed down. This leads to lesser and lesser words actually written, which does not matter at all if it is not so evident and one gets used to it.

The influence on the traditional city culture is clearly recognizable in literature, which reflects the social situation. The process of democratization is supposed to improve the general quality of life. The followers of this line of thinking refer to antique Greek city-states where, on a small scale, good results were achieved by segregating the social status of groups of populations. Even then, the greatest Greek thinker was passing the argument that democracy probably functions best on empty land. Let us not get into that because a lot has been written on it and democracy has spread ‘industrially’. An interesting side effect is the slimming of the depth and intensity of feelings: the fact that antique feelings, like literary portrayal of feelings of love, the subtle overcoming of authoritarian power structures are rather more spread in accordance with western standards. The consumption-oriented behavior is strongly on the advance specially in the conurbations.

As in a bow, we again get to the point where we began, namely the conflict between urban and rural culture. The unconcerned enjoyers and shortsighted beneficiaries do not recognize the loss of their non-material values. The rather live unrestricted in their state of euphoria, whereby abandonment and self-limitation are more sought after.

The attentive non-political and religious fellow human being suspects in this environment that there must be something to the socialism thinking, as also in the representation of gluttony in the Old Testament and the dancing about the golden calf.

They must, in order not to be left out of the dance, decide and rapidly transform themselves into a consumer, which is to be honest the easiest and the best way because it causes no headaches and one is also not limited in any way. Arguments like what should the individual otherwise do very helpful and useful here. Life must be financed: the family, the children, the house, the whole living standard should be taken care.

In the other case, one may quote a religious saying from the time of the begging monks: monk, monk, you carry a heavy burden. One form of interpretation may be mentioned here. Galileo Galilei said, more or less defiantly... and she is moving, “Even if a wrong is done millions of times that do not make it right.” In democratic terms, one would discuss so long, till the majority deviates bit by bit from its old course. Information deficits must be equalized, one must find compromises, people with other opinion must be better explained; here other unpleasant sayings come to mind, like for example, “after me... the flood, riding the horse to death.”

The modern cynic makes a good profit out of all this and lets himself gladly be invited to television talk shows till he is ridden to death. After all, one must live from something.

Dolls from Greenland

The idea for the project originated in the year 2002 and is based on the location of the west to east greenland. At first there were various contacts between Narsalik and Qaqortoq and in 2006 a meeting with the director of the group in greenland was held. The meeting took place in the south of the island.

The pre-conditions for the project were good due to the parallels in the locations as well as the income generating factors sheep breeding and tourism.

After the activities came to a standstill and difficulties regarding deadlines and financing emerged but also as first orders for the Inuit-Dolls were received, the project was revived by arranging the finance and a visit to Kulusuk was undertaken in September 2007.

Complete manufacturing of the Inuit-Dolls is also not feasible here as the manufacturing of the naked doll would be too expensive here. For this purpose the doll bodies from Pakistan are used here. However, the hair and skin type as well as the face form correspond to the Greenland.

Rural Culture

Prof. Dr. Norbert Pintsch

History

The most important factors for the current development were laid in the 19th century. The rejection of thinking and acting as a community meant for the technology an enormous increase in the industrial production because the division of work led to higher productivity and new professions and it appeared on the face of it to increase the standard of living in western cultures (for example the Taylorism as introduced in Ford automobile factories etc.)

Analysis of the society by political and economic thinkers led to development theories, which could not foresee the effects of these policies as evidenced today. The cardinal error by these theorists was the euro-centristic model, i.e. nobody took the happenings in other cultures into consideration.

In Smith's economic system, the free market functioned globally, as long as global meant regionally and maximum on a national level.

In Marx's political system the democracy functions internationally, as long as the power base is centrally located. This concept is also found in antique Greek city-state models on a local basis.

In both cases, there appears to be consensus on one point, i.e. that "multiple behavioral models (Artenvielfalt)" are not acceptable in these theories. But this is probably precisely the decisive error.

With this sketch, we would now like to analyze the present situation.


Present situation

It is the market factors in a democratically functioning society, which determines the general welfare of the people.

Since the market -in the traditional sense- neither takes into consideration the environment nor the traditional cultures, which are present in rural areas and production of goods leads to certain uniformity because of cost-reduction methods. Every effort must be undertaken, so that the (B.E.P.) does not fall short of targets under any circumstances. The multi-national concerns attempt by adding more products to their production programs to offer a variety of models: since all parties participating in the market work in similar way, but the demand in the market is relatively fixed and not able to be increased arbitrarily, it is clear where the wastage of resources is taking place.

The winner is the one, who has the largest potential of human resources as long as these can be controlled politically.

The intentions and the wishes of so-called democratic countries are understandable, if they exert all possible pressure on others to accept their form of governance.

If this effort does not succeed, their system -let us call it "western system"- would collapse together with all parties involved in it.

There are incredible factors, which remain unconsidered by the members of the City-Culture, they being the innovators and carriers of the enormous misunderstandings and the cardinal errors:

a) There are very different cultures

b) These cultures have developed over a long period of time in inter-action with the climate and the environment.

c) Each culture has its own set of rights and should be the subject of research to shed light on this enormous richness.

Of course much of the matter has been lost due to the way of thinking and the actions undertaken up till now, but exactly this is the task before us; to track down these materials.

Misuse of environment and resources are hardly a subject of discussion in economic appraisals. Similarly, the richness of traditional cultures, which still exist at least in part in the rural areas, which are typically described as "under-developed" is not mentioned in these appraisals. There is no code or value allocated to them. Only when the value has been destroyed, the damage becomes visible. The extent of destroyed traditional cultures is quite evident in the number of museums, i.e. as soon as the traditional cultures began to be considered as money making measures for the institutions, they received recognition as a valid market factor, but in effect became still more unstable.

As the international flow of money is not directed towards local industry and national states, there is a trend towards uniformity through optimization and standardization. This uniformity can be concealed through various designs and requires increased consumption of goods. In order to increase the consumption, the consumers (all consumers of the world unite!!) require financial means, which are actually not available to the majority of population.


Outlook

A special sort of market is created at the place where traditional cultures are promoted. Members of the community have a chance to participate, if they consider it a possibility to maintain their basic requirements, i.e. a form of satisfaction of most basic material needs must remain intact.

Author Prof Dr Norbert Pintsch, Voluntary Director, TTTC TGD can be approached here: pdp33@hotmail.com

Thatta Kedona at Global Village Dubai Shopping Festival

Thatta Kedona is participating in Global Village Dubai Shopping Festival from December 12 to March 1, 2008. Mohammad Ilyas (in first phase) from Village-NGO AFA. and Roman Laube (in second phase) from NGO D.G.F.K. will be there on Thatta Kedona Stall.

Look them up when you are at Shopping Festival.


Relevant:
The Dubai Shopping Festival
History of the United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates Resources
Maps of Dubai
Geography and Map of United Arab Emirates

Tags: Dolls, NGOs , Dubai Shopping Festival

Men's View

The position of women in our society is characterized by multiple roles. A woman is a mother, wife, sister, and daughter; may be all at the same time. In some cases women are working persons as well. What do men – fathers, brothers, husband or other male family members -- think about women working away from home? In our society, women's options to pursue a career or stay home largely rest with the male members who generally decide about it under the influences like particular family situations, family and social background and the financial needs.

Women are seen working in corporate Pakistan largely doing jobs which have traditionally been labelled as women's work like clerical, secretarial, catering, teaching, public relations and front desk, medical practitioners and other health related jobs, labourers in production units and to some extent in human resources and marketing fields, notwithstanding exception that can be found in almost any discipline; far and few.

In many cases women work more than their men do. Since time immemorial, women have great responsibility for unpaid and invisible physical work as well: bearing and rearing children, housework -- here is a lot to be done at home -- and caring for the sick and elderly and rural women working with men in agricultural fields and animal husbandry.

Broad scouting reveals this: Men want to come back home from work to waiting women. Men feel 'threatened' by women in leadership roles at workplace. They find problems in finding a way to balance the needs of housework with the demands of activities of working women.

Our society so far does not offer equal opportunities in terms of reconciliation of work and life for women. Dr. Agha Haroon, an educationist says, "In traditional society like ours, male members tell their female wards to work or what to do instead of asking them if they want to or what they want to do? Earlier in life even the subjects for the girl students are chosen by parents as per their perceptions rather than seeing the aptitudes of female students. Which is why one finds women interested, for example, in Information Technology doing courses in Home Economics and that is one of the reasons that some women do not excel in careers if and when they joinwork?"

On the other hand, "We do not find enough employable females," says Asad Raza, Manager Human Resources in an equal opportunity multinational service organization, "and even those who are employed with us are seen under the guardianship of their fathers, brothers and husbands or some other male family member."

Generally, equality for women is considered as important area of human resource development and is strongly recommended at the workplace, but only in theory. Continuously tightening economic compulsions today seem to set clear limits for male members to decide for women to work or stay home. The tilt having been towards working and earning some additional income. Waqar Mehdi says, "My wife works because my income is not enough to make the ends meet. My aged mother has to look after our two years old baby when I and my wife are away and I have to pick and drop her to and from work every day. We have been thinking that she should leave the job and stay home to look after the baby for some time. Only she is waiting for her promotion that is due any moment. She will leave the moment she gets the higher grade."

Some time women are allowed to work for the 'waiting period' -- after completion of their education and before they are married off. "My daughter graduated from University of the Punjab and is working in a bank now. It is good job with potential for growth. But will she be able to continue her job after marriage depends upon her husband," says Karim Dad.

"Our baho betian (wives and daughters) do not work," seems the attitude of a major segment of our society. Proponents of this attitude think that work is only for the monitory benefits and has nothing to do with personal fulfilment or enrichment in life. Some even find it hard to allow their female children in higher educations.

Decision to work as per one's own liking should be a personal preference. Every one should be entitled to work not only for monitory rewards but also for tapping personal potential in whatever one is good at. Ideally, there should be no gender or other barriers. In the absence of any policy for human resource development at national level, corporate sector should open up to women workforce and provide more women friendly opportunities. Male members should also allow their wards to join the workforce, customs, traditions, and unproven myths notwithstanding.

An Overview

Click here to Enlarge

TGD Architectural Ornament

Evolution

Chauvinism evolved out of nature and history with a logic that adapted slowly over time to recognize more equality with women. As chauvinism evolved, it was aspiring toward a society in which men and women were relatively equal but had different roles. The care of children and families was held in high regard by Chauvinism. Men did more work outside the home and women did more work inside the home, but Chauvinism included a sense of honor in which biological fathers were responsible for helping to raise children.

Chauvinism guided American culture in 1955, and 99% of the children in America grew up in homes with both biological parents.Feminism was more of a revolution than an evolution. Feminism aspired toward a society in which men and women have equal opportunities and little or no difference in their roles. Feminism elevated career fulfillment above the care of children and families in the lives of women and everyone else.

Biological mothers still had a sense of honor about child-raising in Feminist practice, but fathers were freed from their traditional role by a culture that was cheerleading for single motherhood and recreational sex. Feminist culture guides America today, and intentionally or otherwise promotes the self-fulfillment of women through careers, divorce, recreational sex, and single motherhood. 50% of the children in America now live with only one biological parent.Do you agree with what Peter Slovenski writes? What would you chose: Chauvinism, Feminism or Familyism?

Sustainability Vertically Impossible - Horizontally a Chance?

Abstract from paper by Professor Norbert Pintsch (Institute for Planning and Consulting, Germany-USA). Paper was presented in Second International COMSAT Conference on Environmentally Sustainable Development that was held in Abbotabad from Aug 26-27, 2007.

This article discusses the basic concept of sustainability and its dependencies in cultural contexts. This corelation has hardly been considered from the technology oriented side and lesser and lesser in general scientific circles. This is by no means a sign of superiority but more a sign of philosophical poverty and one sidedness, which is contra-productive, without the concerned and interested parties being even aware of it. The following contribution compares the concept of Vertical Sustainability to the Horizontal Sustainability, while making it clear that the latter is not suitable for income generating measures in urban areas.

The scientific community agrees that the Earth’s climate is changing and severe impacts are inevitable. Global warming leads to the melting of both Artic and Antarctic polar ice sheets. Such melting is bound to change the ecological conditions and may cause a break in food chain of living organisms. Under the prevailing conditions, the scientific community of the twenty-first century both anticipates and fears the challenges that are presented. Humanity has reached a “defining moment” in our dominion over the planet and our ability to sustain or destroy it depends on our forthcoming behaviour and actions.

As custodians of our planet we should do more to counter the dangers posed by climate change, “destroying” the biosphere. Achieving environmental sustainability requires managing and protecting ecosystems, maintaining the diversity of life in both human- managed and natural systems and protecting the environment from pollution to maintain the quality of land, air and water.

The ESDev-2007 Conference has brought together hundreds of professionals from academia, industries, local enterprises and agencies to translate ideas, success stories, case histories, current trends, and technologies into solutions for environmental protection and enhancement. The proceedings hold about 150 technical and research papers and review articles covering almost every aspect related to environment. Over 70 papers were presented in two parallel sessions and the remaining papers were displayed in poster form. The papers presented at ESDev-2007 cover topics related to local, regional and global environmental and development issues. These topics are merged into eight main themes and each section of the proceedings is marked with the title of the topics. The content pages and the author index in all volumes are identical. The author index includes the co-authors as well.

The number of themes and unequal distribution of the papers under these themes represents particularly the academic response to the call for papers. Issues of local concern and expertise are particularly well represented. Perhaps in future years it would be appropriate to encourage participation from a wider environmental perspective.

The ESDev-2007 Conference has initiated a dialogue among all the stakeholders in an area of immense importance which must result in specific actions, to craft suitable policies and to take the necessary action to protect and sustain the environment. We hope research papers and technical work presented in the ESDev-2007 proceedings will evoke interest and subsequent discussion and practical implementation not only by the delegate attending the conference, but also by others involved in environment related activities like research and teaching institutions, NGOs and individuals working in private and public sector.

About Culture in Particular

Prof. Dr. Norbert Pintsch

The culture, the traditional rural culture and the industrial city culture, the contents, the characteristics, changes are more or less the topics of discussion in various considerations on the subject. It may not be clear to many where the problem really is, or why the restlessness, why the discussion?

The term Culture is gladly used in these times. To be lacking in culture or be devoid of culture, no please! It does not surprise when one talks of eating, sleeping and drinking cultures. Educated people have the reading culture. Many are members of special cultures like leisure activities. One is sure to maintain high standard in body culture, which is by the way synonymous with the intensive use of perfumes. It underlines the positive image towards outside.

All these consumption-oriented cultures please the producers the most. They help to obtain satisfaction in the life, with appropriate message to other population groups; for example, people in the rural areas want to follow suit without thinking or any other consideration.

As an example for the short-sightedness, we may refer to Thornbury’s LIVING CULTURE (Random House Business Books, London 2000), who would surely not be happy on his being quoted in actually the opposite sense; a world-wide operating consultant company mentioned by him has described the performance as expected from managers, to achieve what they should do. It is assumed that the desired culture is already known and nothing more is required.

Who should they have the time to ponder upon the meaning of culture and to follow the connection to commercial enterprises? The direction of expected results here is rather clear: the industrially produced products are considered as guiding line and there are only minimal deviations, for example the argument of fantastic possibilities of informing oneself in a world over-flooded with information. This reminds of the satisfaction of bodily desires in a Fast-Food-Restaurant, where one can select between number of dressings for the salads.

The scope of the keywords used to search the Internet gets narrowed down. This leads to lesser and lesser words actually written, which does not matter at all if it is not so evident and one gets used to it.

The influence on the traditional city culture is clearly recognizable in literature, which reflects the social situation. The process of democratization is supposed to improve the general quality of life. The followers of this line of thinking refer to antique Greek city-states where, on a small scale, good results were achieved by segregating the social status of groups of populations. Even then, the greatest Greek thinker was passing the argument that democracy probably functions best on empty land. Let us not get into that because a lot has been written on it and democracy has spread ‘industrially’. An interesting side effect is the slimming of the depth and intensity of feelings: the fact that antique feelings, like literary portrayal of feelings of love, the subtle overcoming of authoritarian power structures are rather more spread in accordance with western standards. The consumption-oriented behavior is strongly on the advance specially in the conurbations.

As in a bow, we again get to the point where we began, namely the conflict between urban and rural culture. The unconcerned enjoyers and shortsighted beneficiaries do not recognize the loss of their non-material values. The rather live unrestricted in their state of euphoria, whereby abandonment and self-limitation are more sought after.

The attentive non-political and religious fellow human being suspects in this environment that there must be something to the socialism thinking, as also in the representation of gluttony in the Old Testament and the dancing about the golden calf.

They must, in order not to be left out of the dance, decide and rapidly transform themselves into a consumer, which is to be honest the easiest and the best way because it causes no headaches and one is also not limited in any way. Arguments like what should the individual otherwise do very helpful and useful here. Life must be financed: the family, the children, the house, the whole living standard should be taken care.

In the other case, one may quote a religious saying from the time of the begging monks: monk, monk, you carry a heavy burden. One form of interpretation may be mentioned here. Galileo Galilei said, more or less defiantly... and she is moving, “Even if a wrong is done millions of times that do not make it right.” In democratic terms, one would discuss so long, till the majority deviates bit by bit from its old course. Information deficits must be equalized, one must find compromises, people with other opinion must be better explained; here other unpleasant sayings come to mind, like for example, “after me... the flood, riding the horse to death.”

The modern cynic makes a good profit out of all this and lets himself gladly be invited to television talk shows till he is ridden to death. After all, one must live from something.

Visit Thatta Ghulamka Dhiroka (TGD), District Okara

Located on the offside, between Okara und Faisalabad, 45 Minutes eastward of Harappa.

100 % EXPERIENCE OF RURAL LIFE IN THE PUNJAB,- A PROGRAMME OF ABSOLUTE CONTRASTS !

NO Swimming Pool - NO Alcohol - NO Buffet - NO Bus - N O ...!

Pre-condition for Participation: Covered skin, Respect for the traditional culture !

- Last war of freedom in the Punjab in 1857, Murder of Lord Berkeley by
the Kharel tribe of TGD
- Region of the best buffaloes of the world as well as cattle thieves;
- AFA / TGD at the EXPO 2000 in Hannover and EXPO 2005 in Aichi
- AFA / TGD silver medal for the dolls project IWSA/UNESCO 2004
- “TV-Programme”: channel ONE-sunset, channel TWO-moonshine and stars

Handicraft production of dolls in traditional dresses of provinces and minorities at the Women Centre

Models of Rickshaws and other metal toys at the Men Centre.

Best time for visits: March and October (as there is no air-conditioner in summer and no heating in winter)

Local Boarding and Lodging is available for visitors @ Pak. Rs. 250 per person per day.

Registration for Transport Lahore - Village:

M.Ilyas, AFA, Showroom Lahore, 0303-7 35 69 86

Registration for Self-Transport: Mr Farooq Ahmad, AFA, Man. Director Men Centre 0300-417 43 60

Mrs Farzana Zahoor, AFA, Man. Director Women Centre 0321-697 21 05

Other Information here and in this site

Dolly Good

Husain Qazi

SAJ Shirazi's article Dolly good opened up a basket of sweet memories and took me back in year 2000 when someone told me about a doll village apparently belonging to the fairyland. So strong was the impact of narration that I was soon in that village which was surely more than my expectations, a classic example of a dream coming true by vision, determination and action. Dr Sahiba’s visualization of tapping the potential of village girls for making soft toys came true in just a year and the dolls of Thatta (near Gogeera, Southern Punjab) were being sold in the European market which -besides the apparent financial gain, provided confidence -particularly for the women folk of the village and sparked a quest for sustainable development, which continues unabated .... The village farmers were trained in modern agri methods resulting in immense growth of agriculture, health and sanitation standards improved, the village school was revamped, massive tree plantation was carried out, a vocational centre was established for the training and skill development of village folks and of course the dolls and a host of other crafts are being produced and sold in and out of the country.

Problems Facing Projects is Less-Developed Countries

By Prof. Dr. Norbert Pintsch

Who could have imagined during the Cold War how wonderful new socialism would be (Fast Food Spray 2002).

Problems facing projects is less-developed countries

One feature of the general approach in development co-operation that is not discussed much is misunderstandings between urban and rural cultures. The diversity between the cultures is ignored -- differences between the urban and rural culture of a country as well as between different cultures, between western and western-orientated cultures.

As a consequence of misunderstandings, processes are augmented, multiplied, compounded by use of scientific and industrial methods to assess the consequences of technology.

When such projects are installed, it is more a question of concealed job creation measures with short-term economic thinking; any kind of "social efficiency is ignored and or is not recognized.

Consequently, project management of the kind taking place at TGD is unknown or at least beyond the realms of conventional thinking in terms of efficiency. Yet, it is precisely this kind of project management that offers opportunities that are interesting in the long term.

The prerequisite for this is cautious approach; the much cited concept of sustainability requires different time parameters!

Integrated approach and diversity of topics

When adopting an integrated approach to a project in a rural area, an outsider is initially beset by a certain feeling of helplessness, an ever growing number of questions arises and the search for answers is dependent on relying on one’s own ideas, openness towards the local population and, in turn, on their willingness to exchange ideas, and on the general environment.

The number and diversity of possibilities in connection with the questions that arise is astounding. This explains the following list and diversity of topics in the TGD project:

• Doll making
• Education
• Tourism
• Public health
• Preservation of cultural heritage
• Ecotechnology
• Agriculture, hydrotechnology
• Infrastructure
• Building and materials
• Marketing and distribution
• Documentation
• Networking
• Communication and information
  

Project description

Activities in and in connection with Thatta Ghulamka Dhiroka can best be described as a Pakistani NGO located there and working with other NGOs and institutions in Pakistan and, in addition, co-operating with NGOs at an international level. The results of ethnological research serve as means to achieve improvement of women’s income in rural areas by enabling them to make handicraft products. Training and processing are always linked with marketing -- income depends on products being sold!

Projects and reality

Management of NGO projects can be entirely out of its depth in business terms. To put it in another way, it reflects a completely different culture. Features of these differences are:

Producing goods that no-one has ordered

Selling without any limitations like (a) prices for producers go down to a rock-bottom level, (b) increase in income according to the principle -- who knows how long it will last, so act now, (c) connections between production and sales are not clear in a Western sense i.e. relative lack of balance in so-called budgeting, (d) a complete lack of structures exists in transactions between the cultures, based on lack of experience and knowledge of markets in industrialized countries and (e) while dependence on the extended family provides a framework for business activities, it can also have a negative influence and lead to unwise withdrawals of money particularly when, for example, a marriage is in the offing.

Handicrafts – ecotechnology - CIT

A departure from the across-the-board approach: The Western way of thinking is dominated by an approach that seemingly fundamental solutions have to be implemented as a whole. This can be described as compelling, but also as blinkered, well-worn and insular. What is surprising in South Asia is the meeting of the first, second, third, and fourth worlds; economic developments, social movements, scientific insights, religious interpretations are not seen in terms of fixed parameters:

1. Environmentally friendly (environmental protection has special significance in places where air pollution is at a high level due to rapid increases in production).
2. Social (protection provided by families means that large organizations do not have to invest in care facilities).
3. Greater balance in technological and economic terms (it is less a question of what is feasible from the technological, scientific or economic point of view and more what makes sense from the overall point of view).
   

Elements of sustainable project development in rural areas

The pillars of a project in a rural space:

• Family
• Work in the fields
• Project work

Family and work in the fields are to be seen as wealth; work in connection with a project as no more than a source of extra income. This means that dependence is limited and traditional values are not destroyed. A negative example would be the carpet knotting that takes place in urban centers with the resulting child labor, exploitation by city dwellers, neglect of family and work in the fields.

Further development in rural areas on the basis of careful and circumspect management

• Handicrafts
• Ecotechnology
• CIT
  

In the context of the project, handicrafts, ecotechnology, and communication and information technology seem to be particularly important in rural areas -- a further tripartite model.

In contrast with urban culture, which trains its next generation in industrial design with the result that the West tends to serve as a role model, handicrafts represent the wealth of a region. Providing that Western methods of production are avoided, there are good future prospects on a Western market that is saturated with industrial design.

The means of ecotechnology enable the rural population to become independent of city-dwellers while also making it possible for them to benefit from technological developments, for example, by using e-mails or a mobile telephone to execute orders beyond village level.

Ecotechnology (solar cooker, solar cooler, windmills, solar collectors, photovoltaic, etc.) is of significance as its use diminishes dependence on urban culture. Development of infrastructure in the cities that is often called for is based on obsolete models. These are preferred as they provide producers with a wide distribution network with good economic opportunities, but do nothing to help the masses living in the countryside.

Information and communication technology in rural areas may appear to be completely absurd, but this is the very factor that enables people in such areas to participate in major markets, even if this has cost the time of millions of developers and billions of investment dollars in Western countries.

Domestic co-operation with

• Other NGOs
• Institutions such as universities
• Customers and bazaars

A tendency towards a certain isolation does not only exist in Western civilization but also in traditional cultures. Knowledge of the wider world is not necessarily compatible with what is experienced in the microcosm. Nevertheless, it is a question of combining both aspects in a way that makes sense. An attempt to achieve this is being made in Thatta Ghulamka Dhiroka (TGD) in the form of invitations to professors and students to visit the village.

In the context of making handicraft products, collaboration with other NGOs is necessary, without space being given to fears about losing existing assets: traditional culture is rich in comparison with industrial culture.

Work at an NGO has nothing to do with charity but Ð it could almost be said Ð demands a greater sense of business acumen. It is a question of prevailing against the mass-produced articles of industry, which has comparatively vast amounts of money at its disposal.

Overseas co-operation with

• Other NGOs
• Institutions such as universities
• Customers and bazaars
  

The technological resources of the industrialized countries mean that for the first time it is possible for insignificant NGOs to communicate and co-operate with each other without having to have certificates from training institutions. As far as the NGO of TGD is concerned, first steps towards co-operating with other NGOs have been made, e.g. in the form of exchange of materials.

Networking with projects abroad

• Cameroon
• Colombia
• Iceland, Dubai, etc.

The participation of volunteers from abroad has proved to be beneficial with the result that staff of the local NGO participates in events abroad such as the International Dubai Festival, the International Workshop in Iceland, at import fairs in Berlin, etc. In the meantime, the volunteers have gathered experience that is beginning to make an impact in the networked projects.


Summary

In times of sweeping changes the "half life” of pilot projects has been greatly reduced. Although, despite this, project pilots are realized and emulated and the error rate is rising at a phenomenal speed, it is necessary to confine oneself to what is special. The abilities and skills - which are strongly traditional - of people in rural areas constitute the wealth of a region, which need to be recorded as if in a living laboratory.

Author Prof. Dr Norbert. Pintsch, Voluntary Director, TTTC TGD can be approached here: pdp33@hotmail.com

A Special Form of Aid for Development

The amounts allocated in the federal budget for development aid say it all, namely that too much is being done and too little at the same time. How can that be, -only one thing can be true? And still, both are correct because for one it is too much and for the other too little.

Now, how does it look for the actively engaged people in development aid? They are mostly not thoroughly acquainted with the problems of the developing countries because they constantly make comparisons between their home and the project country und therefore very quickly develop a certain way of thinking, namely to develop themselves so much in the normally three years of participation in an overseas project, that they can build a small house of their own at home.

To these actively engaged persons also belong the diplomats, who –given the bad experiences- have to posess certain qualities, namely: be gladly in the home country and be in a position to use the German language in the foreign country. Now what does that mean? – foreign languages are learnt only later during the training process for the official post. Those posted in the foreign countries appear to hate their mother countries and therefore wake up early in the morning. Since they love security and safety of their official premises, they leave these only on arrival and departure and otherwise they are too busy in the table work or are participating in enormously important conferences and are therefore totally overloaded to even think of taking out time for not so important matters. To these not so important matters also belong the development aid projects. Their activity is mostly limited to finding paragraphs which speak against a project and to ensure employment at the base station for processing the incoming project proposals.

A pleasant side-effect is the official therapy. At home subjected to otherwise long and tedious therapy, these officials obtain official and free psychological treatment in which they are required to look after the visitors and applicants in a friendly manner and thereby ascertain their importance, which can be summed up to be zero. This strengthens the officer and makes him resistant to inter human contact.

The projects most successful are the ones in which the families involved in the project are well looked after; that’s also a sort of development aid.

Employees of the population and immigration offices are called human smugglers. They have improved their image in the meanwhile quite a lot and now offer complete immigration packages. The concerned family has to pay a certain amount of money and with that it gets a guarantee that one person from the family will get an entry visa to the desired country even without any knowledge of the language of the host country. A lot of advertisement is done in this context; the diplomatic representation or the embassy on its part does not keep one eye closed here. On the contrary, they keep their eyes wide open on their work tables and avoid in case travel in such a dangerous country.

In short: how bad it would be if these officials of the foreign ministry and the ministry for development aid were not there? - The country would have additional unemployed persons, not much but still. Moreover, the expensive therapy costs are saved by way of the residence in the foreign country, where aggressions and humanly mistakes can be let out without anyone making a fuss!

The Dolls Project in UAE / Dubai

A possibility for the participation of a Pakistani NGO at the Global Village of the Dubai Shopping Festival for exhibiting and offering its outstanding handicrafts products emerged in 2000 on the invitation of the consulate general of Pakistan in Dubai.

The first participation in the fair followed in 2001 and was quite successful right from the start, -reports of the local media also confirmed the success of advertising and media attention.

The stand in the Pakistan Pavillion through the courtesy of the pakistani commercial counsellor however required careful organization, transport, resolution of visa matters and schooling of the the village NGO staff as well as locating cheap accomodation in Dubai.

Two young women as well young men from the village NGO have participated in the festival uptill now. A german volunteer was also found as a temporary arrangement to bridge the staff requirement at the stand. Additionally, we also succeeded in winning a permanent customer for the products at this temporary forum so that it became possible to sell the products over the whole year.

An arabic pair of dolls was specially developed by the pakistani NGO for the arabian market, which can be purchased on the spot as well as orders cab also be placed. Local volunteers are also helpful in the order processing and they have also participated in village project in Pakistan.

Travelers’ View of the Area

One of the first places I came to know after settling down is a village Thatta Ghulamka Dheroka near Okara. The unique claim of the village to international fame is the dolls and toys made by village women that are collectors delight all over the world. Dolls made in the village have travelled to International Dolls Museum in Amsterdam and also have been put on display in the "Themepark" at EXPO 2000 in Hannover (Germany) as one of the 767 worldwide projects - an example of thinking for 21st century. Earlier, the dolls participated in International Toy Fair in Nuremberg. These dolls show how culture goes beyond simple work of art and becomes collaboration among applied and natural sciences as well as other forces that affect our lives.

The murals are painted on the parameter mud walls in the village where doll collectors and people interested in sustainable development and rural heritage from different initiative groups come and stay as paying guests. The village folks still consider cooing crows as symbol of the arrival of the guests. Architectural competitions are held annually when best mud house is selected. The Chief Harappan Explorer Dr. Mark Kenoyer had the place on the jury in competition held last July. Two full time German volunteers, Dr Norbert Pintsch and Dr Senta Siller, and village people are working together to change the life and out look in this peaceful hamlet. Whenever I visited the village, I saw something new, something different, which the villagers do to make difference in a place where they belong.

The Process of Creating Dolls and Toys

Dolls Project in Greenland

The idea for the project originated in the year 2002 and is based on the location of the west to east greenland. At first there were various contacts between Narsalik and Qaqortoq and in 2006 a meeting with the director of the group in greenland was held. The meeting took place in the south of the island.

The pre-conditions for the project were good due to the parallels in the locations as well as the income generating factors sheep breeding and tourism.

After the activities came to a standstill and difficulties regarding deadlines and financing emerged but also as first orders for the Inuit-Dolls were received, the project was revived by arranging the finance and a visit to Kulusuk was undertaken in September 2007.

Complete manufacturing of the Inuit-Dolls is also not feasible here as the manufacturing of the naked doll would be too expensive here. For this purpose the doll bodies from Pakistan are used here. However, the hair and skin type as well as the face form correspond to the Greenland.

Urbanization

By Brad Knickerbocker (The Christian Science Monitor)

For the first time in human history, the world's population is about to become mostly urban.

Citing population growth rates and migration patterns, United Nations researchers and other experts predict that some time in 2008 more people will live in cities than in rural areas.

This demographic shift is mostly taking place in Africa and Asia, largely in low-income settlements in developing countries - much of it in the 22 "megacities" whose populations will exceed 10 million and in some cases grow to more than 20 million by 2015.

The environmental, economic, and social ramifications of such trends are enormous, according to the Worldwatch Institute's annual "State of the World" report released Tuesday. Among the major challenges are the mundane features of daily living: clean water and air, sanitary waste facilities, the cost of food, and the availability of shelter and transportation.

Unplanned and chaotic urbanization is taking a huge toll on human health and the quality of the environment, contributing to social, ecological, and economic instability in many countries," warns the report, which is written by demographers, international program officials, and other experts from the United States and other countries.

But the news is not all bad. Researchers find examples of cities from Karachi, Pakistan to Freetown, Sierra Leone to Bogotá, Colombia with projects aimed at improving the lives of urban dwellers while reducing the environmental impact of concentrated populations. These include urban farming plots, solar water heaters, economic cooperatives, improved sewer facilities, and upgraded transportation systems.

"The task of saving the world's modern cities might seem hopeless - except that it is already happening," says Worldwatch president Christopher Flavin. "Necessities from food to energy are increasingly being produced by urban pioneers inside city limits."

Still, the challenges and the probable costs of addressing them remain daunting. Eight of the 10 most populous cities are on or near earthquake faults. Some two-thirds of the cities projected to exceed 8 million residents by 2015 are in coastal areas where sea levels may rise as a result of climate change.

But the human need is more immediate. Of the 3 billion people who live in cities today, about 1 billion are in slums without clean water, adequate toilet facilities, or durable housing. Some 1.6 million urban dwellers - many if not most of them children - die each year due to causes associated with the lack of clean water and sanitation.

"For a child living in a slum, disease and violence are daily threats, while education and healthcare are often a distant hope," says Molly O'Meara Sheehan, project director of Worldwatch's 2007 report, a collection of articles and graphics produced annually since 1984.

This argues for a reassessment of global development priorities, advocates say, particularly the allocation of national and international aid. According to the Commission for Africa, launched by British Prime Minister Tony Blair in 2004, problems associated with urbanization are second only to HIV/AIDS on the world's most rapidly urbanizing continent.

Yet from 1970 to 2000, aid designated for cities in developing areas was just 4 percent of total development assistance worldwide. This was the period when many countries in Africa were transitioning politically and economically from European colonialism to independence.

"Too many of us were ill prepared for our urban future," notes Anna Tibaijuka, executive director of UN-HABITAT, the United Nations agency that promotes socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities with the goal of providing universal adequate shelter.

"The promise of independence has given way to the harsh realities of urban living," writes Dr. Tibaijuka, an agricultural economist and native of Tanzania, in the report's foreword.

By 2015, there are likely to be 59 African cities with populations between 1 million and 5 million, 65 such cities in Latin America and the Caribbean, and 253 in Asia.

"Urban centers are hubs simultaneously of breathtaking artistic innovation and some of the world's most abject and disgraceful poverty," writes Mr. Flavin. "They are the dynamos of the world economy but also the breeding grounds for alienation, religious extremism, and other sources of local and global insecurity."

Cities also exemplify the challenges and promises of sustainability. China, for example, has 16 of the world's most polluted cities. But on an island in the Yangtze River near Shanghai, China this year plans to break ground on the Dongtan ecocity project designed to be nearly self-sufficient in food, water, energy, and waste disposal for its projected 500,000 residents.

Dolly Good

"Thatta Kedona is a project where handmade dolls and toys are made using indigenous material and traditional designs based on cultural themes," read in Dawn Jan 20, 2008. {link good for a week only}