NAGARPARKAR, Sept 10: The Baanhn Beli, an NGO, organized a conference in Nagarparkar town to mark the International Literacy Day. The conference was attended by girls and boys studying in non-formal village schools established by the NGO in Tharparkar.

A workshop on 'radio and women's development' was also convened on the same day which was attended by 20 women, says a press release issued in Karachi on Friday. The founding president of the Baanhn Beli, Javed Jabbar, presided over the conference and the workshop.

On the occasion, gifts were presented to girl students who had topped in examinations conducted by the Sindh Board of Education. Mr Jabbar complimented teachers, parents and students of village schools for persevering with the promotion of girl education in extremely harsh and difficult conditions of drought, resulting in a shortage of water and food.

The evolution and implementation of village schools and literacy programme was explained in detail by Younus Bandhani, the director of the Baanhn Beli. The NGO is also planning to revive its pioneering mobile family healthcare services with support by the British Women's Association and the American Women's Club based in Karachi.

Dr Hussain Bux Kolachi, Dr Fareeda Yasmin, Younus Bandhani and Usman Chaki also spoke on the occasion. They lamented absence of lady doctors and women paramedical staff in Nagarparkar.