The Welfare Association for New Generation (WANG) is overjoyed to announce a historic achievement: we have been named one of the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Program’s Gender Climate Champions for 2024 by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). This prestigious recognition, received in Astana, Kazakhstan, celebrates our unwavering commitment to fostering climate resilience and gender equality in Balochistan—and it’s a moment of pride for our entire community.
On a crisp day in Astana, WANG’s representatives stood tall among regional leaders as we accepted this award, marking a significant milestone in our journey. The CAREC Program, a collaborative initiative involving 11 countries—including Pakistan—and development partners, drives regional growth and poverty reduction under its inspiring vision: “Good Neighbors, Good Partners, and Good Prospects.” For WANG, this honor isn’t just a recognition—it’s a testament to our grassroots efforts in Balochistan, where we’ve empowered women and girls to lead the fight against climate change and systemic challenges in Pakistan.
This recognition underscores WANG’s role as a leader in climate action and gender equality, not only in Balochistan but across South Asia. It highlights our innovative approaches, such as the WANG Lab of Innovation (WALI), which equips youth with digital skills to tackle environmental issues, and our solar energy projects that bring sustainable power to rural communities. By earning this accolade, WANG joins a prestigious network of organizations committed to regional sustainability, amplifying our voice in the global fight against climate change.
This award is deeply personal to us at WANG. We dedicate it to the extraordinary women and girls of Balochistan, whose strength, courage, and resilience inspire us every day. Facing harsh climate adversities—such as droughts, floods, and desertification—these community members have shown remarkable determination, often leading local sustainability initiatives while breaking barriers to education and opportunity in Pakistan.
For instance, in Lasbela, women like Ayesha, a community leader trained through WANG’s climate programs, have spearheaded village-level water conservation projects, reducing the impact of drought on their families. Similarly, girls in our solar-powered high schools have gained access to education during power outages, empowering them to pursue careers in science and technology. These stories of resilience against climate adversity and systemic challenges in Balochistan fuel our mission, and this recognition amplifies their voices on a global stage.
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province by area, faces some of the most severe climate challenges in the region, including rising temperatures, unpredictable rainfall, and desertification. These environmental pressures disproportionately affect women and girls, who often bear the burden of fetching water, managing household resources, and ensuring family safety during natural disasters. WANG’s climate resilience programs, such as reforestation efforts and renewable energy installations, address these challenges head-on, while our gender equality initiatives ensure women have leadership roles in decision-making.
For example, our partnership with local communities has installed solar panels in nine villages, providing reliable electricity and reducing reliance on fossil fuels. This not only mitigates climate change but also creates economic opportunities for women, who manage these projects and train others in sustainable practices. By focusing on both climate action and gender equality in Balochistan, WANG is building a model for sustainable development that can inspire other regions in Pakistan and South Asia.
As a non-profit rooted in Lasbela, Balochistan, WANG has long championed education, peacebuilding, and environmental sustainability. Our programs, like the WANG Lab of Innovation (WALI) and solar energy projects for girls’ high schools, directly address the intersection of gender and climate challenges in Balochistan. This award validates our holistic approach, reinforcing our mission to create a just, sustainable, and hopeful future for all in Pakistan and beyond.
The CAREC Gender Climate Champion recognition also opens doors for WANG to collaborate with other regional leaders, share best practices, and secure funding for scaling our initiatives. It positions WANG as a pioneer in climate action and gender equality, not just locally but internationally, enhancing our credibility among donors, volunteers, and partners. This accolade builds on our track record of empowering 2,222 scholarship recipients, training 375 climate leaders, and engaging over 45,000 community members in Balochistan, as showcased in our recent impact dashboard.
Gender equality is at the heart of WANG’s mission, and this award underscores our efforts to empower women and girls in Balochistan. In a region where cultural norms and systemic barriers often limit opportunities, WANG’s programs provide education, leadership training, and economic empowerment. For example, our digital skills training has enabled 622 young women to pursue careers in technology, while our AI education outreach has reached over 2 million people, including many women, across Pakistan.
By integrating gender equality into our climate action initiatives, WANG ensures that women are not just beneficiaries but leaders in building resilient communities. This approach aligns with the CAREC Program’s goals and the ADB’s focus on inclusive development, making WANG a natural fit for the Gender Climate Champion title. Our work demonstrates that climate resilience and gender equality are inseparable, creating a ripple effect of positive change in Balochistan and beyond.
We invite you—our supporters, volunteers, and partners—to celebrate this milestone with us. Together, let’s continue to uplift Balochistan’s communities, empower women and girls, and drive climate action in Pakistan. Whether through donations, volunteering, or spreading the word, your involvement helps us turn hope into action. Donate Now or learn more at wang.org.pk/get-involved, or contact us at info@wang.org.pk.
Your support enables us to expand programs like our solar village initiatives, which have illuminated nine communities, and our girls’ high schools on solar energy, benefiting two schools and countless students. Together, we can create a future where every woman and girl in Balochistan thrives, contributing to climate solutions and regional prosperity.