About Us

Organization for Social Development Initiatives (OSDI) aims to improve living conditions for under-privileged communities in the rural areas of Pakistan through sustainable poverty reduction strategies.

OSDI has a unique approach to sustainable development in rural villages with a three-pronged policy that works towards enhancing incomes through the Livelihood Assistance Program, reducing expenditures through the Community Development Program and preventing chronic hunger through the Food Security Program.

OSDI has partnered with several international and local partners to conduct high-quality research, design and implement social development initiatives, create awareness and advocate policies that help improve the standard of living for the financially impoverished in these areas.

The ultimate goals of OSDI are asset creation and community ownership of projects in order to break the cycle of inter-generational poverty.

Vision

To achieve sustainable development and poverty reduction through the provision of necessary resources and tools that will empower rural communities to bring about positive social change in Pakistan.

Mission

We aim to improve the living conditions of the poor and help communities fight the inter-generational cycle of poverty through increased economic activities, community development and food security projects. Our mission is to help the rural poor achieve sustainable livelihoods and be able to elevate themselves out of poverty.

Values

We strongly believe that every Pakistani should have access to the basic necessities of life regardless of age, gender, religion, class, background and ethnic origin.

• OSDI aspires to embody the following values:
• Sustainable Development
• Empowering & Enabling Communities
• Responding to Basic Needs
• Promoting Human Dignity and Integrity of Work
• Respecting Diversity and Equality
• Creating long-term partnerships
• Efficiency and Effectiveness
• Being Impact-Driven

Approach

OSDI helps coordinate local efforts and solutions on the basis of need and seeks to uplift entire communities out of poverty. Our approach is unique in the sense that no program is imposed on a local population and each initiative is undertaken following consultation with community members in order to ensure long-term benefits, sustainability and accountability.

OSDI has developed 3 distinct strategies to combat poverty and sustain development:

The Livelihood Assistance Programs provide resources and tools to individual families to help them work towards their own economic well-being.

The Community Development Programs fill gaps in each respective community’s social development by providing education, health-care, clean drinking water, energy and infrastructure.

The Food Security Programs ensure availability of food and easy accessibility to it for the most vulnerable families in order to fight chronic hunger.

To tailor programs to a specific population’s needs, our initial focus is on confidence building within communities. We select project officers originating from these local communities who can serve as intermediaries between OSDI and the people. Project officers address the concerns of the population and ensure that appropriate projects are undertaken to fill gaps in development. They conduct feasibility studies to help us identify the deficiencies in people’s livelihoods, coordinate skills and engage in capacity building workshops when necessary. They also help form and build relationships with CBOs who are responsible for raising money within the community, for maintaining the project for the long-term and for subsequently communicating results.

Our approach incorporates aspects such as access to education, health-care, better infrastructure, clean water and food, and other issues that are relevant to these communities and may improve their lives. Overall, this holistic approach is designed to provide people with a sense of responsibility to empower them to overcome their poverty stricken conditions.

Funding

OSDI is a non-profit organization which was established in 2009 by a group of concerned professionals who wanted to bring positive social change in Pakistan. The founding members combined their resources and pooled their experiences in the private sector to develop a unique model for targeted sustainable development in the rural areas of Pakistan.

OSDI’s programs are largely supported by the Corporate Social Responsibility funds of the Marine Group of Companies. OSDI has also partnered with several bilateral and multilateral agencies for specific projects such as shelter reconstruction in flood affected areas. OSDI is open to working in its focused villages with international donors and local implementing partners targeting poverty alleviation and sustainable development.