Dear friends,

If you are interested in raising awareness on this tabooed and sensitive issue you can contribute towards this cause by joining Aangan's Long Distance Volunteer Program (LDVP).

This program enables Aangan to involve those dedicated volunteers who live outside Islamabad or are unable to come to our office for various reasons.

The LDVP is divided into 2 levels:

• Basic Level
• Advanced Level

After Aangan receives confirmation forms from you, the following stages are followed for the basic & advance level:

Basic Level

Stage 1:

1. Aangan will send 10-program brochures to you (brochures are available in Urdu & English), which you will be expected to distribute among 10 people. You will record the responses, feedback and reactions of those who receive these brochures.

2. Aangan will then send 1 article on child sexual abuse to you (article is also available in Urdu & English) which you will be expected to read and pass on to at least one other person.

3. You will be expected to send Aangan:

• A brief report on the feedback/responses etc to the brochure.
• An indication of whether or not you would like to receive specific brochures (English or Urdu) for parents, teacher, professionals and victims/survivors for the 2nd stage.
• This information should preferably reach Aangan within 40 days of the date it was sent to you.

Stage 2:

• The number of brochures for distribution will be increased to 15.
• 2 more articles will be sent for reading & passing on.
• Aangan should receive the responses, report & comments on the reading material within 40 days.
• At this stage, you may also request additional specific material on child sexual abuse.

Stage 3:

1. 10 brochures will be sent for distribution.
2. 2 articles will be sent for reading & passing on.
3. A small-scale survey form will be sent to you, which you should have filled out by at least 10 people.

Advanced Level

Depending upon mutual interest, you will conduct one orientation on child sexual abuse with at least 10 people & send feedback to Aangan. This is an optional activity for you. You can do some other activity like writing an article on this issue, or other activities depending upon your own interest. This program will require you to share our material with your family, friends etc.

Here to see what one of our long distance volunteers, Fatima Hashmi, had to say about our program .

Those of you interested can fill out our LDVP form with their complete mailing address.

Thank you!

Letter from LDVP Volunteer Fatima Hashmi

Dear Aangan,

Even though the LDVP process has come to an end, I don't hope to lose contact with your organization and want to continue contributing and helping as much as I can to your cause.

Here is the basic information that you asked for:

Name : Fatima Hashmi

Age : 17 yrs

Hobbies : My basic interests are reading and writing. I also enjoy volunteer work (with Aangan).

What I am doing : I am currently studying in Lahore Grammar School , where I am doing my A' levels.

LDVP process: It was an invigorating experience for me. During the program I came into contact with many people and came to realize the prejudices and lack of awareness that existed among my peers. It was a big eye opener to me to know what little people knew about CSA. However, through the program, I felt that I had managed to create a great deal of awareness amongst my friends and children in school. I had to overcome many hurdles and obstacles along the way when getting people to fill out the surveys and asking them what they thought about CSA. I came across educated people who refused to believe that such a problem existed in our society, while on the other hand, some sought complete discretion telling me not to go about with this as it is 'immodest' to do such a thing. A few friends stared at me dumfounded, not knowing the slightest about CSA. Getting the message across them took a lot of time and effort, but I enjoyed every minute of it.

Suggestions: I think Aangan is already doing a great job. Not only do we, volunteers, get to help create awareness about CSA, but also to get the chance to have an experience that is bound to be impressionable upon our lives.

Once again, if there is anything I can do more for Aangan, please contact me.

Sincerely,

Fatima Hashmi