2. Akhtar Hameed Khan
• Pakistani social entrepreneur, development practitioner and social
scientist
• Born 15th
July 1914 in Agra. Died 9th
October 1999 (aged 85)
• Attended government high school at Jalam. Completed his education at
Agra College where he studied English literature and History. Later, he
went for further studies at Magdalene College, Cambridge, England
• Worked as collector of revenue. This brought him into regular contact
with living conditions in rural areas of East Bengal.
• In 1940s, he worked as a labourer and locksmith, an experience that
provided him with first hand information of the problems faced by the
poor.
• In 1950, he migrated to Pakistan to teach at Islamia College, Karachi.
3. Orangi Poverty Alleviation Project
• Also known as Orangi Pilot Project (OPP)
• Initiated by Dr Khan as an non-governmental organization in
1980.
• Orangi is located on the northwest periphery of Karachi.
• At that time, Orangi was the largest of the city’s
approximately 650 low-income squatter settlements.
• The influx of migrants increased the settlement population to
about 1 million people over an area of 32 square kilometres.
• Population – mainly day labourers, skilled workers, peddlers
and low income white collar workers
4. Orangi Poverty Alleviation Project
• Started supervised credit for small family
enterprise units
• Basic health and family planning programme
• Housing programme
• Provided low cost sewers to 72000 houses
• Low cost sanitation programme
5. Impact of the programme
• Within a decade of the initiative, local residents
enjoyed better standard of living with access to basic
services such as sanitation and healthcare. Also
established a credit organization to finance projects.
• This successful model became an inspiration for
other municipalities around Pakistan.
• Success of the project did come at a cost for Dr Khan.
He was accused of blasphemy but was acquitted by
the courts of law.
6. Conclusion
• Dr Khan was a dynamic and innovative leader.
• From his own experiences, he can understand
the problems and issues faced by the poor
rural communities.
• The Orangi Poverty Alleviation Project is not
just about helping the poor but empowering
them through participatory bottom-up
development initiatives.
7. Conclusion
• Dr Khan was a dynamic and innovative leader.
• From his own experiences, he can understand
the problems and issues faced by the poor
rural communities.
• The Orangi Poverty Alleviation Project is not
just about helping the poor but empowering
them through participatory bottom-up
development initiatives.
