1. DOST ANNUAL REPORT 2014
2014 ANNUAL REPORT
Development Organization for Societies in Transition (DOST)
1831 Belmont Rd, NW, Suite 401, Washington, D.C. 20009
Telephone: 202.705.9956
www.dostdevelopment.org
Who We Are
DOST is 20 year-old international development organization dedicated to
working with local and international partners to support self-directed
resilient communities while strengthening and respecting cultural, ethnic,
and religious identity in South and Central Asia. Founded to support rural
development in Northern Pakistan, DOST has demonstrated success in
education, civic participation, and economic development programming in
the most challenging and remote areas of the world.

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Mission, Vision, and Process
DOST’s mission is to support and expand resilient communities in the areas of education, civic
participation, and economic development.
DOST was founded in honor of Mohammad
Ibrahim, a local school teacher and education
pioneer at the turn of the 20th
Century. The
Mohammad Ibrahim Memorial Society (MIMS)
was established in 1994 to continue his legacy
and Baltistan’s development. In an area where
formal education was uncommon, Ibrahim was
one of the first child advocates in the
region. MIMS was renamed DOST which
means ‘friend’ in many local and regional
languages across the region. DOST schools are
named the Khatija Ibrahim School System in
remembrance of the family’s continuing legacy
as well as to honor the role women play as
drivers of development.
DOST programs are needs-based rather than mission-based. DOST adapts its mission to serve
the needs of local communities. DOST’s holistic approach results in cross-functional and
integrated programming which include the design, construction, and infrastructural needs,
operationalization through contextualized program development, and financial management of
endowed funds to assure continued program support.
From project inception, DOST uses a sustainability approach. Through vocational and enterprise
training at the DOST Women’s Vocational Center, support services such as school uniform
tailoring, allow the community to fill a local need through local capacity. Essentially, DOST
invests in people to eventually help themselves.
Confidence in local actors from the start of our projects is a DOST mainstay. Not one DOST
project transitions to the community, rather each project immediately addresses a current need, is
cost shared and implemented by local actors, and has a sustainability matrix build into each
program which makes each project locally initiated, run, and sustained.
Contents
Page 2 Mission, Vision, and Process
Page 3 DOST at a Glance
Page 4 Letter from the Executive Director
Page 5 Global Outlook- Local Results
Page 5-6 Education- Educating Vulnerable Children
Page 6-7 Economic Development- Community Driven Sustainable Economies
Page 8-9 Civic Participation- Democracy and Governance
Page 9 Donors and Partners
Page 10 Leadership Team and Offices

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Twenty-one year history
Just over $21M in funded projects
13 Pakistan-based projects
Offices: DOST- USA (Washington), DOST- Pakistan (Islamabad), DOST-Afghanistan Affiliate
Regional Office in Skardu
US-based staff - 3
Pakistan-based staff -125
6 Schools constructed and operating in Northern Pakistan
4 Micro-Hydro Projects in Northern Pakistan
Women Vocational Center
Women Expo Center
Maternal Child Health Center
Medical Dispensary
Emergency Flood Retainer Walls
Shigar River Bridge
DOST at a Glance

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www.dostdevelopment.org
Letter from the Executive Director
As we close out the year, the global commitment to improve the
well-being of the poorest and most vulnerable communities
around the world is stronger than ever. Global partnerships to
address gaps in education, civic participation and economic
development have made remarkable strides to create integrated,
multi-level and targeted responses. Yet, poverty, insecurity, and
limits on the abilities of civil society continue to hinder efforts
to support self-directed, resilient and sustainable communities.
In Pakistan, there is ever increasing focus from traditional as well as new partners to design and
implement programs which result in lasting improvement in human development. To meet this
challenge, DOST continues to evolve as it leverages twenty years of success, over $20M dollars
of funding, and 16 successfully-proven programs to expand programming reach across the nation
and region.
In 2014, DOST rose to the challenge of implementing its strategic vision which focuses on
deepening the sustainability of its programming in one of the most challenging and remote areas
of the world. Some of its accomplishments include the construction of a sixth school, the
completion and operation of its fourth micro-hydro project, the expansion of its economic
development programming, and the expansion of its civic engagement agenda in 2015.
The DOST strategic vision aims to build its strength by:
 Program design and implementation practices that are consistent and well executed
within current program areas. Staff and volunteer development focus on ensuring that
methodology is well understood, articulated, and delivered to recipient communities.
 Execution of ‘Proof of Concept’ pilots in expanded geography across South and Central
Asia. Programming has expanded from constrained project goals in targeted areas to
rigorous testing in new cultural, ethnic, and religious environments.
 Increased engagement and visibility with local and international partners. The aim is to
bring new vigor to monitoring, oversight, and evaluation mechanisms to demonstrate
program impact and also to engage in early discussion with international partners to
inform and ensure program design is culturally appropriate.
Even as DOST actively engages communities and partners, the budget climate continues to
constrain its work. Despite this challenging environment, DOST continues to demonstrate its
relevance through sound programming and innovative partnerships. DOST is proud to continue
to serve its mission to work alongside local and international partners to support self-directed,
resilient and sustainable communities while, at the same time, strengthening and respecting
cultural, ethnic and religious identity in South and Central Asia.
John Pinna, Executive Director

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Global Overview
Thanks to support from local and international partners, DOST
strengthened and expanded Education, Civic Participation and
Economic Development programs by leveraging innovative
ideas, cross-sector cooperation and stringent accountability
standards to achieve robust milestones in 2014. DOST’s
effective partnerships serve to exemplify how multi-level
actors establish and reinforce the development of strong
institutions and democratic ideals by utilizing women’s
empowerment, access to education and civic participation
platforms within appropriate tribal, ethnic and religious
contexts in South and Central Asia. Some of DOST’s
outstanding results include impressive progress in the
following areas:
Education
DOST has built and successfully operated several primary
education schools in rural communities in the Northern Areas
of Pakistan. DOST commemorated the opening of its sixth
primary education school in March by enrolling one hundred
and fifty students from Nursery to Third grade in the Lagaf
Valley. Its model, with demonstrated success, is built on
establishing schools in underserved communities and then
working to integrate them into the state educational school
system.
The model includes initially demonstrating a sustained need to
government actors and then eventually facilitating the transfer
of administration to the state education system. Over four
hundred new students in Nursery to Grade Eight have access
to education as a result of our program. Supported by 54
teachers and staff, the schools are aligned with the Global
Partnership for Education’s strategic direction with
focus on learning outcomes and the education and
empowerment of girls in a fragile state. The
schools are also aligned with USAID’s Educational
Strategy to improve reading and writing and access
to primary education in conflict regions.
DOST schools serve multiple educational markets
in the region. Working closely with communities to
identify areas where no primary education access
exists, DOST operates tuition-free schools to bring
access to new student populations who would
otherwise go unserved. In other environments,
DOST schools provide high quality private education at costs which exceed local standards.
64
85
74
52 52
90
50
89
60
41 45
60
0
20
40
60
80
100
School
1
School
2
School
3
School
4
School
5
School
6
DOST Primary School
Enrollment (440 students)
Boys
Girls
“It has always been
my wish that my
daughter go to
school along with my
sons. Education is
the only way to a
better life for her.
The government
school is far away
and the road unsafe.
Now we have a
school nearby with
girl students and
teachers.”
-Haji Gulam Ali
TOGETHER FOR
A BETTER
FUTURE

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DOST achieved a 23% increase in enrollment of girls in the first four years of programming and
is currently operating at a near 50% enrollment rate for girls. DOST has begun to standardize
teacher training and certification to develop and maintain consistent teaching quality standards.
DOST incorporates culturally and academically
relevant curriculum for our schools. DOST uses
the National Curriculum of Pakistan in all of its
schools. Every student has the opportunity to
meet the highest standard for education in
Pakistan as set and approved by the Ministry of
Education. DOST takes great care in
contextualizing the National Curriculum for each
region in which it operates. In doing so, DOST
maintains a high degree of practicality and
relevancy.
DOST’s sustainability model in education is made possible in part through a managed
endowment dedicated to the operations of the schools. The endowment is managed through the
National Bank of Pakistan. In this way there is no need to seek further funding for sustainability.
As the endowment grows, additional schools are built. DOST broke ground on its seventh school
in March of 2015 funded solely from the endowment.
Economic Development
Civil engineering of small and medium infrastructure projects is integral to DOST’s work in
economic development. In December, DOST constructed
its fourth clean renewable energy Micro-Hydro Power
Station (MHPS) to provide the first ever access to reliable
electricity to 250 households in Northern Pakistan. This
project continues to power the homes, schools and
businesses of over 2,500 individuals, including one
thousand school children, in a mountainous region with the
highest concentration of glaciers outside of the Arctic
Circle.
DOST facilitates inclusive public-private partnerships which include and embrace community
participation. DOST’s successful model has resulted in civil engineering projects including
bridge construction as well as flood mitigation and rehabilitation in extremely challenging and
remote areas. The model ensures sustainability in programming by integrating underlying basic
civil engineering fundamentals into new economic development projects.
7
19
23
47
0
10
20
30
40
50
2011 2012 2013 2014
Percent of Girls Enrollment

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In partnership with the Aga Khan Rural
Support Programme (AKRSP) in Shigar
Valley, DOST facilitated and led a cross sector
partnership with rural communities lacking
electricity and the government to construct and
operate MHPSs. With support from public,
private and civic partners, DOST is currently
operating MHPSs in four villages. DOST’s
sustainability model operates the MHPSs as
social ventures which include a pay-for-service
fee structure for beneficiaries to share costs.
In 2010, in partnership with Pakistan’s Ministry of Women development, DOST established the
Women’s Vocational Training Center in Skardu in Northern Pakistan. The Center teaches
tailoring and hand embroidery skills to women seeking economic empowerment. Promoting
sustainability, the Center opened an auxiliary Expo Center in 2014 to showcase and retail textile
products from the Vocational Training Center. To date, two hundred women and girls have
graduated from the training center, twelve of whom are currently employed operating the Expo
Center. The Expo Center is currently producing retail textiles for school uniforms for DOST
schools, a tactic DOST uses as part of its sustainability matrix.
The program is aligned with USAID’s
Gender Equality and Female
Empowerment Policy to reduce gender
disparities in accessing resources, wealth,
opportunities and services and seeks to
increase women and girls’ capability to
realize their rights and affect decision-
making in their communities.
To further foster women’s empowerment,
an Entrepreneur Leadership Institute will
train former graduates of the Women’s Vocational Training Center in basic business and mentoring
skills in order to further engage community women in enterprise development projects.
DOST’s sustainability model includes project plans to establish an e-commerce platform to bring
traditional and contemporary textiles to broader retail markets while strengthening women’s
financial skills and access. The plan focuses on vulnerable women in remote areas with limited
access to markets.
13%
37%
50%
Vocational Center
Dispersal
Employed at Expo Center
Engaged in Regional
Economic Development
Producing Products

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Civic Participation
Critical to DOST’s civic participation efforts is the empowerment of women to engage as
community decision-makers. DOST has launched a program to develop
a sustained base of women entrepreneurs in Northern Pakistan who are
trained to foster and effectively participate in civil society. This
initiative focuses on strengthening established training programs which
foster sustainable livelihoods by increasing local women’s capacity to
catalyze successful businesses relationships. The project will deliver a
network of individuals who advance entrepreneurial efforts in their
communities and establish training programs that fill knowledge and
skills gaps among Northern Pakistan’s female entrepreneurs.
DOST’s economic development programs are built on a civic
participation and engagement model which empowers communities to
advocate for themselves through participatory dialogue with decision makers.
DOST promotes increasing the quality of life through its
newly formed civic participation programming.
Since 2013, DOST has implemented both issue and
constituency-based civic engagement models to address
the current and pertinent issues in the region.
DOST also remains a trusted SME expert in policy
formation for the local, regional, and international
community. DOST formally and informally acts to work with policy members to contextualize
funding opportunities, work to counter violent extremism, and empower populations through
culturally sensitive and relevancy modelling.
In 2014 DOST started its international campaign to raise awareness of sustainability modeling
through the DOST model in Washington, D.C. Through a series of events, meetings, and
informational sessions, DOST staff engaged to put the organization on the global international
development map.
DOST civic engagement encourages students and adults to become active participants in the
governmental process through a three tiered approach: active citizenship, issue and constituency
based engagement, and participation in government.
DOST’s Active Citizenship Program moves beyond voting to
encourage every citizen to understand the political process and know
their rights. The Issue and Constituency Based Engagement Program
encourages those who wish to go beyond active citizenship to work
within process to represent an issue of importance or constituency
that they wish to represent.

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Participation in Government Programing engages and mentors individuals who would like to
become civil servants or hold office one day. Our curriculum is based on the State of New York
Civics curriculum implemented throughout New York State’s high schools and accredited
through the State’s Regents Program, and has been contextualized for collective culture in an
Islamic Context for Pakistani audiences by DOST.
DOST opened its fourth Center for Excellence in 2014. The Center for Religious Dialogue was
opened with a series of events in Washington, D.C. and represents the first such center ever
formed by an intra-faith group of Muslims. To date DOST has opened the Women’s Vocational
Center, Women’s Expo Center, Maternal Child Health Center, and the Center for Religious
Dialogue. This latest addition will act as a beacon for Muslims to work with all populations in
the spirit of fellowship. While not a religious organization, DOST does not forget its history is
deeply rooted in the three unmovable tenants of Islam - education, service, and good works.
DOST Partners
Office of the Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan
Ministry of Women Development, Government of Pakistan
Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation
Trust Volunteer Organization (TVO)
Government of Pakistan
EndowmentFund for Primary Education
Marafie Foundation
Universal Muslim Association of America
Deutsch, Killea and Eapen, Immigration Law Firm
Soteria, Inc.
The Mitchell Firm
SALA, Inc.
Cazym Vazyr Photography
This annual report celebrates DOST’s rich
twenty-year history. Our values of
contextualization, need based engagement, and
local ownership has grown in to formal
structures which make DOST the choice for
international partners who wish to execute
programming without having to transition to
local actors or see their projects cease after
support ends. In many ways this report is a
thank you to those who supported DOST in the
past and an appeal to future partners. We urge
you to contact us for a conversation about how
we can be an asset to your organization.
We invite you to participate in efforts to support
resilient community building in one of the most
remote and challenging areas of the world.

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OUR LEADERSHIP
John Pinna
Executive Director
Amber Jamil
Deputy Director
Imran Nadeem
Country Director
DOST USA
1831 Belmont Road, NW
Suite 401
Washington, DC 20009
United States
Phone 202.705.9956
EIN # 46-4893905
DOST Pakistan
Muhib Road,
Skardo, Pakistan
Phone +925815-452020
Registration No. SDS-M-5(47)
Achieving Impact Innovating Impact Measuring Impact Sharing Impact
OUR METHOD
ENGAGEMENT of
existing stakeholders at
project inception. We
identify and establish the
right partners for the project.
SUSTAINABILITY through
shared costs, endowed funds,
shared risks by cross sector
partners from project plan to
execution.
CONTEXTUALIZATION
of programs ensure local
ownership. Translation of
accountability and
transparency standards to
local governance customs.
GENDER and women’s
empowerment is community
based to ensure shared
ownership.