Sustainable Development Society -SDS

Sustainable Development Society (SDS) is a non profit organization.

SDS has previously worked under the name of Shangla Development Society since 1997. Starting its work in 1997 at District Shangla, a remote, under developed and poverty stricken district in Khyber Pukhtoon Khwa province, the organization served the local communities on voluntary basis without getting any funds from any donor or charities till 2001. In 2001, the SDS was contacted by some local funding organization for political participant of women as well as awareness raising regarding adult franchise. Likewise SDS continue small funding project for health and hygiene and natural disasters. After the devastating earth quack in 2005 SDS was contacted and funded by some major international donors including Oxfam International, World Food Program, UNICEF and Greek Red Cross etc. for relief and rehabilitation of the people at district Shangla and district Kohistan. Apart from that SDS continue to get funding in other sectors like alternate energy, livelihood, disaster risk reduction, infrastructure, irrigation, health, education, water and sanitation and expended its outreach to district Swat, Swabi, Mardan, Manshera, Abottabad and Kohistan. After the rise of militancy and military operation in 2007 SDS entered into a new but dangerous phase of its activities. Most of the non-profit organization ceased their activities but SDS continued to operate and serve the people. Many of its staff members were tortured and threaten to stop their work and activities. Even SDS was forced to relocate its offices but it continued to help the people through funding from different donors.

After widening its scope of work and outreach beyond district Shangla, Shangla Development Society was renamed as Sustainable Development Society in 2008.

SDS is currently actively involved in the socio-economic uplift of the inhabitants of the whole province. SDS intends to support well being of the people of Khyber Pukhtoon Khwa through strengthening sustainable development, peace, democratic process and inter and intra communal harmony.