My plan included a visit to the district Pishin district where I would meet participants of the Balochistan Rural Development & Community Empowerment (BRACE) Programme. The BRACE Programme is the flagship European Union-funded programme which has been running since 2017 across ten districts of Balochistan.  Encompassing essentially one-third of the province, it has organised 300,000 rural families and it was my chance to meet some community leaders in Pishin.

As we left the hustling streets of Quetta for Pishin, the landscape transformed into a series of hills, quite like those in the animated Disney films. The air was filled with sweet scent of wildflowers, and I couldn’t help but wonder at the breathtaking scenery and the pleasing views of green fields and orchards loaded with fresh fruits. Upon arrival in Pishin, we were greeted with warm smiles. The villagers welcomed us into their community with genuine hospitality. It was here that I realised that the true beauty of Balochistan lies in the hearts of its people. Contrary to what I had heard, I found a community that was resilient, practical, and full of hope. Their simplicity and close-knit bonds stirred me to re-examine my own values and priorities.

Those three days in Quetta transformed into a myth-buster, an eye-opening experience for me. We all carry biases and assumptions, and I admit, that one of mine had always been about religious clerics. I believed that their traditional roles were inherently conservative and resistant to change. Little did I know that a chance meeting with a certain Molvi Jamal-ud-Din would change my assumptions.

Jamal-ud-Din is not just a religious leader; he is a man on a mission to bridge the gap between tradition and progress. With a double MA in Islamiat from a prestigious Madrassah, Jamal’s understanding of Islamic studies and jurisprudence runs deep, but his passion for the community’s well-being runs deeper. He spoke passionately about the importance of education, especially for girls, and his efforts to combat poverty within his community. What struck me the most was Jamal-ud-Din’s progressive vision for a more inclusive society.

Jamal recalls the challenge of visiting family after family, house after house in the mission to organise rural people and establish a network of participatory and representative Community Institutions. The three-tier bottom-up approach to social mobilisation, as championed by the network of Rural Support Programmes (RSPs), has been the foundation for the BRACE Programme. Under the EU-funded programme, 26000 Community Organisations have federated into 6000 Villages which have in turn federated into 237 Local Support Organisations (LSOs) at the union council level. Jamal is the General Secretary for LSO Zamindar Mulkiyar in UC Tora Shah. But he wears many hats and being the Paish-e-Imam in the local judicial complex is another one.

Jamal believes in the transformative power of education and is adamant on educating his seven children. But his responsibilities extend beyond his immediate household, and even union council. As a vocal community leader, he is a regular participant at the Joint District Development Committee (JDDC) meetings. Established under the BRACE Programme, JDDC is a forum where the local government authorities and LSO representatives meet to discuss their village, union council, and district development plans. Here, Jamal serves as a spokesperson of his community advocating for their development priorities with the district authorities. Each meeting addresses pressing issues from health to education to irrigation. Jamal and his colleagues have been able to improve healthcare access through the Primary Healthcare Initiative (PPHI) and hold teachers accountable for their duties in primary schools.

Many religious clerics initially saw it as a western agenda and opposed Jamal and his efforts. However, through patient negotiations and demonstrated results Jamal convinced them that access to clean drinking water, education, and health transcended religious boundaries. One remarkable change Jamal witnessed was the community’s evolved perception of girls’ education. Under the BRACE Programme community activists facilitated Community Awareness sessions placing a strong emphasis on education. Furthermore, Jamal’s persistent efforts to promote education through one-on-one negotiations with parents played a significant role in bringing about this transformation.

During the September 2022 floods which washed away parts of districts Pishin, Jamal and his team rallied resources to support their community and provided relief to the 1800 affected households with ration packs, clothing, and tents. Jamal’s services as the Union Council Chairman, Paish-e-Imam, LSO leader and his active involvement in JDDC meetings showcase his steadfast commitment to his community’s wellbeing.

My encounter with him left me inspired. It has redefined my beliefs about the potential of certain individuals to be agents of positive change. My visit to Pishin helped me re-learn the principle of not judging a book by its cover or, as I say in hunour, a man by his beard.

Zubaida hails from Ghizer district in Gilgit-Baltistan. She serves as the Documentation & Reporting Officer at the Rural Support Programmes Network (RSPN).