THE weather takes a pleasant turn as one journeys out of urban Quetta. The road to Hanna Urak presents one with a calm oasis, even amidst burgeoning housing developments. Along this main road, perched on one side, we come across the University of Community Development, a unique, climate-conscious institution.

Set in the scenic embrace of the Hanna Urak valley’s mountainous terrain, this university spans four lush acres of land, allocated by the former chief minister Jam Muhammad Yousaf, back in 2006.

The brainchild of the Institute of Development Studies and Practices (IDSPs), which is solely focused on practical learning, the varsity has been in full swing, welcoming and nurturing the educational journeys of over 7,000 students since its inception in 2015.

Although it is not a degree-awarding institution, it may be considered akin to a technical institute that imparts practical knowledge and skills.

The institution is entirely self-reliant, capable of utilising natural resources like rainwater, solar energy, and wind to generate electricity. It also produces its own biogas, primarily from renewable sources, allowing for repeated utilisation without causing a significant change in temperature.

Additionally, the university’s management has set aside a small plot for farming. This has sparked excitement among the students, and with their combined efforts, they’ve successfully grown various crops for use as food.

Besides that, in the university’s courtyard, you can find pine trees, known for their ability to keep temperatures comfortable year-round, along with a variety of other plants and flowers.

As I wander around the campus, I can’t help but wonder who is responsible for this incredible initiative. I manage to track down Safdar Hussain, the co-director of the institute.

To my surprise, he is well-versed in eco-friendly building practices , even though his academic background is computer science, and seems completely involved with every environmental initiative taken on the campus.

“I think I developed a keen interest in the environment as a child, when I used to build mud-houses from clay,” he tells me.

“When I came here for the first time with the team, this place was nothing but a dead end. We had no electricity, water or gas. However, I believe in finding solutions instead of crying over problems, so we decided to deal with the challenges on our own,” he says.

We walk and talk as he gives me a tour of the classrooms. Each room has a tin-roof, which is connected to a tank where rainwater is stored. So while the cities in the area have to contend with a paucity of water, this far-flung institution has an ample supply all year round.

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“As far as electricity is concerned, we decided to set up solar panels and wind turbines,” Mr Hussain tells me.

Apart from their sustainable practices, the university also focuses on the intellectual and creative growth of its students.

There are around 35 teachers on staff, with a balanced gender ratio of instructors appointed for different programmes. I struck up a conversation with Muhammad Bilal, a filmmaking major who seemed very excited about the things he was learning.

“To make films was my dream. Ever since I have stepped into this place, I have been living it. I learn and teach simultaneously, so I get a chance to practice whatever I have been taught,” he tells me.

After completing a tour of the campus, I sit down with Mr Safdar again to ask some questions. Do they plan to expand these climate-friendly initiatives to the provincial or national level?

To this, he responds, that projects are normally thought up in closed rooms that have no window to ground realities.

“We designed this campus after going from town to town in Balochistan, and it involved detailed consultations and intense planning. So, these things can’t be developed [while sitting] within four walls, you have to go out there, see how the world works, and then take the initiative,” he says.

“There are students, including girls, from all over the province who come here to study. And we work with them on climate-related programs, among other disciplines related to their majors,” he added.

To him, indigenous knowledge or wisdom is the secret that makes the varsity tick.

“For instance, we have constructed mud rooms and halls to cope with the temperature changes between winter and summer months. Whenever we are in a tough spot, we consult the locals to get their perspective and ideas. This has helped us a lot,” he says.

The morning of my visit, I happened by the kitchen area, where food was being prepared using biogas, which intrigued me, but since I was pressed for time, I was unable to find out exactly how the system worked.

This university, then, is less like an academic bubble and more like a school of hard-knocks for the ‘rough and tough’ area that it inhabits. As I gazed in wonder at the biogas setup, Mr Hussain’s words echoed in my mind: “We may not award degrees to our students, but not a single one of our alumnus is jobless.”

Published in Dawn, October 18th, 2023