Pakistan Institute of Living and Learning

19/08/2025

Mr. Atta Ur Rahman, Manager Research Support at PILL, participated in a live podcast on FM 88.6 Radio – Traffic Police Peshawar, where he raised vital awareness about breast cancer and the Defeat Cancer Campaign.

This campaign aims to reach 1 million people across Pakistan with life-saving information about breast cancer awareness. The initiative is part of the NIHR-funded project (NIHR 205561) – Moving on After Breast Cancer.

Mr. Atta Ur Rahman, Manager Research Support at PILL, participated in a live podcast on FM 88.6 Radio – Traffic Police Peshawar, where he raised vital awaren...

18/08/2025

Held an awareness campaign at the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) to educate the community about breast cancer and psychosis, engaging visitors through interactive sessions and meaningful discussions. The initiative coincided with the Independence Day celebrations, reflecting our commitment to promoting public health and community well-being.

18/08/2025

2nd Day of the training session was held on 9 August, 2025, on "Guided Self-Help Intervention: Mrs. Khushi and Khatoon.” The session was attended by 18 Lady Health Workers, and was facilitated by Sana Nazir and Shifa Hamid.

Participants engaged well and shared their community experiences.

Ms Dur re Shahwar, COO Apwa, ensured her support towards Moving on ABC project and encouraged the Lady Health Workers on the importance of their cooperation in the project.

18/08/2025

Defeat Cancer Campaign – Basti Thairajan, UC Lutfa Abad, Multan
A health awareness session was conducted under the Defeat Cancer campaign at Basti Thairajan, UC Lutfa Abad. The session focused on the importance of early detection and prevention strategies for breast cancer. A total of 30 homemaker women from the community actively participated, engaging in discussions and learning practical steps for maintaining their health.

18/08/2025

PILL Team's participation at National Launch of MHPSS by Federal Ministry of Planning Islamabad.

18/08/2025

17/08/2025

Defeat Cancer – Awareness Session
An awareness session was conducted at Tareen Colony Multan with the Christian community women. A total of 30 females participated, focusing on the importance of early detection and prevention strategies.

17/08/2025

Prof Aneela Maqsood facilitated Worksop on "Culturally Adapted Mental Health First Aid" at University of Manchester in collaboration with Pakistan Institute of living and Learning. The workshop was developed and delivered to strengthen participants’ ability to understand and apply culturally informed Mental Health First Aid in diverse community settings. Set within the broader framework of understanding mental health and wellbeing, it examined the continuum from wellness to illness, focusing on recognising symptoms, identifying causal factors, and facilitating recovery.

Participants were introduced to a structured mental health support model for depression, with strong emphasis on cultural sensitivity and cultural humility.

Practical, hands-on activities were included to deepen understanding and skills—such as stress management exercises, practicing non-judgemental listening, exploring effective coping strategies, and applying Mental Health First Aid techniques to support individuals experiencing distress and depression. Scenario-based case discussions were used to help participants analyse real-life situations, recognise cultural influences on symptom presentation and help-seeking, and apply appropriate support strategies in context.

17/08/2025

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Minister for Education, Mr. Meena Khan, along with Prof. Dr. Zia Ul Haq, Vice Chancellor of Khyber Medical University (KMU), visited the University of Manchester to explore opportunities for academic and research collaboration.

They were welcomed by Prof. Nusrat Husain, Professor of Psychiatry and Director of Research in Global Mental Health at the University of Manchester, who highlighted ongoing UK Pakistan joint projects in health and education. Among the funded studies showcased were:
•ACROSS (NIHR203082): Affordable Cardiac Rehabilitation Outreach Inter-Disciplinary Strategic Study
•Moving on ABC (NIHR205561): Psychosocial Care Plan for Depression in Breast Cancer Patients
BURNS rehabilitation (NIHR203082)
Su***de Prevention in Youth (MRC Ref: MR/R022461/1)

The delegation also held discussions with Prof. Keith Brennan, Vice-Dean for Internationalisation, on establishing joint programmes in medicine, psychology, and allied health to prepare future leaders in healthcare and research.

https://dailytheprovince.com/minister-meena-khan-strengthens-research-ties-with-university-of-manchester/

16/08/2025

On 12th August 2025, Dr Khadija Tahir and Ms Sara Kazim facilitated a hybrid workshop and presentation at the University of Manchester, hosted in collaboration with the Pakistan Institute of Living and Learning (PILL). The event, held both in-person and online for PILL employees, and explored themes of intersectionality in mental health and treating transgenerational trauma with EMDR.

Ms Sara Kazim, talked about intersectionality in mental health. Her talk moved beyond tokenistic notions of diversity, encouraging participants to reimagine the institution of mental health to be more inclusive, equitable, and responsive to structural inequalities.

Following this, Dr Khadija Tahir—an EMDR, CBT, and SFT Practitioner, and an accredited EMDR trainer in the UK, Europe, and Asia—delivered an in-depth workshop on treating transgenerational trauma with EMDR. She shared two compelling real-life case studies from her own clinical practice, each illustrating how transgenerational trauma manifests and how EMDR can effectively reprocess and resolve such deep-rooted experiences. These case studies not only demonstrated the therapeutic power of EMDR but also reimagined the concept of trauma by integrating historical and generational dimensions into its understanding.

Dr Tahir also conducted a live demonstration of EMDR group protocols, guiding participants through stabilisation techniques and allowing them to experience EMDR from a client’s perspective. The session encouraged rich discussion, reflective engagement, and opened avenues for future collaboration on trauma-informed care and culturally responsive mental health interventions.

16/08/2025

Defeat Cancer campaign – Spreading Awareness in Basti Karlo Multan.
Our PILL team reached out to the male community of Basti Karlo to raise awareness about the vital role they play in protecting the health of the women in their families and educating about their roles when women get breast cancer. The session focused on encouraging supportive conversations at home—because defeating cancer starts with knowledge and collective responsibility.

16/08/2025

Agha Gulfam Khan from the Ishrat Husain Pakistan Institute of Living and Learning (PILL) visited Taluka Hospital, Miro Khan, and Taluka Nasirabad Rural Health Center (RHC) in District Qambar Shahdadkot and met with the Medical officers and staff on 30th July to discuss mental health issues and the availability of mental health patients in the daily OPD.