Adult Literacy Project was initiated and run by PC-USA from 1947-1972, through its missionaries. In 1972 with the blessings of its representative Mr. R. Park Johnson an autonomous board as Adult Basic Education Society (ABES) was formed and got its registration under 1860 society's Act.

The Society has completed its 25 years; it has been mainly working in promoting Adult Functional Education in the country. It developed reading and teaching materials for neo-literate students. The Society developed video lessons for Literacy Teachers Training courses and lessons for teaching literacy skills.

In recognition of its services in the field of Literacy, the UNESCO awarded ABES the International Literacy Awards in 1984 and 1991. Until now the ABES produced 300,000 literate directly and 1000,000 indirectly. It has trained more than 27,000 Literacy teachers and supervisors.

Board is thankful to the individuals and different churches in USA for their prayers and financial help. It requests to continue to do so in future.

The United Nations on Human Rights Day on 10 December has launched the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

1998 will be a crucial year for human rights. Throughout the year, the international community will commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of its first ever proclamation of the rights and freedom of every human being. In 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which fostered vigorous development of the international promotion and protection of these rights. The commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of this solemn act is the ideal opportunity to give new impetus to human rights, drawing inspiration from achievement of the past 50 years and reflecting the vision of the next century.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights serves as the cornerstone of the international community's fifty-year commitment to a truly human quality of life for all people. The opening words of the Declaration's preamble provide the moral basis for that commitment: "recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world."

"1998: Human Rights Year" began on 10 December 1997 and culminate on 10 December 1998, the date on which fifty years ago, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted.

Courtesy UN Newsletter PK, Vol. XXXVII No. 12/1997

Mr. Samuel K. Gill Executive Secretary National Council of Churches in Pakistan slept in our Lord Jesus Christ on January 12, 1998. He had kidney problem since July 1997 and in October, his brother donated one kidney, which was working properly, but he died in January with Pneumonia attack. May God console his parents, brothers and sisters.