Moalims

Free quality education for Afghan Basti kids
Islamabad—Sector I-11 falls on the border line of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Here, one can see the largest Afghan refugee settlement of Islamabad bristling with a host of social and civic issues. Since the CDA has declared it an illegal settlement there are no urban facilities for those who are doomed to live here. Children of this basti mostly work in the adjacent Sabzi Mandi (Fruit Market) or at nearby hotels or workshops to lend a helping hand to their families in making some livelihood.
It was back in 2011 when an O-level student of a posh sector of Islamabad dreamed of doing something for these children. For Amirah Abbasi and her classmates, teaching the kids or making some arrangement for the children of the I-11 Afghan Basti was not a big deal. They were full of ambitions, moved by high ideals and were never bothered about social or community pressure they might face while doing so. “It was a mind blowing idea and we agreed to share our pocket money to be spent on books, in finding out a one or two-room facility where children could be taught and arranging salary for the teacher who could teach them,” said Amirah in a reminiscent mood. To the question how it seemed easy to her as the settlement is full of orthodox Afghan families and criminal elements are reportedly taking shelter there, she said the thought of doing something for the children of the locality swept away all such concerns. “I was reading Fidel Castro at that time who says, ‘I began revolution with 82 men. If I had to do it again, I do it with 10 or 15. It does not matter how small you are if you have faith and plan of action.”
A true follower of Castro at that time, Amirah and her team were determined to help the children out. However, it took them months to convince the families to send their kids to their school. At last after weeks and months of convincing sessions, the elders of the settlement agreed to send their children on the condition they (children) would first do their labour at the Sabzi Mandi and upon their return at 9 am or 10 am they could join the school. To this the young volunteers agreed.
Amirah says she started with 25 children in 2011 and today the number is 250 in all the three schools with over 100 in I-11 schools alone. They have set up two schools in Afghan Basti and one is being set up in Raja Bazar Rawalpindi. She and her friends named the schools as ‘Renaissance Pakistan’ and used all their links to keep them running. The story of Renaissance Pakistan was shared at fundraiser that was attended by the notables of the town.
This was Renaissance Pakistan’s second effort for the three schools within the slums of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. One could see other members of the Renaissance Pakistan, Rehan, Saad, Fahad, Nidaal, Ayaz and others beaming with inward joy that they had done something constructive though in their limited capacity.
Speaking at the fundraiser, Rehan said, Renaissance Pakistan aimed to impart free and quality education to the marginalized children living in the slums of the twin cities. A group of motivated students started this initiative and brought hope in the form of education to the forgotten community of the refugees.
Currently these schools accommodate a total of more than 200 children with free education. Two of them are located in the ‘katchiabadi’ in I-11 across Metro. The third, and the newest (developed this year) is located at Raja Bazaar in Rawalpindi. The funds gathered from the event will be used to improve the curriculum of the school, infrastructure, and faculty as well as school operations, said he.
One of the prime reasons for this fundraiser was to gather funds to increase the intake of students, as many are waiting to be enrolled in the junior grades, he added. A documentary was also screened for the guests that encompassed the importance of educating the unprivileged students, the operational functionality of schools, Renaissance Pakistan’s achievements and our plans for the future. Key note speaker on the occasion, Dr. Tariq Mustafa, a renowned nuclear scientist emphasized on teamwork and cooperation which are essential for the success of such projects. He said the youths are doing a wonderful job by educating the children of the deprived classes and this enhances our faith in the future of our country. “Our youth are on the right track and we are all proud of them,” said Dr Mustafa.
High Achievers awards were also distributed among the grade-1, 2, 3 and 4. Saeed Khan of grade 1, Qandhara Hazrat Gul of grade-2, Nadia Gul and Malaika Gul of 3 and Sara Munawar and Imran Umardin of grade-4 were given awards. Efforts of the teachers, Madam Nosheen, Ghazala and Razia were also recognized on the

News Reference: http://pakobserver.net/detailnews.asp?id=268024