Educate 1,500 Children in Pakistan's Northern Area

Hamida Solangi never had the opportunity to learn to read and write. As a housewife living in Khaipur, a remote area in Pakistan, she has taken great pride in raising her four daughters and three sons. But she also sensed that something was missing.

“My husband is a headmaster and I felt less in front of him as I could not read or write. Perhaps, if I knew to read and write, he would think better of me and I could truly earn his love and respect,” relays Hamida.

Hamida decided it was important to educate her children, especially her daughters, so in her words “they would never feel what I felt.”

Some years ago, she admitted the children to a DIL School. Hamida took pleasure in watching them complete and discuss their homework with one another. One day, she gathered her courage and expressed that she too wanted to learn.

“I was taken by surprise by their eagerness and enthusiasm to help. The children brought books from school and started teaching me. They rushed to share with their teachers in school and the principal offered the children help on how to be better teachers to their mother,” Hamida smiles and says.

 That is when the change began to happen at home.“My husband, whose attention I craved and who had always been reserved, realized what was going on in our home. He became angry and resentful that I could be such an upstart and pursued this behind his back," Hamida explained.

His anger did nothing to deter the children. As he stood by and watched them teach their mother, his irritation gradually melted away. One day, he even sat down to help with a lesson. Hamida's face lights up with a smile as she says, "I am now optimistic about the future and our life together as a family."

Pakistan has the highest percentage of illiterate adults and the second highest number of out-of-school children in the world. DIL students are encouraged to give back through outreach programs for adults like Hamida as well as out-of-school-children, A DIL education focuses on activity-based learning, confidence building and teamwork. Students receive life skills training and scholarships, so they can access opportunities beyond school that will lift them and their families out of poverty.

Shumaila, a 5th Grader  Shumaila was absent for more than a month. The principal asked her class mates to looking on her and also send a message to her mother to come in to school but neither Shumaila nor her mother ever showed up. Instead she sent back words: “I have no interest to get education”.

These words set the principal thinking. She set out for Shumaila's home to pay her a visit. As she questioned Shumaila quite crossly, it emerged that Shumaila's father had married second time with a child Shumaila's own age. “My father will soon will arrange my marriage and my new mother is my best friend, so I want to stay with her all the time," Shumaila said.

The principal acknowledged her fears and advised her if she studied further, she could fight for her rights. She further explained to her that time was very precious and not to be wasted. After this advice, Shumaila's outlook on life changed. She realized the importance of her education and promised that from next day on, she would come and continue her education with all her heart. She is now a regular and punctual student at the school. 

Your support is critical to girls like Shumaila - with your help, our team can continue their outreach to out of school girls and mentor them to complete their education.Girls who complete primary education are less likely to get married before the age of 18 or become victims of domestic abuse. A child of a mother who can read is twice as likely to live past the age of 5. 

Change the direction of Pakistan's next generation...provide quality education to Pakistan's girls. 

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