Education Pakistan Project #5529

Send 50 Pakistani child workers to high school

by Zindagi Trust

Project Report | Jan 8, 2018
Meet Saif, a 12-year-old securing his future through books

By Azam Zai | Project Leader Lahore Region

Saif is a 12-year-old boy who lives in Pakistan's second-biggest city, Lahore. Three years ago, he was spending his days binding school textbooks and workbooks, something children in Pakistan get excited about before the start of every new school term. Unfortunately, Saif wouldn't get to read these books. He was doing this to make some much-needed cash to help his father who was struggling to support Saif's sister and three brothers on his uncertain earnings of barely a $100 a month as a labourer.

Our field team was lucky to find Saif and told him and his family about Paid to Learn, our accelrated primary school program for working children like him. They agreed to enroll him and today, after two years of hard work, Saif is a regular student at the Knowledge Inn School System, a private school near his house where he is shining in the 6th grade.

His passion for books and quest for knowledge meant he graduated at the top of his class after two years in our non-formal primary education program. This meant he qualified for our secondary school sponsorship program, through which he got placed in a mainstream private school where he continues to flourish in his studies.

Saif feels good about the fact that he is able to work and support his family alongside his studies. He wants to grow up to be a doctor so that he can treat the poor for free, showing he has an impressive commitment to service at a tender age. He is thankful to the trust's donors like yourself because of whom he is able to study in school. Please continue to support the education of budding superstars like Saif by donating to and spreading the word about this Paid to Learn program.

At work - book binding

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Sep 8, 2017
A teenager from Lahore aspiring to change her world

By Zehra Ali | Manager of Programs

At work - making jewelry

Arooj is a teenager from Lahore with big dreams. A high achiever and a go-getter, she finished our accelerated primary school program near the top of her class. Her neighbours, relataives and friends’ parents relate stories of how they would motivate their children to follow Arooj’s example and study hard. Buoyed by her performance and specially the praise from her teachers, Arooj’s parents were excited to see their daughter continue to shine in school so they could see her realise her dream of becoming a doctor.

Unfortunately, progressing to secondary school was not that straightforward. Arooj’s father was a daily laborer and did not have a stable income. On a good month, where he was lucky to find enough work, he would earn up to PKR 11,000, which was hardly enough to feed his family of six. Sending Arooj to secondary school would impose a very heavy burden on the family’s finances.

Arooj got selected for our Secondary Students Scholarship program, which covers the cost of education up to matriculation for the most promising students. Arooj’s parents were elated. She is now a 9^th Grade student at the Allama Iqbal Public High School in Lahore where she continues to be a high performing student.

In addition, she has proven to be an incredible support to her family – she contributes to the household income by making artificial jewelry for sale. We were stunned to see the beautiful masterpieces she was creating at home. Arooj told our team that jewelry making doesn’t seem like work to her at all. In fact she finds it a good stress reliever when she gets tired from doing her homework.

The budding artist is already supporting her family financially at the age of seventeen but she has big plans for her future. She aspires to become a doctor and Zindagi Trust’s Secondary School Scholarship for Top Graduates is helping her achieve her dream. In an interview with our team, Arooj told us that the plight of the people around her who cannot afford healthcare motivates her to take action to bring betterment to her community.

Arooj’s Message:

“I want to become a doctor when I grow up because I want to help poor families like ours who suffer because they can’t afford good treatment. I will not charge them a penny because access to healthcare is everyone’s right”.

Donate today to support superheroes like Arooj who are passionate to acquire education and ready to take their community’s future in their own hands.

At school - reading in class

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Jun 12, 2017
Meet Asad - child worker, ace student, dreamer.

By Jahanara Shiraz | Manager, Academics (Non-formal Education)

At work in the wire factory

Asad is a 14-year-old boy who lives with his parents and four siblings in Lahore. His father is a labourer and finds it difficult to support the family of his seven on his salary. From an early age, Asad has been helping his family by working in a small auto-parts factory near where he makes wires for motor-bikes. He makes 2000 rupees a month, which is a decent contribution to their household income on top of his father's average labour earnings of 14000 rupees a month.

Four years ago, Asad enrolled in our Paid to Learn school for working children where he finished primary school in two years. Having graduated near the top of his primary education class, he qualified for our continuing education scholarship, through which he was placed in the 6th grade of a private school near his home in Peco Road, Lahore. Committed to his studies as the path towards changing his and his family's lives, Asad is a punctual, regular and hard-working student. He has adjusted well to the challenges of life in a private school after completing an accelerated primary course with us in a non-formal classroom setting. He is currently a student of the 8th grade and wants to become a doctor when he grows up.

"I want to take full advantage of this life and serve humanity," said Asad when asked why he wants to become a doctor. "I want to inspire those who want to change themselves as well as the people and the world around them by spreading love."

In his free time, Asad loves to play cricket with his friends and has been selected in a team of the neighbourhood's better cricketers.

He thanks you for supporting him and other Zindagi Trust students like him and promises that he will pay back this goodwill by devoting his work and time to those in need in the future. Please consider making a donation or sharing the word about the Paid to Learn project and help our most promising young students continue their education!

Asad in school

Cricket with friends

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