Romana Hosain explained that while initially WTB had discussed starting a literacy program in Pakistan, where she had contacts, she has found an educational program already going and suggests we support this one. She explained that the culture in the northwest part of Pakistan is similar to Afghanistan. Literacy training is greatly needed; most children work rather than go to school. Few girls are educated.
Romana introduced the wife of one of her medical school colleagues, Nuzhat A. Ahmad, who is a physician and faculty member at University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Nuzhat showed a slide presentation explaining how her family got involved in starting schools for children in Pakistan. Their program is called “Ibtida” which means “a beginning.”
She’s involved as a volunteer because she says she was one of the lucky Pakistani girls who was educated, thanks to a persistent grandmother who sold her wedding jewelry to see that her children/grandchildren got educated. Her family believes that if you educate one woman, you educate a generation. “If I got a chance, others should too,” Nuzhat says.
Most girls are married by 18 and are not educated.
Fewer than one third of the population is literate; and literate might mean just being able to sign one’s name. 2.2 million people never see a school.
Her father and family formed Ibtida. All administration is voluntary. It is non-religious and non-political. The organization is affiliated in the US with the Pakistan Public Health Foundation, a registered non-profit.
They run two schools in Pakistan: Nilore Primary and Kohisar Primary in Mansehra. They serve 50 and 30 children respectively and are co-ed. In addition, they do some adult education at night. The mothers asked for help in learning to count change, read signs and understand measurements for sewing.
Families pay a minimal amount of 5 rupees for children to attend, and thus it means more than if it were free.
The cost to run the Nihore School is about $1700 for a year; Kohisar is about $1200. The Kohisar school desperately needs a permanent facility, which is estimated to cost $12,000.
She ended her presentation saying, “Literacy is a right, not a privilege. Everyone has a right to it.”
Those attending were enthusiastic about the project as well as Nuzhat’s warmth and sincerity.