Where there are unfortunate circumstances, you will always find people who go out of their way to help those in need.
Rah-e-Amal School is the brain child of a very dedicated lady, Mrs. Zehra Fasahat. It all started when she saw some young children collecting garbage from a dumpster. These children, obviously deserving a better life and future, were offered education as well as love which they readily accepted. It began with ten students and now after a passage of eleven years the strength of the students has increased to one hundred and fifty students (old figures) . Tuition, books, stationery and medical care are provided by Rah-e-Amal
Just when we feel that there is no hope, there shines the silver lining.
The first page of Dawn today features a spate of attacks accross the country. Violence has erupted in Peshawar, Quetta and Lahore and casualties are still mounting. One wonders if these are coordinated activities, or simply sporadic outbursts of madness.
Fauzia Minallah is an Islamabad-based activist, artist, photographer, designer, and a political cartoonist. Her NGO, Funkor Child Art Center, is the only center in Pakistan dedicated to Children's Art. Most recently, Fauzia designed the first park for visually imapaired children in Pakistan, called the Amai Park. Fauzia has been actively involved in helping victims of terror and violence in Pakistan, advocating for peace through her artwork and through personal engagement with affected people (Funkor News Blog). Recently, her work was recognized by the Threshold Foundation in their brochure titled "Courageously Crossing Thresholds", which they publish at every peace prize award ceremony. Fazuia's work was featured in the brochure as expemplary in its pursuit of peace, joy, and service. We congratulate Fauzia Minallah on all her meaningful work, and thank her for being a mentor and guiding light for Shajar-e-Ilm.
The following text message received from Reshma on December 4 paid tribute to her school principal, Ziauddin Sahib, and the outstanding work he is doing in Swat.
Hello girls and guys! We often speak about good and great people. We praise them for their good deeds. But today let's speak of such a person who really, in true words, did and is doing something better, he who is preparing us to face the challenges of tomorrow. Those people who say that female students should not take part in any competitions didn't say anything when a girl was flogged in front of crowds of people. Let's get together and salute Sir Ziauddin, principal Khushal Public School!
Religion was meant to set out a way of life. When they started out, madrassas were not only meant to provide a sanctuary for underprivileged children, but also presented a retreat for those seeking a sense of purpose. This BBC story illustrates what the madrassa as an institution was meant to represent, and also what it came to be. It tells the story of a former drug addict who found salvation in the mountains of the NWFP, while learning how to assemble an AK-47.
For many, the discipline involved in observing religious rituals comes to play an important role in regulating every day life. At some point in their lives, people craving stability and meaning seek them through different channels. Hence the rise of "The Art of Living", and renewed interest in yoga and mysticism. Those pulling the strings behind the politicised madrassas obviously had a keen sense of their own power, and an awareness of the needs and vulnerability of those who trusted them.
The person in the news story did his own research and came to his own conclusions. Thank God for that.
Photo: Flickr user StuffEye See (used under Creative Commons license)
A recent report released by the British Council warns of a "demographic disaster" in Pakistan. Pakistan's population is largely young - over 50% of Pakistanis are under the age of 20. Many of the youth have few opportunities in terms of education and employment. Most are loosing faith in democracy. Fasi Zaka, a cultural critic and radio DJ called the report a snapshot of a "lost generation". Leading newspapers across the world have discussed and analysed this report (NY Times, Guardian, Dawn)
The warning bells are chiming loudly. We need to spend more time creating opportunities for our youth before its too late.
Flickr photo by Rizwan Sagar used under a Creative Commons License
A week before Eid, I started recieving messages of eid greetings in advance from the girls in Swat. It seemed like a competition of who would send the most number of messages. Questions about which animals would be sacrificed and what clothes would be worn, was constantly being exchanged. The designs of Mehndi(henna) to be put on the hands was also being discussed.
On the first day of Eid, I am greeted with a string of text messages from these girls, thrilled to wish someone.
Romana says her Eid is incomplete without her relatives, who are residing in Swat and she cannot meet them. She says the results of her school exams are here but she is not satisfied with them and promises to top the board. She says her dress is yellow and thinks its very sweet of me to ask her about her activities.
Nazli, on the other hand, wore a velvet dress and said she made a long shirt like the ones she saw us wearing during the retreat. She also said that they found a one rupee coin in the stomach of the buffalo they sacrificed.
The rest of the girls just gave eid greetings and were busy visiting their relatives, and enjoying celebrating the festivities.
I woke up yesterday wanting to speak with the girls back in Swat. I only managed to get through to Maria, Nida Malik and Farhana. And I swapped an email with Eman : )
Here’s what they all said.
Maria [was a bit shy on the phone but eventually opened up]: School is going good and she is studying hard. All her friends are doing well, as are her parents. She misses us loads and asked when we were visiting them.
Nida; LIVELY! I felt her jump when she found out I had called her. She kept telling me she misses me ‘toooo much’!!And told me off for not putting kajal on my eyes. haha.
She (and other school mates) are really excited about us (potentially) visiting them in December...they even have a ‘special show’ lined up for us!
FARHANA: Farhana asked me about my studies! I didn’t really know what to say to that since I’m experiencing a permanent mind-clog-- but I responded with a polite ‘parhai bus, chal rahi haen’ and then she laughed. She and her classmates have their final board exams coming up!
Her final concern before hanging up was whether we miss them or not and I told her all we ever do is talk about the retreat. Fact.
Eman’s email:
“hey hi how are ya my new n.o is 0**********
even i tried 2 call ya bt it said . the num u have diled is not valid
. so u r going back . great
i really miss every thing n every 1 . school life has been stared n d
old rotine has begin
meet u soon when u r bak 2 pak
wid love 4m
Eman “
Me to Eman:
“Eman!
so sorry i have been out of touch. I am back in university and it's really hectic dealing with everything.
thank you so much for writing to me : )
i'm sure it's nice to get back to school and seeing your friends everyday..
how is everything? you getting up to much?
i miss all of you soooo much! that one week we had felt like we spent ages together, na?
i'm glad you have e-mail.. we can keep in touch regularly and you can give me updates! :D
hope you are well and safe.
much love
Meeha “
(I’m still awaiting a reply. Will keep you posted!)
by Zaynah Gilani Pakistan has been a victim of constant suicide sttacks, economic crisis and political upheaval. Still among us are those, who make us realize that giving up is not the answer, accepting it as fate is not the path to adopt. One such brave individual is the founding member of Shajar-e-ilm, Maham Ali, whose perseverance and commitment has made the rest of us realize, that every action is a step ahead. With the current situation of the country, very few people see a future and most are termed as idealists, but should we really stop caring because one voice may not make a difference? Is one voice all it takes to bring the tide of change? In her article(The News), Maham Ali has been declared a "National Hero", just for taking the time to voice her opinion. Why do we have to loose hope for the worse and only take credit for the better? It is the people who make a difference to change their destiny. The girls from Swat need an inspiration and example to see that "Making a Difference" will always be the correct path, no matter how small it is. Maham has been that hope to prove that the future can still be bright, it just needs a little help to get there.
If you've grown up in or around Islamabad, then the museum at Taxila will be a constant feature of your childhood albums. Showcasing a wide range of artefacts from the Indus Valley civilisation, it has traditionally been a favourite spot for school field trips and tourist groups. Now, the museum curator fears for the future of this collection and the nearby Buddhist historical sites. The lack of funds to provide adequate security may be one of the reasons for the dramatic fall in visitors.
The concern about preserving archaeological wonders may seem strange to some. After all, there is so much else to worry about in Pakistan. However, it is important to realise that we need to retain as much of our identity as we can. Otherwise there is danger that the rich heritage of the country will become just one more casualty of the conflict.
An article by Dr. Shahid Siddiqui in Dawn explores the idea of social awareness as a by-product of education. The writer delves into the fast food culture in Pakistan and urges schools in the country to create awareness about healthy dietary habits.
An interesting editorial by Huma Yusuf highlights the need for cultural expression in Pakistan. Flickr photo by RChughtai by used under a Creative Commons License
I was googling around the internet for some time to find some happy, positive news that would cheer things up a little. I may be a little late with this piece of news, but I thought it interesting and different.
There is a different kind of school that has taken up popularity recently.There’s a ‘hip’ place in Lahore giving guitar lessons to rock and rolling youngsters. September news tells us there are forty students enrolled already.
Despite the security concerns, a fresh concert scene is emerging, even in a summer of Taliban violence young Pakistanis are rocking on.
by Meeha Irfan
