From Swat: Activities of the girls

Messages with the Shajar-e-ilm Team

The departure of the girls had left the volunteers missing the long working hours, frantic organizing and utter dedication to providing for the girls, but the first text message:
Eman: "We have reached our homes safely"
signified a continuation of the relationships between the girls and the volunteers.

From then on, almost everyday all the volunteers have been receiving text messages from the girls telling us how much they miss everyone and asking only one question: "Baji(sister) when will you visit us?"

Now, almost everyday all the volunteers exchange conversations about the activities of the girls.
Uzma: "Zaynah we have heard that you are coming to Swat in December, we are all very happy and we have started decorating our school now. You all will come?"

The girls have gradually settled in their routine and started studies also. There is an upcoming exhibition in their school, for which they have started preparing already. The topic for this exhibition will be "PEACE". One of the girls tells me:
Eman: " I'll paint a peaceful place with many homes, children playing outside, greenery everywhere, a woman reciting the Quran and a man praying."

Jokes, riddles or anecdotes have become part of our daily conversations.
Some of the older girls have given their final year exams and are moving on to their higher studies. Messages about their examination results are the most exchanged texts these days.