MY EXPERIENCE
“As I entered the classroom, the looks on their bright faces, the whispers, and the fascination they felt when they heard that a girl from America was visiting them was impeccable. They all gathered in a classroom despite their early dismissal, solely to have a conversation with me. They granted me the utmost respect and made me feel incredibly welcomed. I knew I had become the highlight of their day just by their excitement to talk to me, and that they would go home and tell their families that someone from America came to their school. They were extremely happy, despite the scorching heat they spent their school day in and the dire need for air conditioning. I was given the chance to talk to many girls, who told me about their interests and what they wanted to be in the future. These were girls full of hopes and dreams, desperate to escape from poverty and make a name for themselves. They inspired me in a way that no one has before, and I realized that they deserved to learn in better conditions.”
GALLERY
The following are some photos that I took while visiting the school. These photos will show you the conditions of the school in an in depth manner. As you can see, the classrooms have fans, however that is not enough. Additionally, the sinks are built outside the washrooms, and the conditions inside the washrooms are merely adequate. The school is trying their best to educate the girls the best they can, however the conditions can certainly get better with your help. As seen in one of the pictures, there is a hand fan placed on the table. This demonstrates how the ceiling fans are not sufficient enough to combat the heat, and sometimes they need to use hand fans.
MISSION
My mission is to raise funds and provide the school with air conditioning, a proper bathroom with sinks, textbooks, proper desks, and funds so that they can furthermore improve their curriculum. These are a few things that will help the girls receive education in a more comfortable manner, without having to spend a single rupee. I believe that it is important for every child to be able to prosper, however their environment plays a crucial role in their development. Pakistan is a developing country, and my hopes are that this project is able to help take a step further into educating more people and helping the nation develop further.
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ABOUT ME
Hi! My name is Fatima Malik and I am 17 years old. My parents come from Pakistan, making me part Pakistani. This summer I visited back home after four years and it was truly a surreal experience. Having been 12 years old the last time I visited, during this trip, many crucial aspects caught my attention that hadn’t in the previous trips, one aspect being poverty. The poverty that individuals face takes not only their nourishment and shelter away but also their ability to receive education and thrive in life. During my trip, I decided to pay a visit to a government operated school in a village. The school was called Government Girls High School, classified as an “English Medium” school. Hearing the girls’ stories enlightened me. They were all daughters of maids, servants, drivers, and owners of businesses that made a mere fortune. They were a part of large families, with many siblings and some were the first ones to attend school. They were incredibly enthusiastic about school, some girls had been attending this school for years. For them, it was a huge privilege that they were immensely grateful for because they knew that once they were educated they would be able to take action and bring their families out of the impoverished state that they were stuck in. The moments I spent in the school made me realize so many different things at once. I needed to be more grateful. I spend my school days in the comfort of a centrally conditioned or heated school, depending on the external climate. I am being educated on so many different things at once and am acquiring knowledge that will aid me in prospering in the future. I attend a highly reputable school in a developed country, where I will most likely find success wherever I go once I receive my diploma and degree. For them, school is a privilege, for us, it is a necessity. They were extremely grateful to be able to attend school and for free. I was able to feel the importance of having an education and become more appreciative.