School 8 - Al Fajr Tent School

Riding for Education
Stephen McCutcheon
Sat 26 Nov 2005 21:29
Lat: 34:16.500000
Long: 72:29.700000
 
School 8 - Al Fajr Tent School
 
School: Tent Middle School , (20 kms East of Muzaffarabad)
Organization: Al Fajr Sagat Foundation
Community: Refugees from surrounding valleys staying in Al Fajr tent village.
Date: 26th November 2005
Head teacher: Ms. Saima Kas
Teachers: 7 volunteers
No. of students: Approx 150 (75(G) 75(B))
No. of Classes: Class 1 to 7

Al Fajr school provides basic education to 150 tent families, 20kms from Muzaffarabad near the epi-centre of the Earthquake area. You can’t miss it on the Srinagar road, lying amongst a hive of neatly packed dome tents with tarpaulin stretched over them to keep out the rain.

The camp was established less than a week after the quake hit Pakistan . A school was opened for a lot of confused and shell shocked children. Only thirty percent of the children initially showed up. They thought of the school as a “monster” and were scared to even think about it. In the Oct 08 Earthquake, over 17,000 students were decimated when their school collapsed around them. Al Fajr now gives very basic education to them to keep life simple so soon after the quake. Students learn Urdu, Mathematics and English. They will continue so almost certainly for the next six months. Education is non-religious based. After April many families will return to their ‘homes’ as Spring arrives and the snows melt. The school also caters for a lot of children from surrounding villages (those that are still standing). There is no other school at present.

I didn’t have the chance to learn too much about Al Fafr Sagat Foundation. They are an international foundation based in Peshawar, ( West Pakistan ) and in collaboration with Fred Hollows Foundation (link) they set up a camp that is still growing today as the cold increases.

Having their children in school means that the parents can:

  1. Ensure their child’s well-being during a hard time in the camp.
  2. Prevent their off-spring from getting up to mischief and causing trouble. In fact a school is a vital institution in any tent village.

School Report 8 PhotographThis school is housed in four tents (two donated by the Edhi Foundation) (link). Many of the teachers are volunteers from the camp who wanted to do a service but like any school in Pakistan they have needs.

NEEDS:

Al Fajr school currently requires an English teacher and Mathematics tutor who can volunteer their services., They received help to set up the school from a Canadian organization but now require books, stationery, tables and bags etc.

The immediate needs in Kashmir are simple. Shelter, food and a future. If a shelter for a family can be provided so can a school. I have spoken with many families and despite their living conditions, improving the camp school is at top of their priorities. If you would like to help or learn more, please contact:

 

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