In collaboration with Khuwaja Welfare Association, Rifa Badarpura from Houston, Texas, USA, is launching “Taleem,” a book drive project. In the Urdu language, “Taleem,” means awareness. Taleem aims to assist rural villages in the Sindh province of Pakistan to gain access to quality learning.
These books will be distributed in rural villages and will be housed in a school’s mobile library. Khuwaja Welfare association hopes to open the school in Jungshahi, Thatta District, Sindh, Pakistan, in 2022-2023.
Importance of Education
According to UNICEF, Pakistan has the world’s second-highest population of children that are unenrolled in school. Furthermore, around 22.8 million children from ages five through sixteen currently do not attend not school, which is 47% of the entire Pakistani population of this age group. There are 5 million children ages five through nine who do not attend primary school, and after the age of nine, the number of out-of-school children doubles, with 11.4 million adolescents between the ages of ten and fourteen not receiving formal education. Disparities based on gender, socioeconomic status, and geography are significant. In Sindh, 52 percent of the poorest children, of which 58 percent are girls, do not attend school.
This lack of formal education puts nearly half of the future generations in a debilitating position, where they may not be able to improve their and their family’s quality of life.
According to the 18th amendment of the Pakistan Constitution, education is a universal right for all children, regardless of their financial status. However, despite this right, the lower and middle-class struggle to have access to quality education, and those in the rural areas are deprived even further.
Houston Student Launches “Taleem” Book Drive for Rural Pakistan
Through the “Taleem” Book Drive, Rifa hopes to elevate young minds and help provide them with an opportunity to learn. The lack of quality education undermines access to economic growth and career opportunities, which ultimately mires them in poverty.
“We want to offer a helping hand to those who need it. Through your support, we can make an impact on the lives of children in rural areas” – Rifa Badarpura.
To contribute, please visit www.kwapakistan.com. Email info@kwapakistan.com for more information.
