Pakistan
Nahida likes to study but she never had a chance to go to a school because her parents always moved from one place to another. “I always had a desire to go to a school but I come from a shepherd family and in the summer we move up to high pastures with our livestock and we are not allowed to live in the village,” explains Nahida. “We move up to the pastures with our family. We go to the mountains for six months and we only care for our animals. Our parents never liked education and they also told us that going to a school is a waste of time.”
In the fall of 2024, in a field surrounded by some of the highest mountain peaks in the Himalaya, 25 women graduated from our six-month mobile Adult Literacy Programme where they learned to read and write for the first time.
Nahida says, “Attending this centre, my eyes are opened and I have realised the importance of education. I am able to read the prescription mentioned on different medicines. I have learned about the importance of health and hygiene. I have learned new things every day. I am so grateful for this rare chance to be enrolled at this centre.”
I am already making a difference in my community
Now I am trained enough to do different types of stitching and I have already started earning.
Mobile Tent Schools
In remote, seminomadic communities in Pakistan, the school year used to come to a halt during the seasonal migrations. Children missed out on up to seven months of education,
Professional Excellence
Operation Mercy’s partner organisation has worked to develop a monitoring and evaluation program to ensure its programmes are pursuing professional excellence
Building Bridges through Education
Sher Azam is a community leader who supports public projects among the shepherd people in remote villages in northern Pakistan, including making improvements to education in village schools.
Helping Me Accomplish My Dreams
“Recently I completed my master’s degree in mathematics. I give all the credit to the Scholarship Program that has always stood behind me from kindergarten to university education.
Everyone Deserves Access to Education
We are seeing a breakthrough in understanding that all deserve to have an opportunity to access education.
Partnerships Transform Families
Sharif* grew up in a very conservative village. He was bullied at school by students and teachers. His family had heard of our partner’s Scholarship Program and their partnership with the local center to provide housing and support for students just like him.
There Is Hope!
On registration day, over 80 women filled the small yard around the building where training would happen!
Everyone Deserves Access to Education
Nahida likes to study but she never had a chance to go to a school because her parents always moved from one place to another. “I always had a desire to go to a school but I come from a shepherd family and in the summer we move up to high pastures with our livestock and we are not allowed to live in the village,” explains Nahida.
How Flood Relief Paved the Way for Education
In the fall of 2022, catastrophic flooding swept across Pakistan. In the chaos, a landslide tore through the remote mountain village of Kunis taking homes and cropland with it.
Opportunities For Women
“I never have missed a single day and I have my best time here in this center.”