Enroll 1 million Pakistani street kids to school

Building on the successful enrollment of out-of-school and dropout children in rural areas of Faisalabad and Toba Tek Singh, AWARD Pakistan continued its field-based interventions to ensure that enrolled children remained engaged, confident, and retained within the education system.

Miss Naseem, Sana, and Nazia, dedicated social mobilizers working with AWARD Pakistan, remained closely connected with the enrolled children and their families. Recognizing that education also requires emotional and social development, AWARD organized a Sports Day for the students. The event was designed to build confidence, promote teamwork, and encourage participation in healthy recreational activities. The children actively took part in games with great enthusiasm, many experiencing such activities for the first time. Their excitement and participation reflected improved self-esteem and a stronger sense of belonging within the school environment.

Alongside recreational engagement, AWARD focused on strengthening early childhood education and ensuring long-term continuity. As part of this effort, 100 preschool students from AWARD’s preschool program were successfully enrolled into government educational institutions. This transition ensured that young learners entered the formal education system and reduced the risk of future dropout.

To sustain the impact, AWARD initiated a regular follow-up and monitoring process with both government and private schools where children were enrolled. The social mobilizers continue to visit schools and communities to verify attendance, assess students’ progress, and identify any emerging challenges. This follow-up mechanism helps ensure that children remain in school and do not revert to child labor or informal work.

The positive impact of these efforts is evident in the feedback received from parents and communities. Families have shared their relief and happiness, observing increased confidence, discipline, and hope in their children. One parent expressed, “My child now talks about school and dreams of the future instead of working. This change has transformed our family’s outlook.”

Through continuous enrollment efforts, confidence-building activities, preschool transitions, and follow-up monitoring, AWARD Pakistan is strengthening both access to and retention in education. These collective actions are contributing to the reduction of child labor, improvement in literacy rates, and progress toward achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4 – Quality Education in Punjab, Pakistan.

Miss Naseem, Sana, and Zahra, dedicated social mobilizers working with AWARD Pakistan, took on the challenge of enrolling out-of-school and dropout children in rural areas of Faisalabad and Toba Tek Singh. They knew that education was the key to breaking the cycle of poverty, so they set out to meet with the families of 221 children who were either never enrolled in school or had dropped out due to hardships.

They visited each home, sitting with parents and listening to their concerns. Many cited financial struggles, distance to schools, or lack of female teachers for girls. Others admitted they were unaware of enrollment procedures or lacked documents like Birth Registration Certificates. With patience and empathy, the team explained the long-term value of education and how it could transform their children’s futures. They reassured parents by offering AWARD’s support with uniforms,  books, and stationery, and guided them step by step through the enrollment process.

Gradually, their words began to resonate. One by one, parents agreed to let their children return to school. On enrollment day, the atmosphere was filled with joy and excitement as the children entered 7 Government and 4 Private Schools, along with AWARD’s own preschool. In total, 24 first-time learners joined playgroup to Grade 1, while 101 dropout students re-entered classes from Grade 2 to Grade 11. The achievement went beyond the target, with 96 children in AWARD preschool and 125 in local schools, totaling 221 enrolled.

Parents expressed their happiness with heartfelt words. One mother shared, “I never thought my daughter would step into a classroom, but today she carries her schoolbag with pride.” A grateful parent added, “Because of this support, my children are no longer working; they are learning.”

Their smiles and laughter were a testament to renewed hope and the promise of new beginnings, all thanks to Naseem, Sana, and Zahra’s door-to-door campaigns and unwavering belief in the power of education.