Increase Girls' Access to Education in Pakistan

Warm greetings to all during this holiday season!

As one year comes to an end and another is beginning, we find ourselves at Girls Education International (Girls Ed) reflecting on the generosity of the people who support girls’ education around the world. We are so grateful for those who have supported and continue to support the project, Send 60 Girls in Pakistan to School, implemented by our local partner organization, Bedari. The project provides monthly travel stipends for sixty girls across six villages in Chakwal district who would not be able to attend school without this support.

Earlier this month I was in Islamabad and had the pleasure of meeting with our Bedari colleagues in person. I learned even more about the project’s implementation and impact—and I know you are eager to learn more as well!

As described by Sawera, one of the students receiving transportation support (translation/interpretation by our partners at Bedari): 

“… my school is quite a distance from my village. To make the journey, I rely on transportation support.

My father works as a rickshaw driver, although the rickshaw is on rent. Unfortunately, what he earns each day barely covers the rental costs, leaving us with no savings. Despite these financial hurdles, my siblings and I are deeply committed to our education. Being part of Bedari fills me with pride as it provides the means to continue my schooling.

It pains me to see many girls in our villages forced to leave their education after completing middle school. I consider myself fortunate to be one of the girls who have received support from Bedari.”

The impact of your support is evident at the individual level, expanding the possibilities for girls to achieve their dreams—and it also has broader impacts on families and communities. One reason for these broader impacts is that Bedari is incredibly effective at creating opportunities for girls to share their experiences and perspectives with leaders and even policymakers. This past October, the Girls Ed program supported several girls’ participation in Bedari’s 4th Annual Provincial Conference for Girls’ Rights held in Lahore on International Day of the Girl Child. Key moments from the conference are highlighted in this video created by Bedari. These kinds of exposure trips can be transformative for the students. When we talk about education empowering girls, this extends beyond the formal curriculum to informal, out-of-the classroom, real-world learning opportunities.

We know Bedari is a strong advocate and ally working with girls and their communities to overcome and even dismantle systemic barriers to girls’ education. This is especially important for preventing child marriage in Pakistan. But barriers to education persist, and so we also want to take time to reflect on the girls who haven’t been able to continue their studies—such as one student this past year who had to drop out due to an illness in the family. This highlights the importance and urgency of the work we do, and we are grateful for your partnership. Thank you!

We look forward to 2024 with hope and gratitude. As always, please feel welcome to connect with us at info@girlsed.org.

With warm regards,

Mercedes Ward

Dear Friends,

Warm greetings! We have several updates to share with you about the Girls Education International (Girls Ed) project, “Send 60 Girls in Pakistan to School.” 

Student Outcomes Update

There are 60 girls enrolled from across 6 villages at this time. Two are in 7th grade, five in 8th, fifteen in 9th, eighteen in 10th, and twenty in 12th. In April, 11 girls passed their matriculation exams with outstanding results and completed secondary school.  Bedari enrolled 11 new students in the program to take their place, bringing the total back up to 60 students. Exam results are forthcoming for the girls in 9th and 10th grades. All students below 9th grade were successfully promoted to the next grade following the March evaluation. We extend our congratulations to the girls for their academic accomplishments!

New Government School Opening Near Phattar

Bedari, our local partner, shared with us an important development that will positively impact the girls in the village of Phattar. A new government school has been established near Phattar, which means that the Girls Ed program is no longer needed to support the transportation expenses required to reach the old school, which was 22 km away. The new school will have facilities, resources, and qualified teaching staff. Bedari’s District Coordinator met with the students in Phattar to provide this update and let them know that Bedari would discontinue their transportation funding after the summer holidays because the students would be shifted to the nearby school. Bedari’s District Coordinator also took the opportunity to recognize the community’s success over the years in supporting 27 girls in Phattar to successfully complete their education with support from Girls Ed. Bedari shared that “members of the Village Committee expressed their unwavering commitment to restoring the rights of girls in the area and promoting education. The community's dedication to this important cause was heartening, and there is hope that their collective efforts will contribute to creating a more inclusive and equitable society for girls in the region.”

Student Perspective

We also want to share with you Mahnoor’s story, told in her own words (as translated by Bedari staff):

"My name is Mahnoor… My family has faced numerous financial hardships, making it challenging to make ends meet. My father used to work as a security guard in a private company, but his income was not sufficient to support our family. To contribute, my mother took up a caretaker job at a private school.

Despite our financial struggles, my brother and I continued to attend… Government School. However, the transportation fee of 3000 rupees was a significant burden for us. Unfortunately, things took a turn for the worse when my father fell ill and lost his job, making our financial situation even more dire. Consequently, my mother had to make the difficult decision to pull me out of school, which shattered my dreams of a better future and contributing to my parents' well-being.

Just when I thought all hope was lost, a ray of light appeared in my life. A representative from Bedari visited my village. Bedari is an organization dedicated to helping girls like me continue their education by providing support and assistance in filling out forms. Thanks to Bedari's intervention, I was able to rejoin school and pursue my passion for learning. I am eternally grateful to Bedari for giving me the opportunity to continue my education and work towards achieving my dreams. Their support has changed my life and given me hope for a better future."

It’s because of Mahnoor and girls like her who want to go to school and achieve their dreams that investing in girls’ education is so important. And it’s because of local agents of change, like our partner Bedari, that your investment reaches those who need it most. We know that you believe in our approach to supporting community-based organizations and we thank you for your support. Help us continue the work by donating during GlobalGiving's upcoming Little by Little campaign. This September 18–22, GlobalGiving will match donations of up to $50 by 50%. Please help us spread the word!

With gratitude,

The Girls Ed Team