Increase Girls' Access to Education in Pakistan

Dear Pakistan Project Supporters,

Warm greetings during this holiday season from all of us at Girls Education International (Girls Ed)! 

With one year ending and another beginning, we know many of you are doing some reflection (we are too!). Given the reflective mood, we would love for you to share the Girls Ed Impact Report with your family and friends so that they can learn more about a cause you care about and support. Consider also sharing Manab’s story (below), which is both heart-wrenching and heart-warming, as are many of the stories we hear from the girls in the program. 

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Manab’s Story (translation courtesy of Bedari, with light editing by Girls Ed)

My name is Manab. My younger sister and I live with our grandparents in a small house and I am currently in the seventh grade. My father passed away two years ago. He was seriously ill, and his death was a huge loss for us. A few months after my father's passing, my mother remarried and left us with our grandparents.

My grandparents are elderly. My grandfather earns some money by taking care of the crops, and we manage to get by with that. My three uncles also live with us, and I have an aunt, but we struggle to make ends meet. When it came to our education, all our relatives, including our grandparents, said that since our mother left us and our father had passed away, there was no need to educate us. However, my grandfather wanted my sister and me to get an education so that we would not become dependent on anyone.

Eventually, my grandfather managed to get us admitted to Government Girls High School Bhagwal. Times were tough; my grandfather thought daily about how to meet our expenses. Every day, he had to listen to my uncles complain about why he sent us so far for education, especially since paying for transport was very difficult. My grandfather replied, "These are my orphaned granddaughters. The least I can do for them is to send them to school. If I have to work hard at this age, I will."

For my grandfather, sending us to Bhagwal every day and paying for transport each month was a challenging situation. He had to listen to complaints from my uncles on the first of every month. Despite this, my grandfather and grandmother endured it quietly. During this time, we learned from a member of our village committee that there were funds available for the education of deserving girls under the Girls' Education Project. We reached out to him, and now my transportation costs are covered by Bedari. I am very happy that I am not a burden on my grandfather or my uncles anymore.

Now my transport fare is taken care of by Bedari, and I study wholeheartedly. My wish is that since there are just the two of us sisters, we both receive higher education so that we can support our grandparents. Our mother has never once turned back to ask how we are doing, but we often hear that she is living a prosperous life. Perhaps she has every right to live her life, but we are at the mercy of our grandparents, and we need education to break free from this dependent life, which is the support that Bedari has provided us.

Thank you, Bedari.

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Manab’s grandfather sounds like an incredible human being—and he is making a significant difference in his granddaughters’ lives. If only all girls had an advocate as committed to their education as Manab’s grandfather! That is a hope I have for the new year: that each one of us can do more to empower girls to pursue their dreams. 

We are also delighted to share some updates about student outcomes so you can join us in congratulating the girls on their incredible successes—and perseverance. In October, Bedari shared that 13 girls passed their matriculation exam (10th grade) and 19 successfully completed their FSc (12th grade/2nd year)—both of which are major educational milestones. Congrats to all these students! 

To fill the open spots these graduations created in the program, Bedari engaged with the communities to recruit and identify more students, including several who had completed their matric with the support of Girls Education International and are continuing with their studies through higher secondary education. After dipping to 37 students during the summer, total enrollment in the Girls Ed program across all grades (6–12) was brought up to 65 students from four villages in Chakwal District, surpassing typical enrollment levels (usually 60 students). This higher level of enrollment, Bedari told us, fulfills “the community's long-standing desire to increase the number of girls in the project.” 

Finally, on an administrative note, my service term with the Girls Ed board comes to a close at the end of 2024. The torch passes to our newest board member, Sidra Khan. Sidra comes to Girls Ed with academic expertise and passion for social impact and is a dedicated advocate for empowerment and inclusion. You can learn more about Sidra at girlsed.org/ourteam. It has been an honor to serve on the board and a pleasure to get to know my colleagues on the board and at Bedari. I look forward to 2025 knowing that the Girls Ed-Bedari partnership is in good hands and will continue to do great work to increase girls’ access to education in Pakistan. 

From all of us at Girls Ed: thank you for your generous support of this program and the students in it. We wish you and your loved ones a happy new year!

Sincerely,

Mercedes Ward

Dear Pakistan Project Supporters,

Warm greetings! Lately, I have been thinking a lot about the importance of family and the challenges parents face that impact their children’s lives. Recently, I read a news article about how child marriages have increased in Pakistan as a result of the devastating floods of 2022. This is a disturbing reminder that global climate change, economic insecurity, and gender inequity are deeply linked and that preventing child marriage will take more than a simple intervention. The necessary systemic changes require concerted, collaborative, long-term efforts. For this reason, Girls Education International is proud to partner with local community organizations like Bedari, our partner in Pakistan, that advance a vision of systemic change. You can read more about our approach to partnering with local organizations and the impact of your generous support of girls’ education in our recently published Impact Report. 

Because the relationships between Girls Education International and our local partners are so crucial to effective collaboration and impact, Girls Ed Executive Director Kate Schelbe and I visited with Bedari in Pakistan last month to better understand the local context and strengthen our partnership. We accompanied our Bedari colleagues to visit the offices of the Chakwal Deputy Commissioner and District Police Officer to discuss ways to enhance support and opportunities for girls’ education and empowerment. We met with several program alumni who shared what they are doing now (for example, one is working as a Social Organizer with a national NGO and another is a computer teacher).

We also visited two villages (well, Kate visited two; I was only able to visit one) and joined in community celebrations where girls, their families, and their communities were recognized for their commitment to girls’ education. These were joyous occasions and many of the girls shared their experiences and aspirations—and they expressed gratitude for the support they have received from Bedari and Girls Ed that has enabled them to continue their education.

The emotional experience of listening (translation courtesy of Bedari colleagues) to these girls’ testimonies was profoundly moving. It wasn’t just what they said, it was how they said it. They stood up in front of their village community and spoke with clarity and conviction. Some were clearly nervous, yet they courageously shared their perspectives, and the community listened attentively. The commitment of the girls, their families, and their communities was evident and inspiring.

And these commitments produce meaningful outcomes. Let’s celebrate all the students’ successes, including 12 girls who recently passed the 10th grade matric exam (a major educational milestone) and 22 girls who took the 12th grade FSc exam (final results are still pending).  Congratulations to them and their families! We wish them all the best in their future endeavors, including those who are continuing with their studies. Bedari has already met with parents and community members to enroll new girls into the program, and we look forward to another great school year made possible with your generous support. 

On behalf of all of us at Girls Ed, thank you!

Sincerely,

Mercedes Ward

Links:

• Read Girls Education International's latest Impact Report
• Listen to Girls Education International's latest Podcast Episode