Transform Pakistan's under-resourced Girls Schools

Summer rolled in with boundless enthusiasm and energy and school was finally out for the summer. Summer Vacations are an exciting event in any school year. At Zindagi Trust Schools Khatoon-e-Pakistan and SMB Fatima Jinnah Girls Government School, we make sure the school year ends on a high note. Zindagi Trust organized an engaging week long summer camp for the students. Like the previous years, our summer camp has been bustling with learning, fun and creativity. This year the total number of students voluntarily attending the summer camp was 300+ students cumulatively.

The summer camp involved a wide array of activities. Students particularly enjoyed leaf painting, pottery, calligraphy, and wire art workshops. Exploring new art forms beyond their curriculum was an enjoyable experience for all students. Students also learned how to cook delicious, mouth-watering dishes like Russian Salad, Omelets and Parathas (flatbread). Schools teachers bought their skills to the forefront teaching students how to cook and enjoyed it just as much as the students.

Students also spent their playing different sports like Basketball, Table Tennis, Skating, Badminton and Cricket. Other fun games like hula hooping, phool chaman (a local game) and tug of war were also the order of the day. While some preferred the sunny and bright outdoors others choose to test their minds with intense indoor games like Chess, Scrabble, Ludo and Snakes and Ladder. These games were organized to emphasize student’s perseverance, leadership and sportsmanship. Self-Grooming was introduced on popular demand as well which quickly became a favorite among the students. It gave them exposure to makeup tricks and tips, henna classes and how to improve their general outlook. Students were extremely interested given its direct impact on students’ daily lives.

External organizations also helped in delivering this fun filled summer camp. House of Pebbles, an organization in Karachi committed to mental health, conducted effective stress busters and created mindfulness among students. Students appreciated the engaging stress-relieving activities. Zumba, fun dancing sessions were also a part of this year’s summer camp. Meanwhile, Bazaar Technologies, an organization working in the financial sector, conducted a 5 day long freelancing workshop on Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop for students in Grades 9^th and 10^th. Students used their creativity to create business cards, illustrations and posters. A volunteer led photography session was also the talk of the schools. Students were engrossed and excited to capture moments of their day while learning about photo composition, framing, lighting, aperture and other technical details.

An 8^th grade student attending the summer camp for the first time said her experience at Khatoon-e-Pakistan was amazing. “The teachers and the team were really cooperative, understanding and taught us in a very entertaining way.” A teacher from one of our schools described the experience as one she will “forever treasure”. Alongside all the fun, remedial classes were also conducted for students of ECE section post summer camp.

As the school summer camp came to an end, a few students engaged themselves in a mathematics camp to ascertain that learning truly never stops.

Under the guidance of their mathematics teacher, 20 students from SMB Fatima Jinnah participated in a Mathematics Summer Camp at IBA, University of Karachi in collaboration with STEAM Pakistan. The participants were exposed to interesting practical activities and games to enhance their logical understanding. All participants received the certificates while a student each from Grade 9 and 10 got additional prizes for excellent performance during the summer camp.

As July rolled around, the teachers began to prepare themselves for the new academic year visible on the horizon. In the week leading up to the start of the school year, a dedicated period was allocated for the annual In-service Training. The Informative and interactive sessions were conducted by the school management and the Professional Development Department. The training included sessions on the topics of active learning, child protection performance evaluation report, assessments and subject based training etc. This 5 day training aimed to prepare teachers in advance for the academic and administrative procedures of the current academic year. Microsoft Word training session were also conducted for teachers as part of their professional development.

The students livened up our campuses with their replenished energy for the new school year in August. The school, adorned in green, showcased students' patriotism as they celebrated the country's Independence Day on August 14th. Students from Khatoon-e-Pakistan also attended an interactive discussion on Life and achievements of Quaid e Azam to commemorate his death anniversary on September 11. Meanwhile, the primary section celebrated International Literary Day conveying silent yet impactful messages in the morning assembly. The football team of SMB Fatima Jinnah School played a friendly match with the football team of Haque Academy School DHA in Sept and won the match by 6 goals.

Two SMB Fatima Jinnah students spent three days at Reckitt, a global consumer hygiene, health and nutrition company, as part of the Steam Forward Pakistan Program. SMB Fatima Jinnah was selected as one of five schools in District South based on program progress. Students gained insights into stem professions and production processes, toured various departments, and received certificates in a closing ceremony.

The academic year has just begun with our active and capable students. Zindagi trust looks towards your support in ensuring the continued delivery of this holistic education. Please remain engaged for forthcoming activities and developments from our schools and students.