The social welfare efforts of Abdul Sattar Edhi have always served as a great inspiration, encouraging individuals and teams to make a positive impact on society. Motivated by Edhi's work, a group of students, envisioned accomplishing something remarkable during their school life. While scrolling through their Facebook feed, they came across a post about a street school established by Hassan Shireen. This discovery sparked an idea, leading them to embark on an extraordinary initiative of their own—a Street School. One of the primary objectives driving this initiative is to address educational inequality and provide knowledge to those who are less fortunate.
The Journey
The first day of teaching the street children proved to be a challenging yet joyful experience, filled with laughter and fun. The children, who lacked proper knowledge of basic manners and studying etiquette, presented initial... difficulties in terms of sitting and communicating. On the 29th of October, the team successfully established a street school with the aim of providing education to 25 underprivileged children who had not received formal schooling. Classes were conducted every Friday and Saturday, from 4 to 6 p.m. Despite initial uncertainties, the collective effort and dedication of the team of volunteers and teachers ensured the realization of this ambitious project. Witnessing the progress made by the children within just four months was remarkable. They began to grasp academic subjects, learned basic greetings and appropriate behavior, and even acquired the ability to write their names, English alphabets, Urdu huroof, and perform simple math counting. To maintain their motivation and make learning enjoyable, activities such as Circle Time, visual art lessons, color-themed days, and a Sports Gala were organized. The team continues to be amazed by the children's enthusiasm for learning, despite the limited resources available to them.
Key Learnings
Turning their idea into reality proved to be a challenging endeavour for the team, as they encountered several obstacles while establishing the street school. Challenges included securing a suitable venue for the school, gaining the trust of parents of the street children, collecting funds to acquire necessary resources, and managing their time effectively without compromising their own studies. However, through persistent efforts from the team members, teachers, and the School Coordinator, they were able to overcome these hurdles. The school arranged for security measures to ensure the safety of the weekend classes held at the designated site. Additionally, a bake sale was organized within their own school to raise funds for the procurement of essential resources. The team successfully designed the curriculum and conducted the weekend classes smoothly, thanks to the generosity of a kind-hearted individual who offered the use of their lawn for the classes. This initiative allowed the team to develop interpersonal and social skills through interactions with individuals from diverse social backgrounds. Furthermore, it provided them with an opportunity to cultivate leadership skills by initiating and executing the project. Ultimately, this undertaking served as a valuable opportunity for the team to contribute to positive societal change.
The Impact
The members of the LAP team experienced personal growth and gained the necessary skills and resilience to assist others effectively. The impact of their project served as an inspiration for many individuals, encouraging them to undertake similar initiatives. The project not only provided education but also instilled valuable moral values within the street children, benefiting them in numerous ways.
Way Forward
Recognizing that learning and sharing knowledge know no boundaries, the team is committed to continuing their weekend classes for street children. They are eager to expand their project by reaching out to more street children in different locations within their community. Furthermore, they plan to identify gifted street children and facilitate their enrollment in formal schools, aiming to nurture their personalities and empower them as independent learners who can improve their families' living conditions. In order to enhance project implementation, the team is exploring potential collaborations with NGOs. They also intend to share their project idea with other BSS campuses, encouraging them to replicate the concept and establish street schools in their respective areas. Their ultimate goal is to reach as many street children as possible, fostering a transformative ripple effect that extends education, hope, and opportunities to underprivileged street children throughout various communities.
The Inspiration
The social welfare efforts of Abdul Sattar Edhi have always served as a great inspiration, encouraging individuals and teams to make a positive impact on society. Motivated by Edhi's work, a group of students, envisioned accomplishing something remarkable during their school life. While scrolling through their Facebook feed, they came across a post about a street school established by Hassan Shireen. This discovery sparked an idea, leading them to embark on an extraordinary initiative of their own—a Street School. One of the primary objectives driving this initiative is to address educational inequality and provide knowledge to those who are less fortunate.
The Journey
The first day of teaching the street children proved to be a challenging yet joyful experience, filled with laughter and fun. The children, who lacked proper knowledge of basic manners and studying etiquette, presented initial... difficulties in terms of sitting and communicating. On the 29th of October, the team successfully established a street school with the aim of providing education to 25 underprivileged children who had not received formal schooling. Classes were conducted every Friday and Saturday, from 4 to 6 p.m. Despite initial uncertainties, the collective effort and dedication of the team of volunteers and teachers ensured the realization of this ambitious project. Witnessing the progress made by the children within just four months was remarkable. They began to grasp academic subjects, learned basic greetings and appropriate behavior, and even acquired the ability to write their names, English alphabets, Urdu huroof, and perform simple math counting. To maintain their motivation and make learning enjoyable, activities such as Circle Time, visual art lessons, color-themed days, and a Sports Gala were organized. The team continues to be amazed by the children's enthusiasm for learning, despite the limited resources available to them.
Key Learnings
Turning their idea into reality proved to be a challenging endeavour for the team, as they encountered several obstacles while establishing the street school. Challenges included securing a suitable venue for the school, gaining the trust of parents of the street children, collecting funds to acquire necessary resources, and managing their time effectively without compromising their own studies. However, through persistent efforts from the team members, teachers, and the School Coordinator, they were able to overcome these hurdles. The school arranged for security measures to ensure the safety of the weekend classes held at the designated site. Additionally, a bake sale was organized within their own school to raise funds for the procurement of essential resources. The team successfully designed the curriculum and conducted the weekend classes smoothly, thanks to the generosity of a kind-hearted individual who offered the use of their lawn for the classes. This initiative allowed the team to develop interpersonal and social skills through interactions with individuals from diverse social backgrounds. Furthermore, it provided them with an opportunity to cultivate leadership skills by initiating and executing the project. Ultimately, this undertaking served as a valuable opportunity for the team to contribute to positive societal change.
The Impact
The members of the LAP team experienced personal growth and gained the necessary skills and resilience to assist others effectively. The impact of their project served as an inspiration for many individuals, encouraging them to undertake similar initiatives. The project not only provided education but also instilled valuable moral values within the street children, benefiting them in numerous ways.
Way Forward
Recognizing that learning and sharing knowledge know no boundaries, the team is committed to continuing their weekend classes for street children. They are eager to expand their project by reaching out to more street children in different locations within their community. Furthermore, they plan to identify gifted street children and facilitate their enrollment in formal schools, aiming to nurture their personalities and empower them as independent learners who can improve their families' living conditions. In order to enhance project implementation, the team is exploring potential collaborations with NGOs. They also intend to share their project idea with other BSS campuses, encouraging them to replicate the concept and establish street schools in their respective areas. Their ultimate goal is to reach as many street children as possible, fostering a transformative ripple effect that extends education, hope, and opportunities to underprivileged street children throughout various communities.
