EDUCATION FOR ALL

Getting the right sort of education is a basic right, but unfortunately, many of us living in the same country are deprived of this fundamental right. Seeing a child playing in the street or working at a workshop or some house, at the school timings, because his/her parents cannot bear the school expenses sure is a heart breaking scene. We get to see many kids around who are very much willing to study but they cannot pay the regular fee of their educational institute. The children of our housemaids, drivers, cooks, etc. either work with them to share the burden of the expenses or they simply stay back home doing nothing. 

Many of us write the blogs and articles about the issues but not many steps forward to help them. We do realize that education is important and every kid must get educated, but when it comes to helping those children in a real sense, we don’t do much. We, a little group of friend, have thought about a plan to finance these children who cannot afford to go to school. Our initial plan is to finance the kids from primary (KG-Matric) to graduate level (BA/BSC). The fee estimate according to our estimate does not exceed from Rs. 500 to Rs. 1500 per month. This amount is not much for many of us and we definitely can manage to give away around Rs. 1500 from our monthly budget. 

This project is strictly for the education of the deserving children. We will make sure that the money goes in the right hand and is spent at the right place. For that, we will ask the parents to give us a regular academic report and that will be given to the donors. We will try our best to make sure that the kids study and the money is spent on their education only. 

This is just a baby project which we started a few days back and we are sponsoring about fifteen children already. This is all because of our worthy donors’ help. But, ten is not that big a number, we need more children who need to be educated. For that, we need your help. Let us know of any child around you, for e.g. your servants’ kids or anybody, who you think is the deserving one and we will try our best to pay his school fees. 

Plus, we need more donations for the project. As I mentioned up there, we need about Rs. 500-1500/month to educate one kid. If you decide to start sponsoring a child, you have to be very much regular in giving us the money so that the education of the child doesn’t get discontinued once we put him to school. The session starts in March so we have to make sure that the donations get collected before that and the deserving children go to school at the right time. 

Donate as much as you can so that more and more children get educated. These children are the future of the country. Educating these children means securing our future. We can always save some money by skipping a meal at some luxurious restaurant and spend that money in educating at least one child who cannot afford it. Help in any way you can. Bring us the deserving kids; help us monetarily or just spread the word around. Help us in any way you can. ‘Education for all’ is our slogan and that’s what we mean by this. You don’t have to be of a particular class to get the right sort of education; anybody and everybody deserves to get educated. 


Contact Info:

Email: EducationForAll2012@googlegroups.com
Website: http://www.facebook.com/EducationForAll2012

I مینڈک کہانی

کنویں کا مینڈک کنویں سے باہر نکل چکا ہے۔ پریشان تو زیادہ نہیں پر کبھی کبھی باہر کی دنیا دیکھ کر گھبرا سا جاتا ہے۔ کنوں اچھا تھا پر اسکو دنیا دیکھنی تھی۔ اب کنویں میں رہنے والے مینڈک اکیلے پڑ گئے ہیں۔ کچھ باہر سر نکال کر کبھی کبھار دیکھتے تو ہیں پر دل میں باہر آنے کی خواہش نہیں رکھتے۔ کنویں کے باھر کی دنیا سے کچھ خوفزدہ لگتے ہیں۔ انکو شائد کچھ ڈر سا ہے کہ اگر وہ باہر نکلے تو کہیں انکا ٹھکانہ نہ چھوٹ جائے۔ اپنا ٹھکانہ تو سب کو پیارا ہوتا ہے۔ پر باہر کی دنیا بھی دیکھنے میں بہت عجیب لگتی ہے۔ ٹھکانا چھوٹ جانے کا خوف اور باہر کی دنیا کی رنگینیاں بہت حسین لگتی ہیں۔ ٹھکانا چھوٹ جان کا خوف اور باہر کی دنیا کی رنگینیاں عجیب کشمکش میں ڈالے ہوئے ہیں۔

نہ کنویں سے نکل جانے والا مینڈک مطمئن ہے اور نہ ہئ پیچھے رہ جانے والے۔ وہ سب شائد خوش تو ہیں، اپنی اپنی جگہ، لیکن مطمئن نہیں ہیں، عجیب و غریب حالات ہیں۔ کنویں سے نکل جانے واا مینڈک خود کو باہر کی دنیا کے مطابق تبدیل کرنے میں مصروف ہے اور پیچھے رہ جانے والے مینڈک کچھ کچھ باہرنکل جانے والے مینڈک کے رنگ ڈھنگ میں ڈھلنے میں مصروف ہیں۔ یہ شائد انکی مجبوری ہے۔ وہ باہر نہیں نکلنا چاہتے اور نا ہی پیچھے رہ جانا چاہتے ہیں عجیب و غریب کشمکش میں زندگی گزر رہی ہے۔

دوسری جانب، باہر نکل جانے والا مینڈک بھی اپنے اصل کو چھوڑنا نہیں چاہتا۔ وہ نکلنے کے بعد بھی خود کو ویسا ہی دیکھنا چاہتا ہے جیسا وہ کنویں میں تھا۔ پر مجبور ہے۔ وہ کنویں سے باہر نکل کر بھی پیچھے نہیں رہ جانا چاہتا۔ اسی لئے وہ خود کو نہ چاہتے ہوئے بھی تبدیل ہوتا ہوا دیکھ رہا ہے۔ وہ شائد کبھی لوٹ کر جانا چاہتا ہے۔ پر باہر کی دنیا کی رنگینیوں میں کھو سا چکا ہے۔ شائد وہ کبھی لوٹ کر جاتا بھی ہے پر کنویں میں رہ جانے والے مینڈکوں کی نظریں اسکو واپس دنیا میں آنے پر مجبور کر دیتی ہیں۔

پیچھے رہ جانے والے مینڈک کبھی اسکو فخر سے دیکھتے ہیں اور کبھی حقارت سے۔ فخر اس لئے کہ وہ ان جیسا تھا اور اب نہیں ہے اور یقینا حقارت بھری نظروں کے پیچھے بھی یہی حقیقت ہے۔ اس کے لئے شائد واپیس آنا مشکل ہوتا جا رہا ہے۔ یہ مینڈک بھی اوروں کی طرح کنواں ہمیشہ کے لئے چھوڑ دے گا۔ پیچھے رہ جانے والے مینڈک کبھی یہ تسلیم نہیں کریں گے کہ باہر کی دنیا ان کے کنویں سے کہیں زیادہ بڑی اور بہتر ہے۔ ان کے لئے انکا ٹھکانہ ہی سب سے بڑا اور حسین ہے۔ وہ اسی کنویں کو اپنا سب کچھ سمجھتے رہیں گے۔

Kunwein ka maindak kunwein se bahar nikal chuka hai. Pareshan to nahi zyada pr kabhi kabhi bahar ki dunya dekh kr ghabra sa jaata hai.Kunwa acha tha pr usko dunya dekhni thi. Ab kunwein me rehney waley maindak akailey par gaye hein. Kuch bahar sar nikaal kr kabhi kabhaar dekhtey to hein pr dil me bahar aaney ki khwahish nahi rakhtey. Kunwein k bahar ki dunya se kuch khofzada se lagtey hein. Unko shayed kuch dar sa hai k agar wo bahar nikley to kahi unka thikaana na chutt jaye. Apna thikaana to sbko he pyara hota hai. Pr bahar ki dunya bhi dekhney me bohat haseen lagti hai. Thikaana chutt jaaney ka khof aur bahar ki dunya ki rangeenya ajeeb kushmakash me daaley huye hein.

Na kunwein se nikal jaaney waala maindak mutmain hai aur na he peechey reh jaaney waaley. Wo sab shayed khush to hein, apni apni jagah, laikin mutmain nahi hein. Ajeeb o ghareeb halaat hein. Kunwein se nikal janey wala maindak khud ko bahar ki dunya k mutaabiq tabdeel krney me masroof hai aur peechey reh jaaney waley maindak kuch kuch bahar nikal jaaney waley maindak k rang dhang me dhaalney me masroof hein. Yeh shayed unki majboori hai. Wo bahar nahi niklna chaahtey aur na he peechey reh jaana chahtey hein. Ajeeb o ghareeb kahsmakash me zindagi guzar rahi hai.

Dusri janib, bahar nikal jany wala maindak bhi apne 'asal' ko chorna nahi chahta. Wo niklney k baad bhi khud ko wesa he dekhna chahta hai jesa wo kunwein me tha. Pr majboor hai. Wo kunwein se bahar nikal kr bhi peechey nahi reh jaana chahta. Isliye wo khud ko na chaahtey huey bhi tabdeel hota hua dekh raha hai. Wo shayed kabhi laut kr jaana chahta hai. Pr bahar ki dunya ki rangeeniyo me kho sa chuka hai. Shayed wo kabhi laut kr jaata bhi hai. Pr kunwein me reh jaaney waley maindako ki nazrein usko wapis dunya me aney pr majboor kr deti hein.
Peechey reh jaaney waley maindak kabhi usko fakhar se dekhtey hein aur kabhi haqaarat se. Fakhar isliye k wo un jesa tha aur ab nahi hai aur yaqeenan, haqarat bhari nazro k peechey bhi yehi haqeeeat hai. Usk liye shayed wapis aana mushkil hota ja raha hai.Yeh maindak bhi auro ki tarah kunwa humesha k liye chor dey ga. Peechey reh jaaney waley maindak kabhi yeh tasleem nahi krein ge k bahar ki dunya unk kunwein se kahiii zaada bari aur behtar hai. Unk liye unka thikaana he sabb se bara aur haseen hai. Wo usi kunwein ko apna sab kuch samjhtey rhein ge.

Urdu Text Courtesy: Rai M. Azlan

Mug Up, Puke! Education, Is It?

‘Avoid irrelevant and unnecessary details’; the first thing we, generally, get to read when we look at our question papers. This statement has to be the most irrelevant and unnecessary when it comes to our education system. Teachers, usually, in the orientations say that they want the concepts to be clear and they give a damn to the scores and the grades.  But, what happens in reality is all they want the students is to mug up the notes and book words and puke everything, except the page numbers, on the answer sheets.

This is, probably, the way our teachers were taught and that’s how their teachers were taught. It has been our system since we don’t even know when and it will be there till we agree to change it. I don’t ever get this system. Why do we need to learn the things by heart? Why is mugging up the subjects more important than understanding them? Why do we need to know the exact words of the book? Those were said by the people who have long gone. Yes! They need to be honored but is quoting their exact words the only way they can be respected?  Why can’t acknowledge them by just understanding their views? Why do we need humans for this purpose, weren’t parrots enough?

I never found a teacher, in these many years, who was good with his/her students with just understanding what he/she was teaching. They always need the exact words; the words either said by them in the notes or by the old writers in the books. Why can’t we just get out of the old system and renovate the policies?

We will never progress unless we give the students their fair space. Give them the time to think, to research and bring in their own ideas. Learning everything by heart and producing it all exactly the way it is, from introduction to conclusion, cannot help us move ahead. There have to be better ways to do it. Let the student know what he/she is capable of. This is like tying somebody’s hands and motivating him/her to fight. Let the student float around. Let him enjoy the subject. If he will be capable of doing it, he will keep in; if not, he should let it go. But, let the student decide and know of his capacities.

Grades can never measure the intelligence of a student. The capabilities of a student are beyond those assignments and the exams. Why are only those successful in exams that are capable of mugging things up instead of those who have a better understanding? The teachers have to understand the fact that the students need a practical approach and a better understanding when they step out of the premises of the school and the university.

Our education system has been plagued by these faulty policies. It’s been years that things have been like this. But, it’s time that we change them now. The students cannot be ignored when it comes to making the policies about them. They, themselves, should realize that this sort of a system of judging them can get them marks and degrees but won’t be helpful for long. It is better being ‘learned’ than being a plain degree holder with no understanding of your field.

You Can View The Similar Post At Students of Pakistan

Who Are You To Decide it all?

While the school van dropped a kid off to his home I overheard some guys talking to each other. 'Oey! Ye bhi school jaata hai?' (Hey! Does he go to school too?) And the next guy replying 'Pata nahi isne madam ko kitna pagal kiya hua hoga'(I wonder how mad he must have driven his teacher). Not to mention, the kid we dropped is a mentally challenged child. After listening to this conversation I was left to wonder, who is the sane one there? The grown up guys who were mocking that little kid or that innocent child who was all smiling and going towards his home?

Looking at these kids, this question always comes in my mind; are these kids better or we, the so-called sane ones? I, personally, deal with these kids these days. What I discovered is that they are the most beautiful people around. You will always find them smiling. You look at them and smile and they will come hugging you. They don’t demand/desire for anything. They won’t bug you unnecessarily. You indulge them in an activity they are interested in and you can make them do it for hours. You just need to figure out their interests and trust me, they are the simplest.

Many people around ask me if these kids get violent or not? The answer is yes! They do. But, what I noticed is that they won’t ever hit you just like that. These kids generally are treated so badly that they get violent in self defence. They always expect you to hit them and to avoid that, they hit you beforehand. And that is not the usual case. That happens very rarely. You treat them nicely and they wouldn’t ever do that. They are so happy in their own good world that coming back to this real world becomes harsh for them. They will laugh, cry, jump around, talk to themselves and even pat their own back when they feel like. They are not the ones misfit here in this world; it’s us!

Handling special kids, of any sort, sure is a difficult task. It requires a lot of patience but a little extra effort can polish these gems into somebody we can never imagine. These kids do improve and move to the next level. Once we see the improvement they are sent to the slow learner group and then to the normal schools. And if not this all, the kid gets at least to a position where he can help himself. He can move around with the world. Isolating these kids is like a poison to the children and to the people around them too. Chaining them or not bringing them to the real world is the worst thing you can do to them. And if you think, these children should be killed once you come to know about their disabilities; you can’t get crueler.

It’s not easy, but, try treating these kids as normal ones with a little more care. They are much better than your usual spoilt brats. There is a rare chance that they will be mischievous. If you wish to see an improvement in mentally challenged children; you need to get to their level and break the shell they are confined to. Once you do it, you can make them do all. Just a little patience, forgetting all the stereotypical things about them, can do the magic.

You are no one to tag anybody as insane. You can never tell how much potential they have to achieve the impossible. These children strive harder than us all to live in this world. They bear with us all and can't even express how bad they feel. They already live a confused life, our harsh behaviours just make things worst for them. If you think they are retards; treat them like you are not one.

YOU CAN VIEW THE SIMILAR POST AT THE CAUSE BLOG

Don’t give up, Better Live Up

“I don’t care how a guy looks at me or treats me as I have lost my virginity already.” I was forced to look at her face after hearing this sentence and to my disbelief she looked not more than 20 year old. The more shocking about it was her story that how she was sexually harassed rather raped when she was 10. She was raped by her cousin who was in his teens back then, and it was not once. She was threatened to not tell it to anybody in the family. The cousin did it several times and she kept quiet as she knew nobody would believe her.

But then, one day, when she finally gathered courage to refuse him; she was beaten up by him severely. She decided to tell it to her mother, finally. At first, the mother accused her of making up stories but then when she saw the wounds on her body; she believed her. Even the mother was of no help to her. To save the girl from more disgrace in the family, she asked her to stay quiet. Mother only got more skeptical and took no serious action other than restricting her limited liberty. The girl grew up in a more conservative and over protective environment. All this only resulted in shaking up the girl’s personality from inside out.

Now, this was the story of a young girl who moved to a big city from a small village for her education. The bitter experiences of her childhood are affecting her independence badly. She talks to all the random guys she can, dates them and tells them every personal detail they want to know. And the worst part is that she is getting into it despite knowing the consequences.

Parents, after hearing such incidences, should never accuse kids of making up stories. Never trust anybody when it comes to your kids. Anybody and everybody can get down to this level and sexually abuse your child. Parents’ reaction after these incidences leaves an impact on children. Punish the abuser and not the victim. Restrict the mobility of that person abusing your child and not your own child. Ban the entry of such person without thinking about the consequences. Nothing and nobody can be more important than your child’s personality. Give your child full confidence and secure him/her.

What happened to this girl is nothing new. There are many girls around who get sexually harassed on the daily basis. But the way she, or the girls who face the similar situation, is reacting is worse than what has happened to her already. You have to accept it that what happened to you was not your fault. You just can’t give up and present yourself as a sex tool for men now. What happened to you in the past wasn’t your mistake but what you are doing today with your life is entirely a fault of yours. And most of all, what you are doing now is against all your moral, religious and social values. Don’t punish yourself for somebody else’ crimes.

It is hard to move on; but giving up is not a solution. Now that you are getting an opportunity to prove yourself; you need to do it. You just need to prove that you are a woman more capable of doing everything you want. You are more than an entity who can just be used just for one purpose. Look beyond your fears and identify your talents. Don’t ruin yourself over bad memories. Being cynical and giving up won’t give you anything. Just try forgetting the past and come up stronger. If you couldn’t help yourself in your childhood; grow up to be a strong woman capable of helping your future daughter. It’s hard moving on; but that’s the better choice. Don’t consider it the end of your life; take it as a new beginning.

SIMILAR POST WAS PUBLISHED AT THE CAUSE BLOG

The Curse of Child Servitude

A girl not more than ten years of age trying to lift quite a healthy kid up, who I am sure was heavier than her, to a ride. She loses her balance in an effort to do so. This was a scene I got to see at a famous fast food restaurant play area. Yes! That little girl was a servant to a big happy family. The parents sit alone and dine in while the servants babysit the mischievous kids. Babysitting of course includes feeding them, taking full care of them that they don’t get lost and also bearing with all their stubbornness.

Getting help of a servant is not bad at all, it’s just you should at least consider the age of a person before you hire him/her. How can you expect a kid, who herself/himself is not able to carry her/his own burden, to help you in a task you yourself can’t do alone? Think about your own kids for a while; what if they are made to do stuff you expect the little servants to do. You of course dread seeing that.

If women are too insecure of their female servants that they will steal away their husbands, they should be equally uncomfortable with their men sexually harassing these little servants. You cannot deny the fact that this happens a lot. Men should also take care of the fact that the servant they hire should be old enough to carry the burden of the work load they assign them.

Another excuse people give for child labor is that the children’s parents themselves bring the kids to them for this purpose. You cannot just blame them about it. You are equally at fault when you hire them than their parents or maybe more. If you are kind enough to help them, be sensible in doing so. Spend some money on their kids’ education and give them a better future. Getting them enrolled to a not-so-expensive school won’t be a tough job. You just will have to cut down your dine out routines a bit to help them.

People hire these little children not just as their domestic servants but also to their workplaces. One of the main reasons is that you get it cheap. Tea-stalls, workshops or any other place you see the kids working; it’s always the job tougher than they can bear. Worse is when the same little angels are made to do harsher jobs like molding bricks or making glass bangles. We should make an effort to bring a relief to these kids in some way. Even a change in our attitude or just a kind word can make a difference at times.

Just look at the kids who work at your houses or workplaces for a change and think about it; do they really deserve doing what they are? What if it was your kid instead of that poor soul? How do they feel, when they look at all those luxuries you provide your kids with, living at your house? I am sure you will feel bad. If you can’t do any good for them; stop doing bad. If you feel bad for them or their families; hiring them is not a solution. Walk in their shoes for a while and think of better ways to help them. Say no to child labor. It’s a crime, it’s a curse!


YOU CAN VIEW THE SIMILAR POST AT The Cause Blog