It is exam time but the Pakistan Studies paper that he has to appear for today is something far from Aslam Ali’s mind. He wakes up early, at 6.00am, but it is not to revise his lessons. Today is no different than any other day for this student of class nine who first heads for the market to fetch groceries for his mother. It is only after he has run those chores that he quickly gets ready for school.

But the duties don’t end there for there is also the vegetable shop to run after school. Asked if the drudgery hurts his studies, he looks surprised at the notion and says, “I always get above 90 per cent marks.”

Not having a proper time designated for study after school, the boy does it in between customers at his vegetable shop. “Also I read whatever newspapers and magazines I can find on the roadside newsstands while commuting from the wholesale market and my place of work,” informs the lad who won’t allow anything to come in the way of his aspirations to become “a pilot or politician”!

Osama Khan’s life is not that different from Aslam Ali’s. The 11-year-old student of class six is at the tailor shop at 2.00pm sharp everyday, as soon as he changes out of his uniform before a quick lunch and prayer break after returning home from school. “I am at the shop till around 11.00pm. I also take my books with me and study whenever we are out of power and can’t operate the sewing machines,” he shares. “Load shedding is a blessing in disguise for me,” he adds with a glint in his eyes.

“I think I am a good all-rounder and hope to make a name for myself in cricket,” says the little boy. “Still if that doesn’t work out, I will join the Army,” he thinks aloud realistically.

For Hammad Afridi, the end of the day school bell means heading to the mosque to read the Holy Quran followed by assisting at the clinic where the class six student works as the doctor’s assistant. The child is much in demand for administering injections and drips and says that he can easily make diagnosis, too, but leaves that part to the doctor for now. “I study in between patients. I want to pursue medicine to become a real doctor when I grow up,” he asserts.

Little Sabah Shamshad Ali also studies in class six and is helping supplement her family income by stitching. “My mother gets quite a few stitching orders and after she is done with the cutting, I help out by doing the stitching,” she says. “I also help her and my sister in making quilts,” she adds.

There are also children working as buffalo guards, shrimp cleaners, motor mechanic assistants in garages, etc. All earn around Rs1,000 to Rs1,500 a month. All are aware that they will be given no concessions in life. Yet there is something that allows them to dream big and work hard to realise those dreams.

They are all students of The Citizens Foundation (TCF) Shirin Sultan Dossa Campus VI, situated at Yousuf Goth, one of the remotest areas of Karachi. The school, another open airy and sunny heaven for young learners, is one of the 28 campuses build by the same TCF donor.

“The campus was established in 2000 and after winning the hearts of the community that is sensitive to the idea of girls stepping out of the house, we are proud to have 294 students of which 134 happen to be girls. So we almost have a 50 per cent ratio despite community pressure,” informs Quraisha Andleeb, the principal of Shirin Sultan Dossa Campus VI since 2004.

“This school is from class six till Matric. We get 100 per cent results with 70 per cent of the students here getting above ‘A’ grades,” shares the lady who has been associated with TCF since 1999.

“Earlier, I was working at our primary section in Yousuf Goth. Getting transferred here I was glad to find many of my old students receiving their secondary school education at this campus,” she smiles fondly before pointing out the primary school building from the second floor of her current school.

About her students, she tells, “All are proud to be working as well as studying. Having a head start on the realities of life, they are very responsible children. They take nothing for granted.

Depending on provides quality education following the “pay as much as you can” pattern where the school fee can range from Rs10 to Rs70 with uniforms provided on a concession, too, while the books are free of cost.

“The schools have their doors open for all children. We do have admission tests but those are done only to get an idea of the children’s class levels,” explains the principal.

The school buildings, too, are bright open spaces with big airy classrooms and neat and clean wooden desks and chairs, well stocked libraries and fully equipped science labs. They provide the children, coming from small congested places, a relaxing environment where they learn to enjoy the process of education itself to actively participate in all classroom activities.

After passing out from the schools, the foundation also supports its alumnae by helping them get scholarships to further their studies. So it is no surprise when some of the benefactors return to give back to their schools and their communities. “Since TCF has an all-female teaching staff and encourages women to work, the jobs of teachers and principals are taken up by our old girls. But still there are several admin positions for the old boys, too, if they want to come back and work with us,” says Quraisha Andleeb.

The foundation’s many programmes for students and teachers also includes the Rahber volunteer programme, where the volunteers, who can also be TCF alumnae (those over the age of 23), mentor the students.

“The children feel motivated to hear their stories. They are also given advice on keeping good hygiene, refraining from pan, gutka, etc. Other than mentoring or counseling themselves, these volunteers can also visit the children’s communities along with them and learn something in return as well,” the principal provides.

“This way the good work carried out in the classrooms also goes outside the schools,” she adds.

And when you find Aslam Ali, the young vegetable vendor, advising his customers to send their children to school, you know that the good work will keep on continuing.

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