QUETTA: The United Nations refugee agency has initiated an education project in Ziarat under a programme aimed at improving educational facilities in various districts of Balochistan.

The first-of-its-kind project was launched through the partner organisations of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) – the Balochistan Rural Support Programme (BRSP) and the Commissionerate for Afghan Refugees.

Under the project, a students’ hostel and multipurpose hall will be built and gymnasium equipment provided for teachers of Al Hijrah School in Ziarat.

The construction of the hostel will enable students from remote districts of the province to acquire quality education. Eight students shared a hostel room. However, there will be one room for three students after the completion of work.

During a visit to the place by a UNHCR delegation, the chief of its sub-office in Quetta, Fabio Varoli, said: “Raha (refugee affected and hoisting areas) initiative is a token of appreciation for Pakistan’s generosity for hosting millions of refugees for over three decades.”

Speaking at the inauguration of the project, the school’s vice principal Tariq Hussain said about 180 students were getting quality education there free of cost and he anticipated a 70 per cent increase in enrolment after the completion of the work.

Balochistan hosts around 327,000 registered Afghan refugees, the majority of whom live in urban settlements.

The Raha initiative in Pakistan seeks to ensure that not only the refugees but the host communities also benefit from improvement of key facilities in the sectors of health, education, water and sanitation.

Under the initiative, the UNHCR and the refugee commissionerate in Balochistan have so far implemented 224 projects worth $20.3 million in nine districts.

The programme is a major component of the regional Solution Strategy for Afghan Refugees (SSAR) endorsed by Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan and the UNHCR in May 2012.

Since its start in 2009, some 3,500 Raha projects have been implemented across Pakistan for the benefit of around 5m people, of whom 4m are Pakistani citizens.

Published in Dawn, May 25th, 2015

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