PESHAWAR, June 24: The Aid for Refugees and Orphans (ARO), Pakistan, has rehabilitated ten schools in the flood-affected districts of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
These schools were rehabilitated through donations by a German non-governmental organisation, Kindernothilfe (KNH).
Four schools each in central districts of Nowshera and Charsadda and two in southern district of Dera Ismail Khan were rehabilitated in the first phase. Another 20 schools, five each in Nowshera, Charsadda, Swat and Dera Ismail Khan, would be restored under the second phase of the plan.
The work on the schools was carried out under the 'Schools Rehabilitation Programme' of the organisation. The schools damaged in the July 28, 2010 devastating floods were identified by the field staff after surveying the affected areas.
The rehabilitation work included construction of boundary walls and school buildings, painting of wooden structures, electrification and provision of furniture. Besides boring was done and hand-pumps installed at the rehabilitated schools to ensure clean drinking water facility to the students. Locally-made special water filtration plants were also provided to the schools along with schoolbags and stationery boxes for the students.
Formal ceremonies were held in Nowshera and Charsadda districts where the rehabilitated schools were handed over to the officials of the education department.
Country coordinator for the ARO in Pakistan, Anwar Ahmad also attended the hand-over ceremonies of the schools, which were participated by a large number of people from the local communities.
The schools in Nowshera district included government primary school and government girls primary school in Kabul River area and government primary school and government girls primary school in Banda Mallahan.
The government high school Rajjar-II was rehabilitated in the Charsadda district.
Speaking on the occasion, deputy director of ARO-Pakistan Waqar Ahmad said his organisation had started relief work in the flood-hit districts of KP, Balochistan and Sindh. He said the food packages worth Rs55 million were also distributed among 4,000 households. — Bureau Report