At the periphery of a settlement stands a young child, her inquisitive eyes staring out at the world beyond the boundaries of her own. Seemingly oblivious of her wrinkled, discoloured shalwar kameez, her dirt streaked face and bare feet, she silently chews at a fingernail, her hair ruffling slightly in the wake of the passing cars. She aspires to belong to the educated world she observes every day. You might catch a glimpse of this child as you unload a cart of groceries at a popular cash and carry right opposite the settlement. Your eyes might take in the mud brick houses in the background, haphazardly built and stretching out to as far as the eye can see. The wind may carry the distant chuckle of mischievous children playing within its narrow confines and the scent of burnt fire wood over which a meal is prepared. Home to over 10 000 settlers, this is the Katchi Abaadi within the heart of a city designed for the elite.
Bordered by affluent neighbourhoods of Islamabad, the Katchi Abaadi is ironically ignored by many. Dwellers of the city may avert their gaze at the sight and remain blissfully ignorant of the harsh realities of the lives lived by the occupants of the slums. Unsanitary living conditions, lack of education and subhuman conditions are a few of the multitude of problems afflicting the inhabitants of the area.
In these conditions a group of young people refused to remain selectively ignorant and decided to take a step towards positively enhancing the lives of the dwellers of the slums. Hence, Renaissance Pakistan was born. With the view to empower children by providing them the opportunity to learn, the institution believes in the motto: ‘Be the change you want to see’. Instead of focusing on temporary solutions, the institute decided to equip the children of the slums with the weapon of education and set up a school within the Katchi Abaadi for people whose only identity till then was Katchi Abaadi kay log. A small one room set-up catering to up to sixty students each day, the school is a small but steady step towards a better life for the people stricken with poverty.
As the children assemble on the rug in the small inner room and the teacher revises rudimentary concepts of cleanliness and religion, their eager faces reflect their motivation to learn. Many of these children leave their houses at dawn to work as labourers and eagerly return each morning to attend school. Each of them aspires to break free from the inherited cycle of poverty that afflicts their families – and the only way to break free is through a sound primary education. It will consequently lead to admission for higher studies in competent universities of Pakistan and will ultimately be a chance for them to live a better life.
Renaissance Pakistan donor programmes can enable each of us in helping those who can’t help themselves. Each donation, no matter how small, is cherished by the institute. Furthermore, through the child-sponsorship programme, the educational expenses of a child can be catered to by only donating Rs. 1200 each month. Through the donation of such a small amount we have the power to revamp a child’s future. Other than monetary benefits, the child-mentorship programme allows you to physically visit the school and invest your time and energy into shaping the future of these children.
An increasing trend of youth awareness is apparent in the country. Slogans are chanted of the youth bringing a revolution. Talk shows are centered on the younger generation bringing change. In the end those are just words and sentences and a revolution can only be brought about by actions – such as the one undertaken by Renaissance Pakistan.
