Footsteps Spring 2018 Footsteps-Spring2018 | Page 5

The Solution: Where Children Want to
Learn, Build Classrooms to Teach Them
What can you do? Help provide more access to safe and suitable classrooms
for these determined students. Increasing capacity is a big priority for 2018,
and one of the most sustainable ways you can create an impact. Here are two
examples of projects you can get involved with this year.
The high school in Teru, Pakistan was originally meant for students in grades
10 and 11. With no other avenues for education, many were married right after
graduation and lost the chance to achieve their dreams. The girls desperately
needed more classes, so Teru High School was upgraded to a higher
secondary school by adding grades 11 and 12. Now it’s the only option for a
higher secondary school education in this region, and classes are dangerously
overcrowded. Even bursting at the seams, there are more students who want
the chance to learn waiting in the wings.
In Tajikistan, the Pish Primary School is crumbling around the young students.
The school was built by the villagers, but there was never enough money to
finish it with a proper roof or flooring, so it’s only usable in the summer months.
The nearest school is five rugged kilometers away in Vanqala, a journey too
dangerous for small legs in the cold and snow of winter. These children and
many others are ready to learn, but a lack of safe and warm classrooms are
keeping them home and in the dark.
Your Part:
This incredible need is a testament to two decades of work in these
areas. Now that education is a possibility, the desire to learn has exploded.
However, if children can’t find a classroom to learn in, they will be left
behind. You can make sure there is a space for every child by supporting
classroom construction. Here is the average cost breakdown per country
for building a classroom.*
Afghanistan: $23,000
Pakistan: $16,860
Tajikistan: $10,000
* Prices vary depending on size, location, cost of local materials and labor, and transportation costs.
CentralAsiaInstitute.org
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