the help of a CAI scholarship , she moved to a women ’ s hostel in Rawalpindi , Pakistan , just outside Pakistan ’ s capital city of Islamabad , and attended two years of college . When CAI reorganized its Pakistan scholarship program in 2011-12 , she returned to the northern areas and completed her college degree in sociology , with emphases in education and Arabic .
PAY IT FORWARD Ever since CAI ’ s scholarship program began in the Gilgit region in the late 2000s , Baig has emphasized that the students should find ways to give back . In the past it had been mostly a suggestion , he said , but now he ’ s organized a program to make it happen .
“ The idea is to encourage our scholars to community service and give them some teaching experience ,” he said . “ As you know , there are few job opportunities in these areas . In the past , we appointed a few CAI scholarship students who completed their education as teachers in different CAI-supported schools , but it is impossible to give jobs to all of our scholars . Some are getting jobs in different organizations . But many don ’ t have chance .
“ So this year we thought it would be good to have internship program . In April , 25 students completed college graduation and offered themselves for service ,” he said . “ I placed two at a government primary school
we support , three at CAI ’ s Ganjabad High School and four at Majaweer Middle School .”
CAI provides a stipend to cover each intern ’ s room and board in the village .
When their six-month service ends in November , Naseem and the other interns will return to school for master ’ s-level ( 16 class ) education , he said .
And a month later , another 25 CAI-supported scholarship students will finish their master ’ s degrees “ and we will choose a few students and send them to different CAI-supported schools as volunteer teachers for four to six months ,” Baig explained . “ This will be continued for as long as the scholarship program is going on . It is a good time to start because now our scholarship students are in different stages . After every semester a few are completing graduation at different levels .”
ON-JOB TRAINING Naseem was posted to Majaweer School , in the Ishkoman Valley of the Ghizer District , where she said she has happily settled into teaching English , social studies , and science to middle school students .
“ I started teaching just after I finished my exam paper in April 2014 ,” she said . “ This area is more remote than the area where from I belong , but the school is good and there are so many students . But all of them are studying free of tension because CAI is supporting them fully : fees , books , and other requirements .”
But she ’ s not just a teacher . She ’ s also a role model . In 2013 , all of the students in Majaweer ’ s class eight said their mothers were illiterate ; just one girl ’ s father had a primary-school education . Coming to school and seeing female teachers with college and university degrees makes a difference for all students , but especially for the girls .
Girls ’ education is not a new idea in the region , she said . Everybody knows “ education is important for girls because with education
“ I think CAI and Dr . Greg are the angels in our life who give us a chance to improve our life .”
— Naseem Parveen
we can do anything .” The girls who don ’ t go to school , usually that ’ s “ due to poverty ,” she said . And , “ in the areas where there is no school and they can ’ t get education , they are forced to marry in teenage , 14 to 18 .”
She added that she is not married . “ I want to complete my education and my brothers ’ education is also important . If I marry soon , then both of this will be incomplete .”
Her teaching experience , albeit minimal , has already shown her that too often teachers are underpaid and classrooms overcrowded . Both cut into the teacher ’ s ability to concentrate , she said . And all teachers need training , no matter where they are in their careers . “ I need this training , too , because then I can teach better than I am .”
She will get that training , and much more , during her master ’ s studies at Karakoram International University . After that ? She plans to return to teaching .
“ I think CAI and Dr . Greg are the angels in our life who give us a chance to improve our life . Otherwise it would be impossible for me to continue my education and become a teacher even ,” she said . “ Not only me . I know there are thousands of other girls whose life has been changed because of CAI ’ s help . CAI is always in my prayers .” y
Naseem Parveen with fellow teachers and students outside CAI-supoprted Majaweer School in the Ishkoman Valley , Ghizer District , Pakistan . Photo by Saidullah Baig
With reporting help from Saidullah Baig and Dilshad Begum of CAI-Gilgit .
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