with medicine and some basic instruments to begin her work as a healthcare provider. Before she left Charpurson, however, Gulnar had discussed her future with CAI- Gilgit Director Saidullah Baig. Baig agreed that he would do his best for her and her husband to help them both continue their educations if that is what they wanted.
Gulnar poses with her students.
“ He fulfilled his promise and took us both to Boni, Chitral and both of us started our education,” Gulnar explained happily.“ In 2011, I completed my matriculation( grade 10). Just after my matriculation he took me to Gilgit for 2-year midwifery training. I completed this training and started my health worker career as a CAI midwife for all Broghil since 2015.”
But Baig had made another promise, this time to the people of Broghil. He promised them a school for their young children. In 2015, CAI-Gilgit established an early childhood development school in Garhill, but they were having difficulty finding a qualified teacher. So few people in the region were educated.
Yet, when Gulnar returned to the area Baig knew that she was well educated and reliable. Gulnar seemed like a natural choice. He asked for her help and she agreed. Baig promptly sent her to a CAI-sponsored teacher-training course to get her ready for her new job.
Gulnar has been working with the young children ever since and continues her duties as a midwife. The impact of this one educated woman is huge— as the only healthcare provider in the region she serves four small villages, with around 200 people total, and has a class of 30 young students at the school.
In villages like Garhill, where most men work as shepherds, men and boys are often more valued than girls becaues girls do not protect the family livelihood.
“ When a boy born in a family all the villagers come and share their happiness to the family and the family become proud for having a man to protect their future. But if there is a girl born in a family nobody wishes the family good,” explains Gulnar.
But since Gulnar returned home, the proud graduate of 10th grade and midwife training, and a certified teacher, she feels like things might be different in the future.
She hopes that other families will take note of her accomplishments and that attitudes about the value of girls and girls’ education will change. She knows that change takes a long time, but with every student she works with and every patient she treats she sees another opportunity to get the message out.
“ So many thanks to CAI,” Gulnar wrote in a message.“ You educate a girl, and she will change the world!” •
FALL 2016 JOURNEY OF HOPE | 13