DERA ALLAH YAR: Teachers, parents, students and community members attended fun-filled activities here in district Jaffarabad as part of a community funfair hosted by the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
The daylong event was aimed at promoting girls’ empowerment and fulfillment of their right to education while highlighting the American assistance for the people of Balochistan. USAID has helped improve access to education and retention of children in schools, especially girls, in remote areas across all the provinces.
Under a grant to the Women Development Community Organisation (WDCO) in Jaffarabad, four middle schools have been established for girls who were previously unable to continue their education due to lack of middle schools in their district.
WDCO Chief Executive Officer Hanif Rind reiterated that every child has the right to quality education and safe access to lifelong learning. “Through USAID’s support we are now able to fulfill dreams of so many girls from Jaffarabad and surrounding local communities,” he said.
The funfair featured various engaging activities for families, including tableaus, stand-up comedy, and cultural performances, puppet shows with a focus on children’s education, all of which were thoroughly enjoyed by the community. The schoolchildren were particularly excited to participate in competitions including singing, drawing and poetry, which also aimed to serve as a confidence building exercise.
“I’m very excited to attend this funfair with my family and friends. I have never attended an activity like this before and it has taught me a lot of new things,” said Farzana, a 12-year-old student of the Government Higher Secondary School of Jaffarabad. “Activities like this help our community better understand the rights of our daughters and the need to educate them,” said Sakina Bibi, a mother of five daughters.
“We are thankful to USAID for supporting our people, especially through girls’ education, which will ultimately benefit our whole society,” said Sohail Anwar Hashmi, the deputy commissioner of Jaffarabad.
