Emerging from the Shadows: Street Schools

According to UNICEF, in Pakistan, 17.6% of the children are dropping out of schools every year due to poverty. These children start work on low wages at local tea stalls, industry line, carpet weaving, as helpers in auto garages and domestic servants. These children lose their childhood just to support their parents and elders financially. Reducing the number of school dropouts and creating a mode of sustainable schooling were the main considerations of the organization.

Understanding the bleakness of this prevailing social problem, RACDO initiated a home schools project. Our project consisted of 4 home schools-come-learning centers supported by SPU Canadian International Development Agency CIDA, providing basic primary education to suburban children within the age group of 5-12 in 4 down trodden pockets of Faisalabad, Pakistan through non formal means. The children, both boys and girls were enrolled in grades 1-4. The schools timings were flexible according to the convenience of the students as some of them were helping their parents at home and at small shops. The teachers employed were local educated young girls. 173 children were enrolled, out of which 98 were girls. A total of 112 students have proceeded to formal schools after completing of the project and 2 out of 4 home schools has taken the shape of a formal registered primary school.