OPEN HANDS GLOBAL
Newsletter June 2024
Empowering Communities: Celebrating Progress
Open Hands Global’s program in marginalized communities across Pakistan continues to thrive, thanks to the gracious and generous support of our donors. The children are flourishing under the care and guidance of our dedicated staff and teachers. We are excited to share the remarkable progress of both our students and educators.
Open Hands Global partners with the poor and oppressed to bring hope and opportunity by delivering quality education to marginalized communities in Pakistan
JOURNEY TO PAKISTAN: A FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE
We are thrilled to share that our team visited Pakistan for three weeks in June, providing us with a unique opportunity to experience firsthand the challenges faced by the communities we serve. This newsletter is dedicated to sharing the activities and experiences from our trip.
Exciting Upgrades
When we reached Pakistan, the temperature reached a sweltering 49°C, and we observed that the children appeared tired and lethargic, with some classrooms receiving direct sunlight through the windows. To improve their learning environment and comfort, we made several major upgrades:
- Both community centers in Chak Jalal Din (CJD) and SKP were furnished with curtains for their 40-50 windows each, reducing the harsh sunlight entering the rooms
- We installed five air conditioning units at the CJD center and seven at the SKP center, ensuring a more comfortable learning atmosphere for the children
- The biggest expense was the installation of 32 solar panel plates at the SKP center, which will power all air conditioning, lights, and LEDs. This will eliminate electricity bills, although we anticipate upcoming taxes for the solar panels.
- The CJD center still relies on regular electricity, but we hope to upgrade to solar panels next year, making it more sustainable and cost-efficient
- Larger freezers were added at both sites to provide ice for coolers, as the children had been drinking room-temperature water.
- A new well is being bored at the CJD site to replace the one that collapsed several years ago, which had forced us to purchase water.
- Security measures were heightened at the CJD site with third-party day and night guards hired from a professional security company, ensuring the safety of our staff and students.
- We enhanced our administrative capabilities by introducing
EXPLORING THE SCHOOLS: A LOOK INTO LEARNING
We toured the facilities where our children are enrolled and met the principals of Station School 1 and St. John’s School. It was reassuring to see the children in good learning institutions where they can thrive, grow, and compete with their peers. These interactions affirmed our belief in the transformative power of education.
BONDING OVER MEALS: MOMENTS OF CONNECTION
The children showcased their learning through well- prepared presentations, which greatly impressed Malcolm on our team. In his excitement, he took all 15 student participants to McDonald’s. For most kids, it was their first time there, and they were overjoyed by the experience.
Engaging Activities: Fun and Learning Combined
HEARTFELT ENCOUNTERS: STORIES FROM THE COMMUNITY
Visiting the homes of the children in the slum and Bhatta communities was a profoundly moving experience. These small, one or two-room homes house families of 4-8 people, often without basic amenities. Despite their hardships, the parents were grateful for the educational opportunities their children receive and expressed a strong desire for us to enroll more children in our program.
INSPIRING STUDENT STORIES: MILESTONES & ACHIEVEMENTS
Daud, our first student to pass grade 10 and join college, finally received the promised keyboard as a gift. He is now giving back to the program at CJD by maintaining the computers and teaching other students various computer skills.
Four girls and three boys took their grade 10 board exams in March and are eagerly awaiting their results. In the meantime, they are supporting the program by assisting teachers with activities for younger kids. We had the opportunity to meet with individual students to learn about their dreams and aspirations.
More research is needed to understand future professional opportunities and how we can support them.
Expanding Our Reach: Mauripur, Karachi – Our Third Site
