Meri Pehchan (My Identity) describes the spirit of these free schools in Faisalabad city in northern Pakistan. The name was chosen by the students who are living in the low-income areas and whose families can’t afford the local schools.
Mission
The Meri Pehchan schools are designed to offer a broader world view, basic knowledge of the world and surroundings, basic reading, writing and computer skills and understanding of the modern technology to empower the children to build successful and meaningful lives.
Project description
Most street children have no basic access to education and most remain illiterate during the course of their life. The purpose of this project is to provide a basic education for street children through modern technology and empowering educational methods.
The schools are open to both boys and girls to help increase the equality between men and women and to decrease the educational gap.
How?
The schools are accomplished by having proper places equipped with modern laptop computers with good wireless Internet connection and knowledgeable personnel who are available to guide and help the students in their pursue and search for information and knowledge.
The schools are open free of charge for the local children aged 5-16 of all religious, ethnic and educational backgrounds.
For more details see the Methods page.
Funding and organization
The schools are privately operated through donations from individuals. The funds are collected and coordinated by Developing School Association (Kehittyvä koulu -yhdistys ry), a Finland based non-profit organization, which also runs an online school in Finland and promotes student empowerment, equality and well-being.
The schools are operated and coordinated by the non-profit STEP Organization (Social Transformation & Educational Prosperity), which has been working with the local families for over 20 years.
For more details see the Finances page.