216 lights for students of Mubarika Campus school
October 2012
Mubarika Campus is located in a rural village in Pakistan and caters to 700 underprivileged children. In most parts of rural Pakistan, there is a shortage of electricity because of which children find it hard to study and faculty and staff suffer as well. In Pakistan overall, 52 percent of public schools do not have electricity, 26 percent have no drinking water, 30 percent have no boundary walls and 29 percent have no sanitation facilities. We are fortunate to have had the opportunity to provide the children with adequate facilities such as transport, boundary walls, and segregated bathrooms but have long struggled with the issue of electricity. With the help of Oakville Middle School and One Million Lights we’ve distributed 211 lights amongst our 700 students.
In early September, we brainstormed over the best possible way to distribute the lights and choose students in a fair manner. We decided amongst ourselves to have an essay writing contest for the higher classes and an art competition for the juniors. The topics selected were: The Need for Education, Effects of Pollution and My School Mubarika Campus. What surprised us the most was the zeal with which our students participated! We had demonstrated the light as an incentive, prior to announcing the competition and our children were thrilled to know that they have an opportunity to win a light that will help them and their families. From each class, 10 students were selected by the teachers and the Principal and essays and artwork were graded.
On September 22nd,The Mubarika Campus team used this opportunity to host a large event, perhaps the largest we’ve had since the opening of the school to recognize our students’ efforts and share how lucky they are to have friends across the world who donated so generously. A team of 30 visitors joined us on our trip to campus and participated in congratulating the students and handing prizes.
We handed out 700 gift bags to the students; each gift bag comprised of a healthy snack, juice, cookie, a Mubarika Campus notebook and coloring pencils. The 200 students who won were recognized amongst their peers and a special recognition was given to the teachers by the Regional Head of The Citizen’s Foundation. The children were excited, grateful, energized and the atmosphere on campus was exhilarating.
“We don’t have words to express our gratitude for your love and generosity.” – Huma Zafar & The Mubarika Campus Team
Lights for Mubarika Campus were sponsored by Oakville Middle School, in St Louis, MO. Thank you Oakville!
