“My name is Misbah Riaz and I am 18 years old. I am the eldest of my three siblings. My father works as a van driver and is often unable to meet the financial needs of the family. When I was growing up, about a year after I was born, my mother tells me that I caught a high-grade fever that continued for a long period of time. Few months into my illness, I was diagnosed with polio.
With whatever money we had, my father proceeded with the best-possible treatment available and that fortunately helped me move around with support. However, traveling long distances was still a hassle. I completed primary education in a nearby school, but the bigger problem arose when the only secondary education school was located miles away from where I lived. It was an option that I could not avail due to my disability and the limited financial resources of my family.
For months after completing primary schooling, I would see my friends off to school on an everyday basis and the sight would often make me incredibly sad. I wanted to be like them, wake up every morning, pack my bag and leave for school to fulfill my dream of education.
It was this one day when the Siyani Sahelian team paid a visit to my place and informed my parents about the program that helped marginalized girls with a second chance towards completing education. The news revived all the hopes that seemed to have died earlier and I could now finally pursue with my long awaited dream.
The best thing about Siyani Sahelian is that it allowed me to pick up my schooling from where I left. Now studying in Grade 6, I am on the track to complete my middle school education and beyond. Further, the program me with all the facilities that I could not imagine having. Every morning, a school-van picks me up from my place and then drops me back home in the afternoon, all free of cost! I am also given all relevant learning material like notebooks, stationery, school bag and my teachers are always there to assist me in every way possible
I am highly grateful to Siyani Sahelian and DFID Pakistan for bringing my hopes alive and helping me regain confidence to complete my mission of education. When I am done with my schooling, I plan to do
something for the betterment of this country that I dearly love. I would like to witness a Pakistan where no girl is left uneducated and has the power to speak up against injustice and discrimination.”
Siyani Sahelian with the efforts of DFID Pakistan is helping thousands of marginalized girls across South
Punjab, irrespective of their ability, to complete education. The story of Misbah shows how with
determination, hard-work and patience any mission can be accomplished
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