Bangyal Primary School

Bangyal is a small town located some 20 kms from Islamabad lacking one of the very basic facilities of life, education. The only two teachers working there are persons with physical disability, Riaz and his sister Aasiya. Despite this challenge, they had an admirable vision and strong dedication towards working for their cause of providing education to the underprivileged children within their community. A glance at Pakistan education statistics highlights the importance of supporting the cause of education. Public expenditure on education as a percentage to GDP is estimated at a mere 2.1% in the year 2008-09. According to USAID reports just two-thirds of all children age 5-9 enroll in school, and only one-third complete fifth grade. The UN Development Program has found Pakistan to have the lowest combined education index of any country outside Africa while Oxfam estimates that Pakistan will soon be home to 40% of all South Asian children not attending school.

The school was initially being run with the assistance of Special Talent Exchange Programme, (STEP). It holds primary level informal education classes for at least 40 children falling under the 5-12 age group. Due to its need for immediate monetary assistance to ensure sustainability, STEP brought this school to the attention of Telenor's Corporate Responsibility Department. A call for donations was given to Telenor's volunteer email group that returned very encouraging replies from employees all over Pakistan. The Sales & Service Centers North demonstrated their generosity by having school bags made for all the students using recyclable material.

Striving to make a difference in the lives of people with disabilities is the goal of Telenor's flagship Khuddar Pakistan initiative, and our employees are working towards cultivating the same spirit within them. In accordance with this goal, a group of volunteers from Telenor Islamabad also visited the school to encourage the teacher who has taken this step and to meet with the students. Interaction with the children and detailed discussion with the teacher helped to identify needs of the school and devise a plan of action for future sustainability. Volunteers vowed to continue to provide their support for this cause whenever the need arises.

The amount collected by the volunteers shall be utilized for provision of school books and stationery, building of a toilet and sending the teachers on certified teacher training.

To view Bangyal primary school picture gallery click here