Dear Friends of Hoshyar,
In 2009, Hoshyar had fewer than 100 girls in middle school—and not a single one in high school. Since then, 379 girls have graduated from Hoshyar-sponsored high schools. Amazingly, 57 have also earned higher secondary degrees (F.A., F.Sc.).
And there is more:
- 8 Commerce qualifications conferred
- 7 Primary teachers certified
- 9 Bachelor of Arts degrees conferred
- 1 Master of Arts degree conferred
Some people find statistics boring, but these excite me!
Currently, Hoshyar supports the education of 1,026 students in secondary and primary schools in Pakistan. These schools are located in the mountains of Mansehra District and in a village outside Lahore.
We are especially proud of our science majors (F.Sc. enrollees), who number 17 at present. The success of our science programs has led us to expand lab facilities and introduce grassroots public health education.
There is a crying need for qualified female health workers to treat women in remote areas. In the coming year, we plan to direct more resources toward science pedagogy and the grooming of students to become public health workers. Our graduates will be on the front lines, delivering health care to rural populations.
Hoshyar students are also pursuing higher studies in Commerce. This is an excellent credential for entering the work force in a rapidly developing economy. Teaching represents an attractive career for many others, one that feeds back into the local communities.
How has Hoshyar expanded its network of high schools for girls? We build new schools, and we adopt schools in need, in response to community proposals. Hoshyar provides the funding, while our colleagues at Friends Welfare Association supervise and monitor the schools until they are running well on their own. Then they are ready to become government schools.
Five schools have “graduated” from Hoshyar/FWA stewardship and are now fully supported by the provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Our strategy of local-to-central management has been commended by large international organizations like UNICEF.
Please join us in being part of this success story. All the effort of our wonderful partners in Pakistan, and all the grassroots changes that we are witnessing, could not have come to fruition without your dedication and support over the years. We ask you to continue making possible this great experiment in female education. It is indeed powerful.
Wishing you the best in this holiday season,
Prof. Carla Petievich
Executive Director
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