Ayesha’s Journey of Change
“Morning light filtered inside as Ayesha’s father pulled the door open for their visitor. A kind face beamed down at her. This was the first time Ayesha met Ms. Zeenat, a teacher at The Citizens Foundation (TCF) Campus; her visit was to encourage Ayesha’s parents to enrol their children at TCF. The more she talked of the school, the more Ayesha knew this was where she was supposed to be. She had often strolled past it, awed by the red-brick school building and expansive playgrounds, wondering what it was like from the inside. Read More
The Girl in the Chilli Fields
“Hurry up, beti (daughter), it is time to pick,” calls Zainab’s mother as she wakes her up before the break of dawn. Zainab knows that it is going to be a long day because she and her family would work until late evening to get the harvesting done on time.
Zainab, …Read More
Basit Says ‘Hello’ to a Brighter Future
“When I came to this college for my interview, I was just sitting there nodding my head in a ‘yes’ and shaking it for a ‘no’ Read More
A Village Transformed by Education
By Usman Mujtaba
When TCF opened its first school in Minhala, it was a challenge to convince the community to send their daughters to school. Almost two decades later, the young women who have graduated from TCF Schools in the area are leading the community’s transformation.
At a cursory glance, Minhala appears …Read More
Defying Stereotypes through Entrepreneurship
By Usman Mujtaba
Surrounded by uncertainty when his father met an unfortunate accident, Wajid Ali’s story reflects a young man’s resilience in the face of adversity and his determination to find his own, unconventional path to success.
Wajid Ali’s home is nestled deep within lush green fields, 4 km from the Wagah …Read More
When Life Comes Full Circle
by Usman Mujtaba
‘Upon graduating from TCF, I felt like I was ready to take on the world. It was my time to put my learning into action.’
The year is 1998. It is a typical hot summer afternoon in Karachi, and 12 year old Adnan Zaib is rushing to make his …Read More
Aagahi – Empowering Women through Literacy
by Usman Mujtaba
Aagahi was initiated by TCF in 2005 in a bid to impart basic literacy and numeracy skills to the family members of TCF students, particularly their mothers.
Just off the Mauripur Road in Karachi and a stone’s throw away from TCF’s Cowasjee Campus, is Machar Colony – a …Read More
Fighting Against the Odds
“My interest in taekwondo developed when I was 8. My cousin had signed up for martial arts classes near our home in Ittehad town, a low-income settlement on the outskirts of Karachi. I started going there with him to learn different forms of taekwondo and then practiced regularly.” shares Irfan …Read More
Rebuilding a New Life
It was 2007; thousands of people were forced to flee their homes in Bajaur Agency as the Pakistan Army intensified its operation against the militants. Jawwad, who was just seven at that time, can clearly recall the horror.
“There were helicopters and jet fighters everywhere, explosions echoed and the sound of …Read More
Breaking the Mould
When she was little, Samina Noreen, living in Moza Kot Sharif, a small village in the Chiniot district of Punjab used to rouse from her sleep for prayers; bowing her head in prostration, beseeching, “O Allah, please help me continue school.”
“What’s the point in educating your girls, what good will …Read More
A Long Walk to Education
“My parents enrolled me in kindergarten at TCF School, Sumar Goth Campus, located near the coastline of Karachi, but soon pulled me out because it was nearly 35 minutes to school on foot each way. It wasn’t until grade 6 that they decided to take on this difficulty for the …Read More
Towards the Light
“It was just another morning in Muzaffarabad; I was pregnant with my fourth child, busy getting my chores done, when suddenly the ground seemed to sway one way and the house lurched the other. Instantly I knew that it was an earthquake. I panicked and grabbed my children. Holding them …Read More
Beating the Odds!
by Madiha Waris Qureshi
Zainab was a bright child, and her mother, who had never been to school herself, was determined to educate her children, a dream both she and her late husband had shared.
Fifteen-year old Zainab shyly leads me into the single room that serves as home to her, her …Read More
TCF emphasises ‘Education of Girls’ at Karachi Literature Festival
The Citizens Foundation (TCF) presented a panel discussion on ‘Education of Girls: Perceptions & Realities in a changing Pakistan’ in 9th Karachi Literature Festival (KLF). The session panelists were Sania Saeed – Actor, Nadia Naviwala – Wilson Center Global Fellow & Freelance Writer, Sidra Saleem – MBBS & TCF Alumna …Read More
Citi Foundation supports programme to develop employability skills at TCF College
Published in DAWN
The Citizens Foundation (TCF) has teamed up with the Citi Foundation to implement ‘Critical Employability Skills’ programme, with a $200,000 grant under the bank’s ‘Pathways to Progress’ effort, which aims to prepare and groom college-level students for tertiary education and the job market.
On Wednesday, a delegation of Citi …Read More
Younis Khan Presents his Cherished ’10,000 Run’ Bat to TCF!
Internationally acclaimed cricketer and former captain of Pakistan’s national cricket team Younis Khan visited The Citizens Foundation (TCF) head office to gift his 10,000 runs bat for the cause of education. The gesture from Younis Khan is a remarkable display of support for the organisation’s mission to educate children from …Read More
Inspiring Hope through Education!
TCF recently held events across Karachi, Lahore and Dubai to celebrate the achievements of its outstanding alumni. Witnessing the full scale of the impact of education takes time and patience. Today, the TCF family is overcome with overwhelming pride to see most of our alumni pass out with flying colours …Read More
A.R. Gurney’s ‘Love Letters’ Captivates UAE Audience!
TCF’s UAE Chapter is one of its global wings, actively engaged in outreach and fundraising activities for the education and social uplift of the marginalised segments of society. This February, the Chapter held a fundraiser at ‘The Address’, Dubai Marina, featuring the internationally acclaimed theatrical play ‘Love Letters’.
Written by well-known …Read More
Students Raise Funds and Sing Along at Obhartay Sitaray 2017!
Obhartay Sitaray (OS) is one of TCF’s most colorful and entertaining events that allows our young generation to raise funds for TCF and celebrate their love of music while doing so. The platform provides students from various schools across Karachi an opportunity to showcase their singing mettle, and support TCF …Read More
TCF Engages with the Karachi Literature Festival Attendees!
This year, TCF partnered with the Karachi Literature Festival (KLF), which held its 8th edition in February. Recognising a congruence between the event and its own mission to educate…Read More
A Good Principal Makes a Great School
Every morning, as the first rays of dawn break through the horizon, a group of women across Pakistan set out of their homes to educate and empower children belonging to some of the most economically challenged communities across Pakistan. These are TCF’s determined school principals.Read More
The Circle of Light
A light emitting from the window of a house in Keti Bandar sears the pitch black darkness that envelops the area. This light is the product of the creativity, zeal and hard work of the children of the house. This house is not only illuminated with electricity, it is also luminous with books, educational tools, and materials.Read More
A Strong Mother and her Resilient Daughter Overcome Abandonment
by Yumna Rafi In a modest house off Mauripur Road in Lyari, loud shrieks of boisterous laughter ripple through the air as 12-year-old Iqra … Read More
‘Beauty’ of Education and Enterprise
As we make our way inside TCF’s Cowasjee Campus, we spot Fizza Naz sharing a lighthearted moment with her ex-Principal in her office. Once engaged in conversation, Fizza portrays the sort of youthful exuberance one would expect from a young girl. However, as she recounts her stories from school and …Read More
