What are your hopes for this year of schooling?

"I wish I could play with my friends and enjoy my normal routine life."

"We are hopeful that teachers will work hard to get us back to normal and we surely will love to cooperate."

"I hope that inshallah our school will run continuously and no corona virus will again stop our school working."

Late September when Barakat Pakistan schools could re-open the smiling faces of our students spoke volumes. Their joy at being back in school again, their optimism and faith in their teachers, their parents and in donors like you who support Barakat programs is what gives us hope at this time of fear and uncertainty.

As these little faces peeked out from beneath their masks, both smiling and serious by turns, we salute their courage and that of their families for entrusting them to our care once again. While all government mandated protocols are being followed, we remain unsure about the future and can only hope that the second wave of coronavirus does not become as wide-spread in Pakistan as it has in the West.
What do you look forward to on this first day of school? How do you feel about returning to school this year?

"I am so excited to return to school. Looking forward to seeing my teachers and class fellows....It seems as if we have returned after ages this time."

"Feel good to return to school this year. As I am in Class 8 which is obviously a Board (Exam) class, I am intending to work hard and achieve good marks....It first feel awkward because now there is totally different environment and situation in school."

"We should give thanks that we are able again to get back to our schools, follow our dream and make them real by working hard for them."
How did the coronavirus impact/change your daily life at home and outside of home? 

"It changes our life very much. We miss our gatherings."

"Yes, obviously, it change the life of all of us. It changes the life in a way that we are all locked up in our home."

"COVID-19 impact our life to large extent. After March we all have been quarantined for six months. We were not able to go outside or to meet our relatives. Everyone was so scared because of this virus. Daily life routine have been completely changed."
Are your family members concerned about sending you to school this year? 

"Yes my family is concerned to send me to school again but they also asked us to follow safety procedures to save our life and to save other's life as well."

"Yes, first they did not allow but when they realized our academic routine will be disturbed by this they made this decision to let us go to school after seeing that the school are following the safety procedures strictly."

"Yes, they are concerned about sending me to school this COVID year as there is still threat of this virus because its first circle is going to complete in December. But my school precautions are very much satisfying. So, I think they are bit relaxed now."
Its been a tough year - for you, our supporters; for our students, teachers and administrators; and for our NGO. Though schools closed in March, we continued to pay the rent for the school buildings as well as the majority of the teachers.

We struggle this year as never before to meet the budget requirements for Barakat programs and I urge you to open your hearts to these students in Pakistan who are hopeful for the future. Please support them to keep these programs going into the future.

Please donate generously and in solidarity with young ones in a different part of the world, who though far from us are close in their dependency on us for their education, well being and future success.