Giving girls a chance at education

Saiba Asghar Ali, an eighth-grade student at the China-Pakistan Government Middle School in Faqeer colony in southwest Balochistan province, has dreamed of becoming a doctor since she was a little girl. But due to financial hindrances and the lack of education opportunities for girls in the area, it was a goal she feared she might never achieve.

"There was no proper school where I live, and many girls like me were sitting at home. If China had not supported my education, I may not have had the opportunity to receive one," Asghar Ali says.

One of eight children, Asghar Ali's parents could not afford to send their girls to school. However, the building of the school with Chinese donations in 2015 opened the door to her and her sisters.

"There aren't many female doctors in our city," the 14-year-old says. "I'm working hard in school because I want to serve my community and make their lives better the way the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor has changed my life."

Launched in 2013, this flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative is a corridor linking Balochistan's Gwadar Port with Kashgar in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, and focused on energy, transport and industrial cooperation in its first phase, expanding to agriculture and other forms of making a living in later stages.

Initially established to provide primary education, the 1,600-square-meter school was expanded to include a middle school in response to requests from parents and teachers and now has two teaching buildings and several additional facilities.

With around 550 students, it has become a preferred choice for parents seeking quality education for their children, and the facilities, including a computer lab and modern furniture, set it apart from other schools in the area.

Headmistress Parveen Nawaz says the school has been transformative, adding that before 2015, there were no schools in this area which has a population of about 20,000, and children spent their days playing in the streets as many families were poor, and the cost of sending their children to schools outside the colony was unaffordable.

"Thanks to China's generous support, education in the area has significantly improved, and the lives of these children have changed dramatically," Nawaz says.

She adds that the Belt and Road Initiative has directly benefited the people of Gwadar through the school.

"It has provided these children with opportunities that were once out of reach due to poverty. Now, their dreams have a chance of becoming a reality," she says.

In addition, several teachers have been awarded scholarships to study in China, enhancing the quality of education.

Tahira Akhtar, an eighth-grade student and general secretary of the school's student body, says that after completing primary school three years ago, she feared that unless the school expanded to include middle school, her education would come to an end.

"I was so relieved upon hearing the news. I could continue my studies," Akhtar says.

"Thanks to China's support, my generation has experienced the real benefits of the corridor project, and we are determined to do our part in strengthening the friendship between Pakistan and China," she adds.

The school is a beacon of hope not only for Asghar Ali and Akhtar, but for all the girls of Faqeer colony, who now have the opportunity to pursue their dreams. As the school continues to expand and improve, it is a lifeline for students eager to break free from the limitations of poverty and lack of education.