PESHAWAR: Considering education promotion as a best tool to exterminate the menace of extremism from country, The Citizen Foundation (TCF), a non-profit organization, is building 141 `Schools for Peace’ in loving memory of martyrs of horrific Army Public School (APS) Peshawar attack.
For giving an appropriate reply to the brutality unleashed by Taliban by killing 141 students and staff members of APS Peshawar on December 16, 2014, TCF decided to build 141 schools across Pakistan, in memory of the victims who lost their lives in the most tragic incident in the history of Pakistan.
“The Initiative is a message that Pakistan stands for education for all and lasting peace is crucial to our country’s progress,” comments Syed Assad Ayub Ahmad, CEO and President of TCF.
Syed Assad told APP that the entire Pakistan was shaken by APS attack, but the incident pointed towards a growing problem – the one that needed to be addressed immediately.
For the formidable challenges faced by nation, we passionately believe that only education has the power to enlighten minds, instill democratic values and build a conscientious and tolerant society, he added.
“The 141 schools for peace that we build together will stand as a lasting symbol of hope, resilience and our resolve to educate all the children of Pakistan,” he remarked.
“TCF is a professionally managed Pakistan’s leading organization working in the field of education for the disadvantaged strata of society,” informs Sarah Tahir, Communication Manager TCF.
Talking to APP, Sarah Tahir said the founders of TCF, a group of citizens, believe in bringing about positive social change in society through spreading education.
Since its establishment in 1995, TCF has successfully constructed 1202 schools till now across Pakistan where 1,75,000 deserving students are getting standard education on very nominal charges, she informed.
The idea of constructing 141 schools in memory of APS victims was conceived by an expatriate Pakistani, Zaki Patel who considered spreading education as a befitting reply to violent mindset of militants, Sarah recalls.
Zaki, a computer science graduate from Karachi who lives in Canada, shared the idea with TCF for turning his dream into reality and the proposal was accepted warmly, she added.
In 2014, The Citizens Foundation (TCF) partnered with 141schools.org, founded by Zaki Patel, to start the 141 Schools for Peace initiative.
Sarah told APP that so far 24 of these 141 schools have been completed and 18 are under construction. Among these 24 completed schools, four are in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
As of September 1, 2016, 35 donors have pledged to construct 41 schools while more than 1000 donors worldwide have committed their contribution in the pool of fund formed for completion of the project, she added.
Each school costs about 15 million rupees (One hundred and fifty thousands US dollars) so the total cost for all 141 schools stands about around dollar 21 million.
On completion of 141 schools in memory of APS victims, about 25,380 students will benefit about 180 students at each school, Sarah informed. The joint initiative of TCF and 141schools.org was lauded and supported by people from all sections of society including Ali Zafar, a renowned Pakistani singer, actor and painter.
In an interview on March 16, 2016, Ali Zafar said he has dedicated earning of a song `Urainge’ (we will fly) he sung in memory of APS martyrs. The earning of that song will go towards building 141 schools for the children of Pakistan and ensuring a bright future, he added.
Andaleep Aftab, a Teacher who teaches in APS Peshawar and is mother of a martyr, Huzaifa Aftab who studied in ninth grade at time of attack, highly appreciated the initiative of TCF and said through education we can win our fight against terrorism and can make our country a progressive and developed.
Abid Ali, whose wife, Farhat Bibi, was also a teacher at APS Peshawar and fell victim to terrorist’s attack, also lauded the effort of TCF. He said our loss cannot be recovered but we want that our countrymen are protected from receiving damage from terrorists. “The decision of TCF to construct 141 schools in memory of APS victims is highly commendable and will help a lot in making our country as prosperous and developed through eradication of extremist mindset from society,” comments Abid Ali.
