With the Arabian Sea to the west and the Indian border to the east, Dadu District in the Sindh Province of Pakistan is one of the poorest areas of the country. For many overburdened families living in Dadu, the struggle to meet their basic needs takes precedence over providing children with an education. Women and girls bear the weight of these demands, attending to endless household chores: collecting firewood and fodder, caring for livestock, cooking, and washing. And, because marriage traditionally takes place at a young age, women must also juggle the added duties of motherhood.

While much of Pakistan is marked by low literacy rates, the situation in Dadu is one of the worst in the country. This is especially true for women, 87.5% of whom are unable to read or write. While the Pakistani government has taken measures to educate more girls, public schools in Dadu have not been able to make significant progress towards reaching this goal.

Outreach to this underserved group has been undertaken by the Indus Resource Center, which is establishing non-formal schools to reach out to girls who would otherwise not receive an education. By collaborating with local parent-teacher associations and village-level committees, the organization is ensuring that community participation is actively solicited, and that parents become involved in their children’s education. The Center is also working with government schools to improve the quality of teaching.

The Indus Resource Center is taking further steps to help communities start small local enterprises. Through micro-credit support, the Center hopes to help local schools become self-sufficient over the next three years, ensuring that more girls will have the chance to receive an education and build a better future.