Children hold the power to change the world if we give them the chance. Every year, Children’s Day reminds us to celebrate their joy, their dreams, and their right to a bright future. It’s a day dedicated to recognizing what every child deserves: safety, education, and hope. At the Chakor Foundation, our “Stories of Hope” campaign highlights the incredible potential within every child and the role we can play in supporting them. To learn more about Children’s Day and how you can help transform young lives, keep reading.

The Needs of Children in Pakistan

In Pakistan, the challenge of providing every child with a meaningful education is immense. According to UNICEF, an estimated 22.8 million children aged 5–16 are not attending school, putting Pakistan among the countries with the highest number of out-of-school children globally. One recent report states that around 36 % of school-age children (approximately 25.3 million) are out of school in Pakistan.

Some of the key barriers these children face include:

• Poverty: Economic hardship forces many families to prioritise immediate survival and income-earning over schooling for children.
• Access issues: Schools may be far away, transport may be unreliable or unsafe, especially in rural areas. The World Bank reports that in rural Pakistan, the absence of nearby schools and safe access strongly correlate with out-of-school status.
• Gender gap & cultural barriers: Girls are disproportionately excluded. For example, the World Bank estimates show ~37 % of girls age 5–16 are out of school, compared with ~27 % of boys. Social norms, concerns about safety, the lack of female teachers or secure school premises further compound the risk of girls dropping out.
• Quality and infrastructure shortfalls: Even when children are enrolled, many schools lack basic facilities (boundary walls, sanitation, safe transport), which discourages attendance and retention. 

Zooming into the Region of Mardan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa)

In the district of Mardan in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, children face the same national challenges, and a number of additional, localised difficulties:

• Many families in Mardan experience economic hardship, limiting their ability to cover school-related costs (uniforms, transport, supplies) even if public schooling is ostensibly free.
• Children, especially girls, may lack safe access to school. Long distances, unreliable transport, or unsafe routes discourage attendance. The Chakor Foundation notes these exact barriers in its outreach in Mardan: it provides safe transport options and community outreach to help girls attend school.
• Cultural/Gender Barriers are significant. In rural Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, social norms and security fears often discourage families from sending girls to school or continuing their education beyond the primary level.
• Health issues: In under-resourced rural communities, children may suffer from poor health, malnutrition, or untreated illness, which can impede regular schooling and learning readiness. While specific Mardan‐district health stats are not referenced in the source links, the Chakor Foundation’s holistic model implies this challenge exists locally.

Why This Matters & The Opportunity

On this Children’s Day, the “Stories of Hope” campaign highlights the urgent needs of children in Mardan and the vital role the Chakor Foundation plays in removing barriers to education and opportunity. Your choice to donate for child education is more than charity; it is an investment in breaking poverty cycles, empowering girls, and building stronger futures. In a place where challenges are many, targeted support like scholarships, safe transport, and health initiatives creates lasting change. By understanding these needs, we see why your involvement matters now more than ever in helping write new stories of hope and transformation.

The Needs of Children in Pakistan 

The Educational Landscape in Pakistan

Pakistan is home to one of the world’s largest populations of out-of-school children. Millions of children, especially those from low-income households, struggle to access quality education. Some of the most persistent challenges include:

• Poverty: Many families simply cannot afford school fees, uniforms, transportation, or learning materials.
• High Out-of-School Rates: Economic pressures often force children into work instead of classrooms.
• Gender Gap: Girls are disproportionately affected, especially in rural areas where cultural barriers limit their mobility and educational opportunities.
• Infrastructure & Access: Schools may be far from communities, lack basic facilities, or be difficult to reach safely.

These challenges create a cycle in which children fall behind early, drop out, and later struggle to secure dignified employment.

A Closer Look at Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Mardan reflects many of these broader national issues, often in even sharper ways. Children here experience multiple overlapping barriers that make education a daily struggle. Among the most pressing difficulties:

• Economic Hardship: Many families live hand-to-mouth, prioritizing survival over schooling. Even low-cost education can feel out of reach.
• Lack of Safe, Reliable Transport: Long distances to school, poor roads, and unsafe routes mean many children, especially girls, cannot regularly reach school.
• Cultural and Gender Barriers: Traditional norms sometimes restrict girls from pursuing education beyond primary levels.
• Health-Related Challenges: Poor nutrition, inadequate healthcare access, and untreated illnesses prevent children from maintaining consistent attendance.
• Limited Resources in Schools: Overcrowded classrooms, shortages of teachers, and a lack of supplies reduce children’s chances of success even when they do enroll.

How These Challenges Impact Children

For many children in Mardan, these obstacles result in:

• Frequent absenteeism due to cost, health, or transport issues.
• Early dropout, especially among girls.
• Interrupted learning makes it difficult to complete even basic education.
• Continued cycles of poverty and education’s lack leads to low-wage work or unemployment later in life.

Chakor Foundation’s Efforts – Bringing Hope to Children

A Mission Dedicated to Uplifting Children

Chakor Foundation works with a clear purpose: to remove the barriers that prevent children in underserved communities, especially in Mardan, from accessing quality education and healthcare. Their mission is rooted in dignity, opportunity, and long-term transformation.

Key Programmes Making a Difference

1. Student Scholarship Programme

• Fully funded scholarships for deserving students
• Coverage of tuition, books, uniforms, and transport
• Mentorship and academic guidance to keep students motivated

2. Health Support for Children

• Basic health checkups and screenings
• Hygiene and nutrition awareness
• Support for common medical needs

3. Essential Outreach Services

• Safe school transport
• Uniform and school supply distribution
• Community engagement to promote education

Creating Sustainable Change

Chakor Foundation isn’t just providing aid, it’s building pathways for long-term progress. By supporting education, health, and daily essentials, the Foundation helps children stay in school, stay healthy, and reach their potential.

Student Scholarship Programme – Detail & Impact

The Chakor Foundation’s Student Scholarship Programme is one of its most transformative initiatives, designed to remove the financial, social, and infrastructural barriers that prevent children in Mardan from accessing quality education. 

This programme does far more than fund schooling; it builds long-term pathways for growth, confidence, and generational change.

What the Scholarship Covers

Each scholarship is fully funded and designed to meet a child’s complete educational needs, so that no financial pressure falls on their family. 

Support includes:

• Education Fees — Full tuition coverage for multiple school years
• Learning Essentials — Books, stationery, school bags
• Uniforms — Seasonal and annual uniforms provided
• Transport Support — For students who live far from school
• Hostel Facilities — For those who require long-distance accommodation
• Mentoring & Guidance — Academic check-ins, motivation sessions, and career counselling
• Health Support — Basic medical checkups and referrals through Chakor’s broader health initiatives

This holistic design ensures that children not only enroll but also stay, thrive, and graduate.

Key Programme Statistics at a Glance

These numbers reflect Chakor Foundation’s commitment to prioritizing girls’ education, ensuring equity where it’s needed most.

Institutions Reached & Years of Support

While the programme expands every year, core achievements include:

• Support across several schools in Mardan, selected based on accessibility, teaching quality, and need profiles.
• Multi-year financial aid, ensuring students are supported not just for a term or year, but throughout key schooling stages.
• Students have been able to:
  • Continue primary and secondary schooling
  • Transition to higher secondary levels
  • Access to a hostel and transport support when their villages lacked nearby institutions

Events & Ceremonies Held

Chakor Foundation actively celebrates and encourages its scholars, helping them feel seen and valued. Some of the notable events include:

Scholarship Award Ceremony – Mardan

• The foundation hosted a formal ceremony to honour 53 deserving students, marking the launch of the six-year scholarship batch.
• Leadership, including local community members and foundation representatives, addressed students and encouraged them to aim high.

Student Meet & Motivation Sessions

• Regular gatherings where scholars share progress, challenges, and goals.
• Inspirational talks from educators and community role models.

Community Outreach & Awareness Days

• Events held in rural villages to educate parents on the importance of girls’ education.
• Engagement activities to identify new deserving students and connect families with scholarship opportunities.

Student Testimonies – Stories of Hope

The Student Scholarship Programme has already created powerful stories of hope, reflected in the journeys of students like Amina and Bilal (names changed). Amina, a determined girl from Mardan, shared that she once feared leaving school after Grade 6 because her family couldn’t afford uniforms or transport. 

With Chakor Foundation’s support, she is now back on track and dreams of becoming a teacher so she can help other girls pursue their education. Similarly, Bilal, who comes from a village where many boys begin working at a young age, explained how the scholarship covered his school fees and books, eventually helping him secure admission into a technical college. 

Inspired by this opportunity, he now hopes to support his younger siblings in continuing their studies. Their stories highlight how one scholarship can transform not just individual lives, but entire families and communities.

Measured Impact of the Programme

The scholarship programme is not just symbolic; it delivers measurable, life-changing outcomes:

• Higher Enrollment of Girls
  Many girls who were previously at risk of dropping out now remain in school through secondary levels.
• Improved Retention Rates
  Full financial coverage ensures students complete multiple years of uninterrupted education.
• Breaking Cycles of Poverty
  Education directly increases earning potential, reduces early marriage risks, and empowers communities.
• Boosted Confidence & Community Pride
  Students become role models in their neighbourhoods, inspiring others to pursue schooling.

How You Can Help – Donate for Child Education

Your support this Children’s Day can fill the gap for children in Mardan who are still waiting for a chance to learn. By donating through the Chakor Foundation’s website, whether as a one-time gift, a recurring donation, or by sponsoring a student’s scholarship, you directly empower a child’s future. 

The “Stories of Hope” campaign gives donors special visibility and helps amplify every contribution. Please share this article, encourage others to donate for child education, and help us reach more children. Every child left behind is one story of hope unfulfilled. Thank you for standing with us.

On this Children’s Day, let’s honor every child’s right to dream, learn, and thrive. Through the Chakor Foundation’s efforts in Mardan, hope is becoming a reality for countless young lives. Join us in creating more Stories of Hope. Your support can change a child’s future.