By Mah-Noor Ghani - Research VolunteerLast year I travelled to Pakistan to conduct fieldwork for my Master’s dissertation in Sociology of Childhood and Children’s Rights. As an educator, fostering panel member and workshop facilitator involved in various child-focused projects, I’ve long been committed to amplifying children’s voices, rights and lived experiences. During my studies, I …
On #MalalaDay, we are honoured to share stories of the heroic girls leading learning in their schools during our recent Seekho Sikhao Saathi project, supported by the Malala Fund. Each case highlights a special socioemotional learning (SEL) outcome that we have been nurturing during this time, by providing careful coaching and support.Sadia* - Finding ResilienceJust …
By Fran Sharman (UK Programme Officer)“Hiya!”One small word, which has grown to mean a lot. It was one of the first words that the children that we work with in transitional accommodation picked up from me. I wasn’t even aware that this word was how I greeted the children every week, yet overtime it …
By Amal SurmawalaClick, click, click.The sound of plastic snapping into place bounced off the walls of the otherwise quiet classroom. A group of “Bari Saathis” in our Seekho Sikhao Saathi programme with 20 FDE schools sat in a semi-circle, brows furrowed in concentration as they carefully pieced together bits of a creative play kit. Toyi …
The Power of Connection - SEL as a Journey On World Mental Health Day, our Programme Officer Syeda Ansa reflects on her own personal journey to resilience, and how we embed Socio-Emotional Learning (SEL) in our work at Cities for Children.In a fast-paced world where daily noise can drown out our inner voices, creating space for …
Coverage of this event appeared in national dailies, The News and The Nation, on April 4, 2024. In a vibrant showcase event held on Wednesday, April 3, 2024, Cities for Children marked the successful completion of the Seekho Sikhao Saathi programme in collaboration with the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE). The event, attended by a diverse …
Originally published in Dawn newspaper on November 11, 2023By Madeeha AnsariAS part of a global research project on forced migration, I was able to listen closely to the stories of children who had perhaps one, perhaps two parents of Afghan origin, and whose only memories were of life in Pakistan. The most powerful, common motif …
Through the thoughtful and impactful programs we create, Cities for Children caters to the three rights of each child – right to read, to play, and to safety - and help associate learning with joy and motivate children to stay in education. Our Seekho Sikhao Saathi (Partners in Learning) programme is one such program. Cities for …
From October 2022, till March 2023, we supported our partners to set up Temporary Learning Centers in Sindh, Pakistan. Through these two magical spaces, one in Umerkot district and one in Hyderabad, over 250 bright young learners found joy, stability, hope and friendship.In Umerkot, we worked with humanitarian partners Charity Doings Foundation to provide a space that became a hub of …
Shanzay Ejaz, Communications InternThe countrywide closure of schools in 2020 as an emergency response to the Covid-19 crisis led to huge disruption in education for children in Pakistan. The implications were disproportionately serious for girls, in a country with already slow progress towards gender parity. In order to help and support street-connected children to continue …