“I always feel honored to be one of those people who are making girls’ futures brighter through education.”
Haleema is one of our high school teachers in the village of Tissar, in Baltistan, where she teaches math and science. She loves teaching, as it allows her to interact with young minds and exercise creativity in how she delivers her lessons. She has thrived under Iqra Fund’s training program, which has helped her expand her own knowledge base and gain exposure to modern teaching methods that she enjoys implementing in her classroom. One of her main takeaways from the trainings has been the importance of co-curricular activities for her students. “I have seen the change in my students since I have started implementing what I learned in Iqra Fund trainings,” says Haleema, “they are more confident, creative and think more critically about things.”
Haleema is a strong believer in the power of girls’ education. Before she started teaching, there were no other female teachers at the local high school and so parents in the village were reluctant to send their girls to school. As a result, girls would drop out after primary school and would in most cases get married and work in the fields. However, Haleema’s desire to change social norms in her village motivated her to begin teaching at the high school. She now has 67 female high school students! “It has been a challenge to convince parents to let their girls stay in school and not drop out,” she admits. She works with the local Village Education Committee and regularly meets with parents to ensure that her students stay in school, and that working in the fields does not affect their education. “Things are improving every day, which gives me hope for the future.”
