Background Information on Mr Morton's Visit to Pakistan

Andrew Morton (Head of Biology) visited Pakistan for the third time where he has a long-term contract to assist the Aga Khan University Examination Board with teaching, learning and assessment in the schools affiliated to the Board. He visited the country in October 2005, just after the disastrous earthquake which killed so many.

The Dollar Academy Charities Committee, when they heard about the visit, asked if they might send some money to help with the relief directly.

So, with the help of Tom Christie, Director of AKUEB, a private school was contacted in Abbotabad. The lady Principal, Mrs Khola Mustafa, has set up a tented school for 300 children on the mountains above Balakot, very near to the epicentre of the earthquake. She travels two hours to the school every morning to supervise the work of the teachers and staff there and the entire project has been financed and supported by her school in Abbotabad - Iqra Academy. All the children lost close relatives and friends in the disaster, and were severely traumatised by the event - more than half the children in the area were killed. Without her intervention, who knows what might have happened to these young people, described as the remnants of a “lost generation”.

Mr Morton visited the school on January 8th and was hugely impressed by the work being done there.

Dollar Academy Charities Committee and the Prep and Junior Schools have made an initial donation of £8000 to help with this project. Given that a classroom only costs £400 to build, and the rent for the ground is only £40 per month, this sum of money will go a long way to help with the construction work.

It is hoped to build up strong links with Iqra Academy, which is one of the most prestigious schools of the area. Mrs Mustafa has made an open invitation to any interested staff or pupils of Dollar Academy to come out and work with her in the two schools, and it is hoped she herself will be able to visit Dollar Academy some time in the near future.

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