The Pakistan Literacy Project (PLP), an initiative of the Aamnat Foundation, is a private sector project with the goal of supporting education to eliminate illiteracy. PLP's mission is to enable every adult learner and especially females to acquire basic skills in reading, writing and arithmetic, leading to becoming well-versed citizens.
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PLP is a citizens' effort to supplement existing literacy programs efforts to help schools homes or community centers, with a focus on keeping program costs low for greater productivity. Volunteerism and philanthropy are two important pillars of this program.
The objective is to achieve almost 100% literacy in communities selected for PLP centers. This initiative concentrates its focus on the female population in Pakistan.
The following services are offered by PLP:
Projects
Karachi rural areas of Gadap and Bin Qasim Town were selected as pilot centers, due to being the least developed areas. A survey was conducted and 15 Literacy Centers were planned. Teachers’ training was provided to the selected teachers and teaching started on March 23, 2009 at the homes of the teachers, who are called Rehnuma.
The volunteerism was spearheaded by Shoukat Bizinjo, a professional from the area. The team successfully completed 12 Pilot Literacy Centers on 14 August, 2009. A Certificate Distribution Ceremony was planned for Oct 2, 2009 to present certificates to 276 successful learners, who completed the 4-month program, requiring two hours daily of learning to read and write in Urdu and do basic arithmetic.
Based on experience gained in the pilot centers, the group made coordinated efforts for planning the centers in conjunction with a local organization Karachi Social Viable Association (KSVA) which conducted surveys based on detailed forms designed by PLP. Based on the survey, teacher training at 10 Literacy Centers with an enrollment of 225 learners commenced at Ibrahim Hyderi, attended by notables and local elected leaders of the area.
Based on interest shown by GB people based on surveys conducted by volunteers, arrangements have been made for 10 Centers, 5 each in Gilgit and Baltistan. The goal was to commence teacher training after Ramzan.
Based on the surveys, 3 Literacy Centers were planned in Mohra Noor and adjoining areas. Unfortunately, the lack of volunteers from the area coupled with local resistance to improving women's literacy caused the centers to be closed.
The Aamnat Foundation offered the Adult Literacy program to fellow IDP citizens who had abandon their homes in Swat and who were forced to live in camps and temporary locations as refugees.
Based on a survey conducted in the Jalala camp, five Literacy Centers were created, which led to teacher trainees successfully completing the first of the four books. After the centers were opened, a pamphlet was distributed in Urdu and English to invite others to join the program and to encourage volunteerism.
Fortunately because of improved law and order situation in Swat the IDPs started to return to their homes, from Jalala camp. That necessitated the closure of the area centers and the campaign for literacy in Mardan and Takht e Bai came to end.