Karachi, a sprawling mosaic of white cracked concrete with its endless houses dissected by narrow streets, is home to around 16.5 million people. It sits adjacent to the Arabian sea and spreads uncontrollably over one hundred square miles. An urban nightmare, it has been called “the world’s most violent city” by TIME Magazine.
This school is located on a steep rugged incline that sits at the edge of a poor colony, New Mianwali, in North Karachi. The dusty alley ways are the playground for hundreds of children, just a few of the 23 million out of school children in Pakistan. It was here the Holy Shepherd Grammar School was opened. A Pakistani couple had a concern for this desperately needy community, especially the minorities who did not always attend the Government schools for fear for of discrimination or worse.
One of Shared Hope’s partners in Pakistan began supporting this school in 2004 when its founding donors dropped out. At that time, it had around 200 students and the building was in urgent need of repair with huge cracks in the walls and ceiling. The school has grown, injecting new hope into the community. An excellent new school building was completed in 2022 at significant cost that will more than adequately facilitate the 450 current students.
Shared Hope began supporting the school in 2014. The school is registered with the Education Board as a High School. In 2022, 20 students passed Matric including two students with grade A. In the same grounds a vocational training centre, which was financed by the Japanese government, was completed in 2013 and now equips young men and women with a variety of skills that will enable them to secure employment.
