The Light Home School is the only school in Garjakh colony, Gujranwala, an industrial city in the north-east of the Punjab province of Pakistan. It is the sixth largest city in Pakistan with a population of approximately 2.5 million and one of the fastest growing. Due to reasonable road and rail links the city has flourished with the growth of manufacturing and agriculture.
Families living Garjakh colony are very poor. The parents of the children have little choice but to work in menial jobs such as street sweepers, factory workers and as daily labourers in the construction industry. Some mothers clean the homes of the wealthy. Consequently, the families are unable to afford to pay significant fees for the education of their children.
The Light Home School began in 2000 in the ordinary home (hence Light Home School), of a local community leader. This man’s father’s vision was to provide an education to minorities in his home area. With no suitable building or sufficient resources, he decided to use the first floor and roof of his home for the school! The son, in honour of his father, decided to carry the vision forward.
The school was introduced to Shared Hope in February 2013. Shared Hope agreed to construct three classrooms and two washrooms on the roof of the home. The classrooms are of a solid construction complete with Shared Hope Logos moulded into the walls and ceilings. On the first floor there is a large L shaped room with 3 ingenious wooden wall dividers on wheels creating a further four classrooms. Two classes sit outside on the roof. The number of children on the roll is around 180 with eight teachers. Orphan children can attend without paying fees.
