Days of gloom are over for Muhammad Adnan as he can finally go back to his school that was destroyed in the high-intensity 2005 earthquake. “This is the happiest day of my life,” said the ninth grader.
He was going to attend the Government Boys High School Arja in Bagh district, which was recently reconstructed by the USAID.
“I faced many problems because I could not continue my studies. However, a few months later USAID established a makeshift school where I was able to continue my education’’ he added.
Saira Noorin a college student was also overjoyed to be able to resume education in the new building. “I waited for at least six years to see my new college building. The wait is finally over,” she said with a smile.
While elaborating on the rehabilitation and reconstruction process, the USAID Construction Program Chief Tarek Selim told The Express Tribune that through these projects 77 different buildings have been constructed in Bagh district, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Mansehra, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, at a cost of 130 million USD.
He further said that 15 schools have been completed in Bagh district while 12 are under construction, adding that 15 Basic Health Units have completed and handed over to local authorities.
Similarly, construction of 21 schools has been completed and 10 are under construction in Mansehra.
He said that one hospital is still under construction, adding that all buildings were designed internationally-recognised standards which have double capacity in classrooms, libraries, and laboratories. The remaining projects will be completed in 2013
Published in The Express Tribune, June 18th, 2012.
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