By design, not default, is how these students decided to change the world

Students from 35 schools out of 1,500 across Pakistan celebrate winning ‘Design for Change Pakistan 2010’ competition.

KARACHI: Students from 35 schools out of 1,500 across Pakistan celebrated winning the ‘Design for Change Pakistan 2010’ nationwide competition on Saturday at a ceremony to recognise their initiative to change their surroundings.

Five winners were selected from each of the categories: Boldest ideas, The Jinnah Prize, Most people impacted, Quickest impact, Maximum potential for long lasting change, easiest to replicate and most environmentally friendly. The jury was made up of educationist Abbas Husain, advertising professional Farahnaz Haider Shaikh, educator Shahnaz Hassan and communication designer and author of ‘Mazaar Bazaar’ Saima Zaidi.

The winners came from private schools, such as the Convent of Jesus and Mary (CJM) and The City School, and institutions run by charitable organisations, such as The Zindagi Trust. But no matter what kind of school it was, the winning students displayed one concern in common: the ability to tackle projects children face in society.

For example, “Each One Teach One” was an initiative by nine-year-old students from Lahore Grammar School while another group of eight to 14 year old students from The Academy based in Karachi campaigned for “A safer you is a safer me”, highlighting the need for better traffic control, reduced noise pollution, a reduction in cell phone use while driving and better civic sense in general.

“I thought it was a great idea, we went to the area near Ziauddin Hospital with signs that read people shouldn’t blow their horns and make useless noise, especially near a hospital,” said a talkative and confident The Academy student Ashir Ghori. “I didn’t campaign to win but because I really feel bad about how people behave sometimes.”

Ghania Fahim, 9, a student at The Academy, was “really excited” about the project and was glad they won. But if she were to do it all over again she said she would campaign for better hygiene, something that “is greatly lacking in society”.

Aroon Haroon, 11, studies at the Mehmoodabad branch of Zindagi Trust School. He and his schoolmates won the Jinnah Prize for their entry called “I am paid to learn.” The subject was particularly close to Aroon’s heart as he joined school just a year ago. He continues to work after school at a carpet workshop to support his family but said he wanted other children to realise the importance of an education as he has. This project targeted child beggars, whose parents refused to send them to school as it would mean a loss of income. It tries to help them find ways to earn a living while getting an education. Aroon hoped to continue with the initiative along with his struggle for a better life.

In the “Easiest to replicate” category, CJM came up with a “Bridging the Gap” initiative, narrowing the differences between the “haves and have-nots.” Thirteen-year-old Natasha James explained how they reached out to students at a garage school in their campus’ neighbourhood by “doing art and crafts, teaching them the computer and education through games.” Natasha said she was happy to see the drive and eagerness to learn. In fact, she would now like to volunteer every Saturday.

Another CJM student, Areej Ali, said that she was happy they had chosen such a campaign. “The rich always feel they are superior but it is education and not money that makes a difference. I enjoyed spending time with the garage school children because they were determined to learn and not give up on themselves.”

Representing The City School, Junior A, Capital Section, a teacher Nazir Mazhar caught a bus from Islamabad to Karachi when she received word that her students were among the winners. “Flights were booked solid but I thought I must attend after all the hard work the children put in.” The students went to unplanned settlements or slums and taught children there about hygiene, recycling and constructive use of their time. Another prize to The City School, this time the Junior Girls Nazimabad branch, was awarded for their idea to create a syllabus and workshop for under-privileged children. “We have to start grooming today for a better tomorrow,” said Aayesha Zahid, a teacher. Zoha Binte Akmal, 11, was part of this project.

“We received a lot of resistance in our campaign which involved recruiting students to teach,” she explained. “Many girls said their families wouldn’t allow it while their mother’s said it would interfere with their work. Finally, I found two girls willing to learn, but after the week’s campaign was over one of them left for the Punjab. But I won’t take it to heart. I will find other students and try all over again.”

Five winners from each category

Quickest Impact

City School Senior Branch Attock

The Academy, Karachi

City School Senior Section Satellite Town Rawalpindi

Laurelbank Public School - Side Branch (SRC-1 GB), Lahore

Zindagi Trust Pindi Stop Campus, Lahore

Most People Impacted

Sitara Community School, Karachi

Beaconhouse Margalla Campus Girls, Islamabad

Beaconhouse Okara Campus

Ali Nawaz Community School, Karachi

City School Senior Branch Rahim Yar Khan

Easiest to Replicate

Dr MAH Siddiqi DIL Junior 8 School, Karachi

D A Public School, Karachi

Beaconhouse Johar Town Girls Branch, Lahore

City School Mianwali Campus

Convent of Jesus and Mary, Karachi

Most Environmentally Friendly

Beaconhouse School System Middle, PECHS, Karachi

Zindagi Trust Haji Usman Korangi High School, Karachi

SLS Montessori & School, Junior Section Lalazar, Rawalpindi

Govt Primary School, Zarghon, Quetta

The Educators F B Area Campus 1, Karachi

Maximum Potential for Long Lasting Change

City School Junior Branch Rawalpindi

City School Junior Girls, North Nazimabad, Karachi

Bulandi Community School, Karachi

Anmol Community School, Karachi

SOS Herman Gmeiner Girls High School Rawalpindi

Boldest Idea

Behbud Girls Secondary School, Karachi

Society Govt Boys Primary School Balawari

Lahore Grammar School, Model Town Lahore

Behbud Primary School Kalapul, Karachi

Govt Boys and Girls Elementary Hatim Alvi School, Karachi

Jinnah Prize

Govt Girls Model School Police Line, Quetta

BVS Parsi High School, Karachi

City School Junior A, Capital Campus Islamabad

Army Public School and College, Humayun Road, Rawalpindi

Zindagi Trust Mehmudabad School, Karachi

Published in The Express Tribune, November 21^st, 2010.