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Stay connected and learn how we respond to emergencies, amplify displaced voices, and provide sanctuary for those facing adversity.
out-of-school children enrolled
in schools between 2018-2021
people provided with emergency
assistance during floods
scholarships for Afghan girls and young women
Pakistan is home to 1.4 million registered Afghan refugees, and many more without legal status, making it the world’s fifth largest refugee hosting country. These displaced communities often lack access to formal education, legal employment, and public health care. Meanwhile, around one in four Pakistanis live below the poverty line, and malnutrition continues to threaten millions, especially in the areas affected by the catastrophic 2022 floods. Lack of access to education is also a serious challenge, disproportionately affecting children in rural areas and girls.
For the last 23years, Alight has delivered life-changing support to millions in Pakistan. Over 1.1 million out-of-school children – including more than 500,000 girls – have been provided with access to education. Our flagship project is the innovative, climate-resilient Zaha school, which serves 200 children from marginalized communities, and provides local women with access to vocational training. Prioritizing health and nutrition support since 2003, we provided primary health care to nearlythrough 42 supported facilities. We alsodistributed over 56K therapeutic food supplements to children affected bymalnutrition and supported 30K+ mothers with infant feeding guidance.Combning urgenthumanitarian assistance with sustainable development projects, we createlong-term pathways for resilience, dignity, and opportunity.
Abdul Malik Ahmadzai dreamt of becoming a doctor, but the odds were against him: a refugee from Afghanistan, he lost his father to cancer while he was a ninth-grade student. Still, he continued his education, even while working in a tailor’s shop to support his family. Despite setbacks – including spinal surgery – he earned a scholarship from Alight Pakistan Scholarship Program and completed his medical studies with excellent results. Grateful for the opportunity that he was given, Abdul says: “This is not just my success. It belongs equally to everyone who believed in me when no one else would.”
Through our Afghan Thrive program, we are training over 120,000 Afghan women and girls in digital, language, and business skills on Coursera. Additionally, in collaboration with the Education Above All (EAA)Foundation, we offer fully funded international undergraduate scholarships for Afghan female students.
When floods devastated the village of Wah Burira in 2022, Alight in collaboration with the Islamic Medical Association of North America (IMANA) swiftly responded to provide emergency relief. But some problems persisted: for many families, malnutrition was a huge challenge. To support mothers in providing a healthy start for their children we launched a Community Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) project. And after the program’s initial success in Wah Burira, we expanded it to the flood-affected areas of upper Sindh.
“Growing up in a small village without a school, I dreamt of becoming a teacher. Every day, I walked miles to a far-off school. In 2022, a devastating flood swept through our lives, halting our education and leaving our village in despair. Help arrived from Alight Pakistan. With their assistance I set up a makeshift classroom under an open sky and became a teacher to 60 eager young children. Today, with the support of Alight Pakistan and my loving parents, our village’s passion for education is stronger than ever.”
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Alight and Education Above All worked closely to reach and enroll children in quality primary education. Our efforts included engaging with local communities, educating parents, constructing new schools, training teachers, and designing practical solutions tailored to local needs.
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Alight Pakistan is committed to education, providing a mobile library van and sports kits to keep kids engaged and active. We’ve enrolled over 950,000 children in school, supplied thousands of non-formal schools with essential materials, and adapted to Covid-19 with initiatives like Radio Muallim.
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The recent devastating floods in Pakistan have left millions of people homeless and one-third of Pakistan underwater.
READ MORE ↗Stay connected and learn how we respond to emergencies, amplify displaced voices, and provide sanctuary for those facing adversity.