Our Initiatives

Education

Education is one of the most important assets to enable progressive human development and we at SKMF believe that education has one of the highest returns on any social investment.
To promote education in Pakistan, SKMF aims to improve the standard of primary and secondary education by adopting government owned schools. Our strategic interventions aim at improving infrastructural elements of the school to make it a more welcoming and rewarding ecosystemto study in. In addition, we also focus on simultaneously improving the quality of education at the school through new skilled teacher hires, various tech based learning classes, vocational training sessions and a broad array of extracurricular activities imperative for the development of a well-rounded student. Our program empowers boys and girls with the adequate knowledge and skill set to break the cycle of poverty, not only for themselves but also for their future generations.
Our work in education aims to improve existing curricula and enhance learning dynamics through the introduction of workbooks, digital teaching aids, trained teachers and extracurricular activities.
Since 2014, we have been successful in increasing student enrollment from 750 to 1,200 children. As part of our mission, we also provide all students with free uniforms, text books and stationary all aimed at giving each student an equal chance for success at school.
In order to enhance the standard of education taught to student, SKMF has hired 40 teachers on the foundation’s payroll to bridge the student-teacher ratio gap. By reducing the student-teacher ratio gap, we aim to address one of the major factors causing disparity in student learning. Our staff comprises of well qualified, certified professional teachers in the subjects they offer.

Did You Know?

• The highest dropout rate is by the age of 9 in grade 5, which is almost (42.8 percent)
• More girls than boys are out of school; 38.9 percent of primary school-age girls are not attending school, whereas the rate is 30.2 percent for boys.
• 5 million children are still not enrolled in primary education and another 2.7 million are not enrolled at lower secondary level

Clean Water Distribution

Due to lack of developed infrastructure in rural and urban areas, it has made access to safe water extremely difficult for many underprivileged communities. Millions of people in Pakistan have little or no access to water and are subject to poor sanitary conditions. Through the clean water distribution project, SKMF aims to provide marginalized communities with sustainable water supplies.Pakistan has an incredibly high urbanization rate and it is estimated that by 2015 over half of the population will be living in urban centres. SKMF’s main focus is to decrease the strain on the limited water and sanitation facilities in the urban centres by adopting water filtration plants in areas such as Landhi, Korangi and Orangi Town by the end of the year.

Did You Know?

• In Pakistan water related diseases cause nearly 60 per cent of child mortality cases
• More than 780 million people around the world do not have access to safe drinking water
• 72% of the urban population had access to improved sanitation facilities. In rural areas, the number was just 34%, bringing the country average to 47%

Vocational Training

SKMF focuses on providing technical education and vocational training to youths from underprivileged backgrounds. We aim to achieve this by conducting specialized training courses related to various fields or trades. Trainings are selected by conducting a needs assessment which determines an applicant’s interest and employment prospects. Qualified instructors are hired to engage and train the students in their respective fields. These classes and courses are completely free of charge.

Healthcare

According to the UNICEF Report 2014, an alarmingly high number of people do not have access to basic health care facilities in Pakistan. The report indicates that Pakistan ranks 26th in the list of countries with high infant mortality rates.SKMF works on improving the nutrition of the students in our adopted schools. Enrolled students receive checkups and curative care and basic medical provisions when needed.

Recognizing that a link between helping disadvantaged people meet their basic healthcare needs and building healthy communities exists, our program will also focus on health education and preventative care, allowing children to remain healthy and are able to go to school.

Clean water, sanitary facilities and good hygiene practices are essential for a child’s education. All these factors contribute towards the health and well being of students and ensure higher school attendance.

According to UNICEF, each year, 400 million children suffer from intestinal worms due to inadequate sanitation facilities and unsafe drinking water. For school-aged children, these parasitic infections increase their chances of contracting other diseases, weakening their immune system and subsequently limiting their ability to learn.

Did You Know?

• In Pakistan almost 86 children per 1000 die before the age of 5
• Some 6.6 million children under 5 years of age died in 2012, mostly from preventable causes
• Neonatal Mortality Rate is 42%