School Rehabilitation and Community Infrastructure Project

With support from the Japanese Embassy Islamabad, CAMP initiated the ‘Schools Rehabilitation and Small Community Infrastructure Schemes Project’ in 20 villages of Mohmand Agency in FATA, in March 2010.

The one year project is funded under the Grants for Grassroots Funds Japan and will rehabilitate 20 Primary government schools, as well as develop small infrastructure schemes in the same villages.

School buildings in Mohmand Agency as in all of FATA, are in a dilapidated condition due to neglect and more recently the damage caused by the military operation. The buildings are ill equipped, unhygienic and even lack basic sanitation facilities. Water supply facilities are not provided inside the schools premises in most areas. Most of the schools need urgent maintenance and repair works such as electrification, paint/white wash, flooring, plastering, brickwork, boundary wall repairs etc.

Majority of the schools in FATA are without furniture and basic teaching aids like blackboards and school supplies. All these factors contribute to the dropout rate, particularly among girls whose parents want the schools to be well-protected (keeping in mind the tradition of ‘pardah’) and having basic water and sanitation facilities.

The project will also develop small-scale infrastructure projects including installation of ten hand pumps, five drainage systems and five water tanks. These will be based on the needs and priorities of the communities. The communities will be mobilized so that they are closely involved in the identification, construction and maintenance of these schemes.