Into The Fields With Raveena
Every morning, ten-year-old Raveena heads out into the lush green fields of Tando Allahyar, Sindh, where she spends the next few hours…
A Will Unshaken
“What is there to learn in a classroom? Most girls your age are married already. Instead of burying your head in books, you should be learning household chores.”…
TCF’s Mother Tongue Based Learning Initiative
According to UNESCO, ‘A major reason for poor performance of many linguistic and ethnic minority children is that they are often taught in a language they struggle to understand. It limits their ability to develop foundations for later learning and negatively…..
Half Ironman Traithlon – Talal Khan
A Half Ironman is a grueling triathlon event encompassing a 1.2 mile (1920m) open water ocean swim, a 56 mile (90km) bicycle ride, and a 13.1 mile (10km) run back to back. My aim is to participate in the Half Ironman on November 3, 2019 in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico….
Breaking the Mould
When she was little, Samina Noreen, living in Moza Kot Sharif, a small village in the Chiniot district of Punjab used to rouse from her sleep for prayers; bowing her head in prostration, beseeching, “O Allah, please help me continue school.”…
Rebuilding a New Life
It was 2007; thousands of people were forced to flee their homes in Bajaur Agency as the Pakistan Army intensified its operation against the militants. Jawwad, who was just seven at that time, can clearly recall the horror…
A Long Walk to Education
“My parents enrolled me in kindergarten at TCF School, Sumar Goth Campus, located near the coastline of Karachi, but soon pulled me out because it was nearly 35 minutes to school on foot each way…
The Girl in the Chilli Fields
“Hurry up, beti (daughter), it is time to pick,” calls Zainab’s mother as she wakes her up before the break of dawn. Zainab knows that it is going to be a long day because she and her family would work until late evening to get the harvesting done on time…
‘Beauty’ of Education and Enterprise
As we make our way inside TCF’s Cowasjee Campus, we spot Fizza Naz sharing a lighthearted moment with her ex-Principal in her office….
Building the Ladder to Success
By Tehmina Qureshi
Under the Alumni Development Programme, TCF alumni are teaming up with spirited volunteers to create unprecedented opportunities for the TCF students following in their footsteps. In doing so, they demonstrate the promise and possibilities of the TCF movement…
Children Belong in School, Not Jail
“It’s very heart-breaking to see a child in jail whose family has given up on him because they are either too poor to fight for his rights or too busy feeding their other eight or nine children. …
Basit Says ‘Hello’ to a Brighter Future
“When I came to this college for my interview, I was just sitting there nodding my head in a ‘yes’ and shaking it for a ‘no’
My visit to TCF Pakistan and our St. Louis Schools
Amal Mansuri, TCF-St. Louis
April 2018
Even. More. Inspired. As I planned a short visit to Pakistan recently, TCF was definitely one of my priorities.
Givelight Foundation Is Partnering With TCF To Give 200 Orphans A Brighter Future
GiveLight Foundation was inspired by a desire to come to the help of the victims of the 2004 tsunami that devastated many coastal communities in Asia.
Supporting Nonprofit Organizations Using Design For Positive Impact
Since 2014, children in children in urban slums and poor rural communities have been attending school in beautiful, comfortable and well lit building thank to TCF and Autodesk.
4-star rating 4 years in a row
Charity Navigator says TCF-USA outperforms most other charities in America.
TCF-USA has been awarded a 4-star rating for the fourth consecutive year by Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent evaluator of charities…
Pakistan is home to the most frenetic education reforms in the world
EVERY three months, Shahbaz Sharif, the chief minister of Punjab, gathers education officials around a large rectangular table…
Defying Stereotypes through Entrepreneurship
By Usman Mujtaba
Surrounded by uncertainty when his father met an unfortunate accident, Wajid Ali’s story reflects a young man’s resilience in the face of adversity…
A Village Transformed by Education
By Usman Mujtaba
When TCF opened its first school in Minhala, it was a challenge to convince the community to send their daughters to school…
TCF-USA Boston Chapter Hosts 4th Annual Gala
Event Date: September, 09th 2017
The Boston community came together on September 9th to celebrate Eid with their TCF family. Over 250 community members attended the event…
UNESCO honours TCF’s Adult Literacy Programme – ‘Aagahi’
The Citizens Foundation (TCF) has been announced as one of the winners of UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy 2017. This year’s theme was ‘Literacy in a digital world’…
TCF celebrates 70th Independence Day of Pakistan
Check out the August 14th celebrations at the TCF Qayummabad Campus Karachi.
IBA signs MoU with TCF to help students in aptitude tests
The Institute of Business Administration, Karachi, and The Citizens Foundation (TCF), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU),
Educate Pakistan moves forward
The Citizens Foundation is doing an amazing job, and I’m honoured to be here.
TCF takes over management of 89 Government schools across Pakistan
The Citizens Foundation (TCF) has taken over management responsibilities of 89 Government schools across Pakistan in order to help improve the quality of education, school administration and enrolment of out-of-school children.
From darkness comes darkness
Published in The Express Tribune
By Chris Cork
March 10th, 2016; The wonderful, and not so wonderful, world of education in Pakistan has never ceased to both amaze and appall me. The work of The Citizens Foundation (TCF) and the groundbreaking efforts of DeafReach are positively inspiring. Likewise the tiny St Sarah …Read More
Extraordinary Pakistanis: Nadeem Hussain
Originally published in The Express Tribune
This is a moving story about a young man from a katchi abadi in Karachi, who graduated from IBA, Karachi despite his father working as a mazdoor in a wire factory for 35 years. Today, Nadeem Hussain works as a World Bank Technical Assistant to …Read More
Young artists receive awards at TCF Art-a-Thon 2016
Published in Dawn
ISLAMABAD, March 4, 2016: The Art-a-Thon 2016 award ceremony was hosted on Wednesday by the Satrang Gallery and Islamabad Serena Hotel. The competition is a city-wide art competition that raises funds for The Citizen’s Foundation (TCF).
TCF is a non-profit organisation that provides education to underprivileged children. Incorporated in …Read More
Hubculture interviews Mushtaq Chhapra at WEF Meeting – Davos, 2016
HubCulture interviews Mushtaq Chhapra at WEF Meeting, Davos 2016 from The Citizens Foundation on Vimeo.
TCF the only NGO to represent Pakistan in World Economic Forum 2016
Karachi, January 22, 2016: Chairman and Founding Director of The Citizens Foundation (TCF), Mr. Mushtaq Chhapra is currently attending the 46th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland. Earlier last year, TCF was honored with the prestigious Schwab Foundation Social Entrepreneur of the Year 2015 award …Read More
Ali Zafar endorses TCF’s ‘141 Schools for Peace’ campaign on the first anniversary of Peshawar school attack
Ali Zafar endorses TCF’s ‘141 Schools for Peace’ Campaign from The Citizens Foundation on Vimeo.
A Qulfi Seller from IBA
“I want to share my belief with every TCF student, that consistent hard work and determination will help them succeed. At the end of the day, life is hard for all of us. There will be many obstacles to what we want from life. Keep moving and praying to God, …Read More
A Lesson in Perseverance
“During my interview for Principal’s position, the Regional Manager asked me, ‘What if you do not make it?’ I told him that I will try harder next time. I will be like a spider that never gives up … time and time again it falls, yet gets back to try …Read More
Spreading the Light
“Asma cannot go to school but I’m there for her. I teach her whatever I learn at school every day. My school principal has also helped me get some old school books for Asma. I just want every girl of my village to be able to go to school. I …Read More
Painting a Colorful Future
“We live surrounded by fear and uncertainty. Small issues can spark violent clashes between different ethnic groups in our area. I just want peace so that we live our lives fully, do our businesses, sit freely on the sidewalks and our children do not miss school even for a day. …Read More
A Gift of Literacy
“Just a few days ago, as I was about to begin my Aagahi session, one of the women in my class pulled me down in excitement. She had brought a newspaper. I sat with her quiet and motionless with my eyes on her while she tried to read the paper. …Read More
From Humble to Harvard
“Akhter was really worried about money. He wasn’t able to make ends meet for his family so I offered him a loan for his business. I’m a bridge between people who want to help and the ones who need help. I get enormous satisfaction from knowing that education has empowered …Read More
From Obscurity to Soaring Heights
“Almost 43% of TCF graduates secure A+ and A grades. Many of them feel that money is the barrier that keeps them from going to some of the top universities in Pakistan. I want them to believe that if they work hard and focus, they can break through all these …Read More
23 Steps closer to 141 Schools for Peace
Following the tragic massacre of 141 students of the Army Public School (APS) in Peshawar last year, TCF launched the ‘141 Schools for Peace’ initiative aimed at building 141 schools, each as a tribute to the innocent lives lost. A year down, TCF has successfully built 23 schools and is …Read More
Beating the Odds: University Students lend a Helping Hand
Published in the Express Tribune
TCF’s Alumni Development Programme developed in tandem with the Institute of Business Adminstration (IBA) is aimed at providing students with opportunities to further their educational pursuits and achievements through enrolling in universities. The program focuses specifically on supporting TCF school graduates towards securing admission into post …Read More
Empowering Teachers: The Driving Force Of Our Mission
Quality education begins with a competent teacher. A teacher’s excellence and her commitment to the service of educating is the compass steering the future of countless young minds. The profound impact of a teacher’s learning and development reverberates in the outcomes of their students – shaping their personal and academic …Read More
Renowned actor Adnan Siddiqui tours TCF Ibrahim Hyderi Campus 📚
“I’m really impressed by the level of technology in the classrooms. TCF is fostering digital literacy skills from an early age.”
Pakistani actor Adnan Siddiqui tours TCF’s Ibrahim Hyderi campus, connecting with brilliant young minds on the path of quality education! 📚
Watch as he learns about TCF, discovering firsthand the transformative …Read More
Gul Muhammad is going the extra mile!
At a roadside dhaba (tea shack) in Qasim Bughio village in Hala (Sindh), TCF student Gul Muhammad brews and serves tea from sundown to midnight. Gul Muhammad stepped up to take this job after his father fell severely ill and his mother’s meagre earnings as a farmer could not make …Read More
From Bhai Pheru Village to LUMS!
The sun was setting on the dusty streets of Bhai Pheru in Punjab as Ayesha stood before the Chaudhry (the tribal leader of the village), alongside her father and grandfather, holding her acceptance letter from the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) in her hand. Her heart was pounding in …Read More
A First-Generation Doctor!
Growing up, Aqsa often saw her parents struggle to pay for her education. They would often have to forego meals to cover the cost of her education at a local private school. Even as a child, she was very conscious of how hard her father worked as a manual laborer …Read More
From Orangi Town to Whitman College & Oxford – The Story of Kainat Ansari
“Education is the best tool. It is the best investment, because when you empower an individual with education, you do not change one individual, you transform a whole generation. The generation that will be coming from me or my siblings or from my cousins, they are going to be an …Read More
TCF & IDEAS Collaborate On Gender-Focused Research Supported By Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
The Citizens Foundation (TCF) and the Institute of Development & Economic Alternatives (IDEAS) are pleased to announce their collaboration on a research study funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF).
Ilm Ka Aangan Magazine – Making Great Reading Material For Children
TCF has began publishing an edutainment magazine, Ilm Ka Aangan, for primary and secondary school learners separately. Each issue features a variety of fun exercises including math quizzes, riddles, DIY activities, comprehension exercises, exciting stories and much more. Copies of the magazine are collected fortnightly by TCF students or parents …Read More