Pakistan

240m

Residents of the country

22%

Are below the poverty line

64%

Are under 30 years old

5 years

Average number of years in school

67 years

Life expectancy at birth

Partnership with ABC Children's Aid in Pakistan

In Pakistan there are 2 partners:

• Rasta Brick Kiln School in Sheikhupura, Punjab and
• Community Care School í Lahore

Collaboration with Rasta Brick Kiln School

ABC began collaborating with the non-governmental organization Rasta Foundation of Pakistan in 2018. Rasta has been working in Pakistan since 2009 and their goal is to help the children of the brick kilns gain education and freedom.

Collaboration with Community Care School

ABC began a partnership with Community Care School (CCS) in 2022. The school began operations that year and their goal is to help brick children gain education and freedom.

The schools

The Rasta school is in a district called Sheikhupura, where most families are in debt to factory owners.

There, children receive day school education from kindergarten to grade 10. They learn Urdu, English, mathematics, poetry and art, social studies, religious studies, science, geography, history and computer education. At the school, they can complete the equivalent of a high school education, and the program is both theoretical and practical.

These children have one thing in common: they have not received any education of any kind before coming to the Rasta school.

CCS School is located on the outskirts of the big city of Lahore, where many families are in debt to factory owners. There, children of preschool and primary school age receive theoretical and practical instruction and will eventually complete their primary school exams. What these children have in common is that they have not received any education before coming to CCS School.

Growing community

The Rasta Foundation Brick Kiln Slaves School was founded in 2009 by a Christian pastor named Shamoun Chand. Chand grew up in the vicinity of the brick kilns and saw the need for this isolated group of children who were deprived of their rights and education. Chand started in a small building with three teachers. In 2013, a Swedish organization came and built a new school building for the organization, which was inaugurated on November 28, 2013. The school has grown steadily and today has over 200 students and 18 teachers and staff.

CCS was founded in 2022 by Asma Mustaq, who belongs to a Christian minority in Pakistan. Asma studied in Sweden and was invited to work there, but her calling was to work for disadvantaged women and children in Pakistan. Currently, 54 children study at the school in a small school building, but the goal is for the school to grow steadily in the coming years, as new cohorts are added.

School activities

Much effort is made to ensure that students learn about and become aware of their rights and responsibilities in society.

Education is systematically promoted about the basic needs of children, child protection, child slavery, human trafficking, gender identity rights, and more. There are many social problems in the country and the rights of its citizens are greatly violated.

Most children start preschool at the age of 6. Primary school is like in Iceland from grade 1 to grade 10, but then students take standardized exams and can continue their studies if they pass the exams.

The school year in Pakistan is divided into three semesters.

• The first semester is from April to June.
• Summer school is from June to July.
• The second semester is from September to December.
• The third semester is from January to March.

The unspoiled generation

It is widely agreed that corruption is the main cause of poverty in the world. The philosophy of the “incorruptible generation” has been implemented across ABC schools in Asia and Africa. Children are systematically taught about the negative impact and extent of corruption. Corruption is about distorted thinking rather than the pursuit of money, and future generations will grow up being educated about this main cause of poverty and destitution.

The Brick Children

The poor or those at the bottom of the social ladder in Pakistan do not have many options when it comes to providing for themselves and their families. They often have two options: begging on the streets or taking loans from those who run the country's large industries, including brick factories. If they accept a loan, they face a long and hard day's work making bricks from clay. The sun usually shines brightly during the day, which makes the clay very hot, and workers have to carry bricks with their bare hands. In Sheikhupura district, hundreds of children are forced into slave labor, and the treatment of the children is so bad that they are not allowed to attend school, and the workday is usually 16 hours a day, six days a week.

Representatives from the Rasta Foundation negotiate with factory owners when the opportunity arises and pay off the workers' debts, thereby freeing their children from slavery (bondage). The organization then provides a school for the children, where they receive education, food, school uniforms, and health care. The school is in the same village as the factories and where the children's families live. Some families live in small brick huts, and others rent one room from the factory owners for the entire family.

The Saga of Rebekah Boota

Rasta Brick Kiln School

Ribka Boota (RFP-015) carries a story of resilience, responsibility, and unwavering faith in the face of adversity. As the eldest of seven children, Ribka has shouldered a great deal of responsibility, especially after the death of her father. Her mother, who struggles with serious health problems, including the loss of vision in one eye, relies heavily on her strength and support.

Despite these challenges, Ribka continued her studies with determination. She completed her undergraduate studies at Rasta Brick Kiln School in 2018 and continued her studies at Peer Bahar Shah College in Sheikhupura, where she successfully completed her secondary education.

Today, Ribka works as a teacher at Archer Public School and also teaches evening classes, thus contributing to the family's support while continuing her own development and service.

Her life reflects the words of scripture: “Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these… you did it to me.” (Matthew 25:40) Rebecca’s courage, strength, and faith are an inspiration to others and show that even in the face of adversity, hope and purpose can triumph.

Saga bano

Rasta Brick Kiln School

Bano is a shining example of how education, faith, and perseverance can transform lives. She completed her primary education at Rasta Brick Kiln School in 2018 and continued her secondary education at Peer Bahar Shah College in Sheikhupura.

Her journey didn't stop there. With a heart dedicated to service, Bano entered the education sector, teaching at Radiant Grammar School and The Muslim School System. Today, she works as a 1st grade teacher at Rasta Brick Kiln School—the same place where her own journey began.

Bano’s life reflects the promise of scripture: “Train up a child in the way he should go…” (Proverbs 22:6). From humble beginnings, she has risen with determination and dignity to become a role model for younger students. Her story is not only about personal success, but also about giving back—empowering the next generation with knowledge, hope, and faith.