Densely populated Orangi lies in the northwestern part of Karachi. Over the years, it has become the largest slum in Southeast Asia. Poverty is rampant, roads are practically non-existent and overflowing sewerage and piles of garbage are ubiquitous.

DIL started working on a 25-school project in Northwest Orangi in collaboration with Faran Educational Society (FES) in February 2001. In January 2005, unsatisfied with FES’s performance in the previous year, DIL took control of the community schools and started running the project directly. DIL appointed Mr. Hafeezullah Jan as project manager and Mr. Adil (an Orangi resident) as his assistant, and set up a small DIL office. In addition, each school head signed separate letters of agreement with DIL, which clearly stipulate the guidelines the schools must adhere to in order to remain a part of the project. Five schools became independent because they were unable to to conform to the higher DIL standards. Approximately 3,000 students are currently attending DIL-supervised schools in Orangi.

DIL planned a series of capacity-building workshops for all the faculty of the Orangi schools in March 2005. Conducted by the Educational Resource Development Centre (ERDC), Karachi, these workshops emphasized effective school management, math, English skills development and early childhood education. ERDC training is continuing through 2006. Mrs. Zeba Shafi has arranged a special summer training session for teachers and an English learning summer camp for approximately 60 students from 12 DIL schools.

DIL monitors have noted academic improvement in their recent visits. Additional furniture, fans, whitewashing of schools, use of display boards plus a workshop on classroom displays have greatly enhanced the physical appearance of the schools and provided a much better learning environment for the children. The schools receive monthly funds for art and craft materials so that the children can enjoy extracurricular activities.

More recently, nine schools received computer labs and DIL plans to provide computers to all 20 schools by the end of the year.

DIL’s staff continues to interact with the school heads and the teachers, and works patiently to improve the schools by providing written targets, supporting them with training and improving the salary structures of the teachers. DIL Board members and sponsors of DIL schools have been paying regular visits to the Orangi projects and are duly impressed by the enthusiasm and commitment of all those involved.

Mr. Muntasir Sattar and Ms. Luann Gronhovd, volunteers from the Teachers College, Columbia, did a collaborative research and evaluation project with DIL and its partner NGOs in July and August 2005. Their recommendations and findings will help DIL to further improve the quality of education being provided.