Providing Education for Women in Pakistan
Pitch
Equality: the state of being equal, especially in status, rights, and opportunities. This universal principle has been present in our society and the world for as long as history dates back. However, through the years this principle has been replaced with ones that have clouded the minds of many and has distorted the views of our fellow people. This absurd mentality has twisted many countries' perspectives on things in our everyday life we take for granted. Imagine being a women who constantly lives in fear of her husband, family, and the rest of the community; and on top of all this do not receive the same rights and freedoms as your male counterparts. This is the average life of a woman living in Pakistan. According to a 2011 poll conducted by experts by the Thomson Reuters Foundation Poll, Pakistan is the third most dangerous country in the world. Reasons for these horrifying results include: lack of proper education (literacy rate is extremely low), and their culture does not allow for women to stand equally beside men. Many of Pakistan's citizens still believe the primitive knowledge that men are superior to women, which ultimately restrains Pakistan from developing and becoming a nation of equality and respect. Despite this, there have been many attempts to assist and help these women in Pakistan. Organizations like NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) and others have reached out to these women to help support and empower them. However, due to the fear of their husbands, somehow thinking they'll hurt the honour of their families, or simply not knowing that help does exist, many of these women do not take advantage of these resources and continue to live in these discriminatory conditions. It is obviously clear that women in Pakistan need our help, and by supporting this project of mine it will not only bring education to the women in Pakistan, but it'll give them a glimmer of hope for a life where they are given the rights and freedoms they deserve as human beings.
Critical Need
In Pakistan, more than 1,000 women and girls are murdered in "honour killings" every year and reported that 90% of Pakistan women suffer from domestic violence. Though this may be a terrifying revelation to many people of the world, this is an example of what gender discriminatory acts happen in Pakistan every day. Sadly, with female literacy at 36%, many women are too uneducated to know their rights and freedoms as living, breathing human beings. This is why I plan for my project to meet the following "critical needs":
- Empowerment of women and their rights and freedom;
- Safe environments to educate women;
- Proper education programs where women will be given the gift of knowledge; something that shouldn't be a privilege but a right.
Impact
When education for women is introduced in Pakistan, not only will the country benefit from this but it will also affect the rest of the earth at a global level. By educating the women (whom are of all ages) in Pakistan it will cause a "domino effect" involving other countries in the world who are also experiencing gender discrimination. The women of Pakistan along with other countries facing gender discrimination will greatly benefit from my project for several reasons. The goals of my project are to:
- Spark an "education-for-all" movement within an oppressed society;
- Provide and support equal rights and freedom regardless of gender;
- Promote education as the corner stone for civilized development;
- Provide a maintainable source of funding to uphold and expand educational programs across Pakistan, therefore allowing it to grow and develop as a progressive nation.
Feasibility
Project Time Outline
Project Beginning...........................early of March 2014
Project End Date.............................end of October 2014
Public Opening Date.......................November 11th, 2014 (National Education Day)
Organizations (Sponsors)
The Malala Foundation
An organization founded by Malala
Yousafzai, an education activist from Pakistan. This organization strives to
empower women and girls through education to raise their voices, to unlock
their potential, and to demand change. They are dedicated to supporting and
creating world where every girl and woman reaches her true potential. The Malala Foundation will be asked to help raise funds for my project and to raise awareness of the circumstances in Pakistan and other countries suffering from the same problem; gender discrimination.
Because I Am A Girl Foundation
This organization is a globally known group whose ambition and main goal is to end gender inequality, promote girls' rights and lift millions of girls - and everyone around them - out of poverty. Over the years, they have gained much support from many countries and have impacted the world hugely since their birth as an non-for-profit organization. Because I Am A Girl Foundation will be asked to help raise funds for this project and to spread the word of my campaign to end gender discrimination in Pakistan.
Staples Business Depot
Staples Business Depot is a well-known stationary franchise that is very much involved with events and projects that promote education. This organization will be asked to donate school supplies which includes everything pencils and crayons to desks and chalkboards.
Home Depot
Home Depot is a Canadian company that sells everything from home appliances to building and construction materials. This company will be a great benefactor to seek seeing that they have a lot to offer to help kick-start my project. Home Depot will be asked to donate building supplies and to send some workers willing to volunteer their time to help build the schooling facilities that will be used to educate women in Pakistan.
Cost Outline
School Supplies: $15,000
Building & Construction Material: $60,000
Construction Workers: $10,000
Building Permits: $5,000
Qualified Teachers: $30,000
*The approximate cost to start my project is around $120,000 (costs may vary).
Authors Note
My name is Jeremy Bartholomeusz and I am the author
of this project proposal. Resolving the global issue of gender equality is
important to me because I strongly support gender equality and its journey to
making our world a place where everyone is treated as equals and are given the
same opportunities as one another. Education; or better yet, knowledge, is a
powerful thing that should never be taken away. Speaking from experience, I am
a National level gymnast with ambitions of going to the Olympics one day.
Throughout my career as a gymnast, I have been reduced to yet another
stereotype. On countless occasions people have told me that gymnastics is a
sport only for girls. I am proud to say that not only am I a male gymnast, but
I am also the 2013 National Youth Male Gymnastics Champion. Though I may not
have experienced gender discrimination at the level Pakistan is facing, I have
experienced it and it was through my personal experience that I was inspired
and motivated to organize and present this proposal on gender equality.
- Jeremy Bartholomeusz
Great Blog Jeremy ! There was really good detail and research in your pitch. I think the pictures and tittle were very captivating and very creative. One thing I would change would to put the cost outline in paragraph form then write out what they are donating towards. I think its great you choose three different foundations as normally you would only do one and how you explained each one. Overall great blog and very well written!
ReplyDeleteVery well written blog Jeremy. This was one of the biggest topic of this year, good choice. I liked how you cooperated a lot of pictures and have eye-catching color font. I also like how detailed the organization (sponsors) part was, you told me what they do and how they help. One improvement would be that you should add more statistic and information. Great work!
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