Rashid’s heartbreaking account

It was a bright sunny Saturday morning in Pakistan’s Upper Siran Valley. There was a nip in the air heralding the arrival of autumn in the region. Rashid was getting ready for school and his mother was busy making his breakfast...

Rashid is now focussing on his education

“I packed my school bag and had breakfast quickly as I wanted to get to my school on time” said Rashid, “that morning as always we had our assembly of prayers reciting the national anthem and then we all went to our classes.” 

“Suddenly the earth started shaking and rumbling, my classroom walls were shaking like paper and the teacher told us to run out into the open. My school friends and I rushed out, we did not understand what was happening as everything around us was falling down, houses and buildings were all gone.”

“I ran all the way home as everyone was panicking and running around, no one knew what had happened. When I reached home I saw where my house was, there was only a big pile of rubble. I did not know what to do! My parents were buried under the rubble, I could see them lying there… I just sat there crying. My grandparents came over and looked after me, took my parents out and buried them.”

“I had no clothes, nothing at all. My grandfather rummaged through the rubble and found my clothes and things for me. After a few days some people came and brought food, medicines and water for the people.”

“I now live with my grandparents and have started going to school and studying as it makes me forget the bad times.”

This is just one of the many thousands of stories from children affected by the devastating earthquake.

One year on, Plan continues its work in the Siran Valley and is committed to long-term strategies to rehabilitate the education sector. Normalising children’s lives through education and by training teachers and community volunteers in counseling and support, can help children overcome their psychological scars and create a better life for them and their families.