By: S.Yaseen Hashmi TWA __________ USA “Iqra Fund is working in Northern Pakistan to empower local communities by imparting quality education to all the students, especially girls,” said Genevieve Walsh, CEO and Co-Founder of Iqra Fund. “If girls have an education, communities thrive, nations flourish, and overall planetary health improves,” she said. Genevieve Walsh, a US citizen from Las Vegas Nevada, made these remarks while talking to Ambassador Masood Khan at the Embassy of Pakistan today. Ms. Walsh said that she first visited Pakistan in 2007, two years after the devastating earthquake killed 80,000 people. Inspired by a 13-year-old girl named Iqra, who had set up a tent school to teach the surviving children in the aftermath of the earthquake, Ms. Walsh named her organization as ‘Iqra Fund’ {IF} with an aim to establish high quality self-sustaining school systems in the remote, mountainous region of Northern Pakistan.

Ms. Walsh said that since 2011, Iqra’s strategic partnership with the government to transform non-functioning government schools has resulted in establishment of 20 village schools engaging 234 local women of the area. The Fund has hired 94 teachers who have been trained and mentored as school and community leaders. The Organization has successfully enrolled 4098 first generation students in Iqra Fund Schools including supporting 26 differently abled families and students. She said that 70 first-generation college and university women have received scholarship from Iqra Fund. Ms. Walsh told the Ambassador that Iqra Fund {IF} has constructed 12 classrooms and 04 washrooms. It has also contributed towards maintaining 55 government classrooms and 19 washrooms. Ms. Walsh also briefed the Ambassador in detailed about her work in Basha valley outlining her priorities in Tissar village, Beisil and Doko Sabiri. Appreciating her noble mission to equip students with steal armour to fight the battle of life, Ambassador Masood Khan observed that her mission was truly inspiring. “You are a symbol of friendship between the peoples of Pakistan and the United States,” said Pakistan’s envoy. Masood Khan assured all possible facilitation to Ms. Genevieve Walsh in continuation of her mission in Northern areas of Pakistan.