Dear all,

August at Alif Ailaan was abuzz with activity.

The Alif Ailaan Taleemi Karavan began its journey through the Pakistani heartland. Five vans, five days, 14 districts—1,578 km down the GT Road into the Seraiki belt in southern Punjab. Along the way, the caravan participated in events arranged by Alif Ailaan network coordinators and partners in towns and cities across the province.

Education caravan – itinerary and activities1 August 26 - Day 1: Islamabad-Jhelum-Gujranwala-Lahore Dina Meeting at the office of Meher Fayaz, MPA (PML-N), followed by press conference (Jhelum) Walk for education, with members of the local Bar Council and Press Club, civil society organisation, parents, teachers and students Gujranwala Public gathering attended by more than 100 women, children and local civil society leaders Elected representatives Shazia Ashfaq Matto, MNA (PML-N), Chaudhry Iqbal Gujjar, MPA (PML-N), and Toufeeq Butt, MPA (PML-N) participated Lahore Press conference at Lahore Press Club Meeting with Dr. Aliya Aftab, MPA (PML-N) August 27 - Day 2: Lahore-Okara-Chiniot-Faisalabad Okara Caravan received by a large crowd of supporters, escorted from Hazrat Karmawala Bypass to Al Hamra Arts Council Meeting with Daifullah Dogar, DCO Okara Chiniot Conference attended by more than 500 parents, students, teachers, civil society members and politicians Stage drama presented by local school girls highlighting the importance of girls’ education, followed by tableau to highlight the importance of education in everyday life Address by Ansar Kamal Sail, DMO Education Faisalabad Caravan arrives around sunset, tours the city August 28 - Day 3: Faisalabad-Jhang-Muzaffargarh-Multan Mochiwala Community meeting with former MNA Amanullah Sial (PML-N), education department officials (Jhang) and 200 local residents Jhang City Caravan received at Ayub Chowk by a large number of students and teachers; Saqlain Anwar Sipra, MPA (PML-N) participated in event 50 students enrolled in the presence of teachers Muzaffargarh Community event with approximately 150 participants Activities included a special song about education, dedicated to Alif Ailaan; discussions on the purpose of the caravan and the importance of Article 25-A; local education providers and activists share their experience Malik Khair Muhammad Budh, former EDO Education and Director NCHD, addressed the gathering Multan Caravan received at Raza Hall by approximately 500 people

Event organised by Roshni Organization and NIMS Foundation of Multan Speeches by Sardar Samiullah, Youth Prime Minister, NYA, on the state of education in Pakistan; and Hafiz Anwaar Hussain Malik, educationist and senior teacher, on education and Islam Gathering addressed by Dr. Aslam Sheikh, Social Welfare Department, and Nasreen Jafar,

1 Events and participants listed here are based on provisional reports from our team in the field; details are subject to change.

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District Welfare and Development Officer Play on the theme of education staged by Kaswar Sahab and Sujhla Theatre The caravan visited an informal school set up in a slum by Noman Akhtar, Alif Ailaan network coordinator; the children shared what they have learnt in school Large number of educationists and representatives of civil society organisations joined the caravan, including: . Allama Iqbal Open University (M. Tahir) . World Vision (represented by Rashida Parveen and Syed Yawar Ali) . Society for Special Persons (Rana Muhammad Arif) . Global Development (Atif Saeed and Salman Hayat) . PRAY Foundation (Azeem Rashid) . Progressive Organisation (Maaz Ahmed and Fakhir) August 29 - Day 4: Multan-Dera Ghazi Khan-Rajanpur-Rahim Yar Khan Paigah Caravan welcomed by Alif Ailaan partners, the Rural Support Programme Network (RSPN), (Dera Ghazi who arrived with decorated vehicles of their own and a large group of schoolchildren Khan) Government Boys Elementary School, Paigah: teachers and students welcome caravan

Event organised by RSPN/NRSP team, with approximately 550 participants Speech by a student and anthems sung, dedicated to education and Alif Ailaan Syed Ahmed Ali Direshk, MPA (PTI), addressed the gathering Mujahida Parveen, Manager LSO-Paigah, NRSP, gave a presentation about NRSP (RSPN) community work for education Students were enrolled during the event by the headmaster of the Government Boys Elementary School Akhtar Hussain Khosa, ex-EDO Education and Senior Headmaster, lauded Article 25-A and appreciated Alif Ailaan's awareness campaign Rajanpur Caravan received warmly by a rally of approximately 500 people on foot and riding bicycles, joining the convoy en route to the Boys High School Taleemi Mushaira at the Boys High School Rajanpur, attended by approximately 650 people, including parents (mothers) and children, teachers and local officials Local poets recited verses on the theme of education Shahid Lateef, DEO-Rajanpur, and Murid Hussain Ojra, Punjab Teachers Union, addressed the gathering; DEO-Rajanpur states that 4,000 students have been enrolled so far in Rajanpur district Tableau performed by schoolchildren on the theme of child labour Singers performed folk songs and songs about education August 30 - Day 5: Rahim Yar Khan-Bahawalpur Rahim Yar Caravan visited Education Department officials who joined the convoy to participate in a Khan function at the Government Girls Elementary School, Dari Ali Akbar Sangi, Rahim Yar Khan Event attended by nearly 400 parents and children; also in attendance were EDO Education Rana Naveed Akhtar and Assistant Commissioner Dr. Javed Iqbal Students performed a play and sang anthems Headmistress Government Girls’ Elementary School, Rehana Erum, spoke about the fight against trafficking of children Surmi, an activist for minorities, spoke about the need to help children from the Hindu community with enrolment Sa'adat Ali, National Commission for Human Development (NCHD), addressed the gathering Function ended with the enrolment of out-of-school girls, including children belonging to minority communities Bahawalpur Caravan met by a rally of motorcyclists who accompanied the Alif Ailaan vans to Sadiq Dean High School, Bahawalpur (established in 1907) At Sadiq Dean High School, caravan received by close to 200 members of the community (mostly women) Event attended by Iqbal Chanar, MPA (which party?) and provincial Minister for Cooperatives; Chaudhari Ashfaq Gujjar, EDO Education; Habibullah Bhutta, local civil society activist and

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politician; Ambreen Aslam, LSO Al-Falah (NRSP); and Nasreen Saleem, NRSP General Secretary, Mari-Sheikh Shujra LSO EDO Education promises free schooling, books and uniforms for two girls Ambreen Aslam and Nasreen Saleem inform the gathering that they have enrolled close to 600 children locally

The Alif Ailaan Taleemi Karavan was part of our effort to support the Punjab government’s enrolment drive. Our aim was to engage our audience in a way that leaves a positive impression.

Our coordinated social media campaign saw our Facebook fans grow during the five days of the caravan campaign, soaring to 223,4732 and bringing our total supporters to more than 245,000. Our Twitter following grew3 and in just five days we received more than 200 mentions. Strings and MKRF supported us on their social media pages, posting messages about the Alif Ailaan Taleemi Karavan.

We ran radio ads in Urdu and Seraiki on 10 stations across the Punjab including Radio Pakistan (a total of 1,667 minutes over 15 days).

The mainstream media picked up the story, with more than 20 reports in the national and local print and electronic media including:4

 http://dawn.com/news/1038150/education-caravan-to-visit-16-cities-in-punjab  http://epaper.dawn.com/DetailNews.php?StoryText=25_08_2013_004_003  http://tribune.com.pk/story/594856/education-caravan-spreading-child-rights-awareness/  http://tribune.com.pk/story/595095/enrolment-drive-taleemi-karavaan-sets-off-on-five-day-campaign/  http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/islamabad/25-Aug-2013/up-for- out-of-school-kids  http://www.nation.com.pk/E-Paper/lahore/2013-08-31/page-13  Geo News http://we.tl/cBOcY8Lyrq

While many of our network coordinators and partners were engaged in the caravan, our civil society work elsewhere continued:5

 Alif Ailaan network coordinators in Charsadda, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, organised a community session for girls’ enrolment. The session was preceded by an orientation workshop on the enrolment campaign and a training session for volunteers and supporters participating in the community enrolment drive.  Our partner, Idara-e-Taleem-o-Agahi (ITA) held 108 baithaks (community sessions): o Punjab: 83 sessions o KP: 8 sessions o Balochistan: 13 sessions o Sindh: 4 sessions

Meanwhile, Alif Ailaan continued to make sure that education remains at the front and centre of public debate. Our Campaign Director went on television to talk about our work:

 Aug 7 - Capital Circuit with Farrukh Pitafi on News One: [link not available yet]  Aug 13 - Belaag with Ejaz Haider on Capital TV: http://www.awaztoday.co/News-Talk- Shows/42257/Belaag-on-Capital-Tv-13th-August-2013-Pakistan-Mei-Miyari-Taleem-aur-Jali- Degree.aspx

2 As of 7:00 PM, 30 August 2013. 3 Between July 31 and August 31, we gained nearly 350 Twitter followers. 4 News monitoring is ongoing. 5 Rural Support Programme Network (RSPN) data for the month of August is awaited.

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 Aug 27 - Capital Talk with Hamid Mir on Geo: http://www.pakistantv.tv/2013/08/27/capital-talk-27th- august-2013-educationdehshat-gardi-aur-poverty-se-bara-masla-kyun/#sthash.Ng0Hzp1E.dpbs  Aug 28 - Belaag with Ejaz Haider on Capital TV: http://www.pkaffairs.com/Play_Show_Belaag-on- Capital-Tv--28th-August-2013_42957  Aug 29 - Belaag with Ejaz Haider on Capital TV: [link not yet available]  The Campaign Director also recorded shows for the BBC and for Gateway with Fasi Zaka on PTV

In August we made noise and people listened.

 200,000+ Facebook ‘likes’  86,633 new supporters  3,000 declarations signed  5,070 citizens engaged with

Politicians were listening too.

Our political advocacy continued with new and promising forms of engagement. We were in close touch with the federal government, agreeing to prepare for them an action plan. We were contacted separately by the provincial governments of Punjab and Khyber- Pakhtunkhwa, and began to engage with them in meaningful ways, offering our support and assistance. Politicians from Sindh and Balochistan have approached us as well, and we expect to begin talks in September.

It’s not just the Taleemi Karavan; Alif Ailaan is on the move. Our weary travellers may have returned but Alif Ailaan will keep forging ahead.

All the best,

Team Alif Ailaan

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Summary – August 2013 July 31 Aug 31 Increase Total supporters (Facebook likes, website hits, Twitter 158,615 245,248 86,633 followers, SMS group members) FB likes 131,021 223,4736 92,452 Website hits (unique visits to website) 15,870 20,408 4,538 Twitter followers 1,014 1,367 353 Number of declarations signed 27,000 30,0007 3,000 Contacts with politicians 5,017 5,137 120 Politicians contacted through RSPN 679 730 51 Politicians contacted through NC Events 130 200 70 Politicians contacted through Alif Ailaan political 134 140 6 advocacy team Contacts with citizens, including parents (NC events, 216,935 222,005 5,070 RSPN attendees) NC event attendees 12,968 15,0008 2,032 RSPN meetings with SMCs/teachers 191 232 41 RSPN engagement (participants) 202,290 205,328 3,038 SMS group members 10,710 12,458 1,748 Map emails sent 7,210 11,900 4,690 Media Mentions 423 477 54 Total NC Events 58 73 15

6 As of Sept 01. 7 Provisional figures. 8 Provisional figures.

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