Dear Scholarship Recipients,
Thank you for responding to our request for updates. Most of you did so promptly but some responses arrived late. That is why we had to wait until everyone had replied before we could process all the information. We are happy to hear that most of you are doing well and this scholarship is making a difference, however small, in your lives. Based on the information you have provided, all of you will continue to receive at least the same level of support for the rest of this academic year. For those of you whose circumstances require greater support, we shall try to generate more funds to meet your needs. Perhaps you understand that this is not an easy task in our society.
We ask for your patience in communication. Please remember that our constraints of time and resources do not permit responding to each applicant during a routine activity. As you all know, ours is a 100% volunteer organisation where no one is paid for the work they do. All of us who work here, and often that can mean only one person, have to spare time from our own committments to work and family. Not only that, we do not book into the accounts of the Trust overheads like holding of meetings or community service. Our own personal funds are used for all such acitivities. We are committed to using the Trust’s funds only for your well-being.
As you all know by now, we operate from the offices of Data Solutions Private Limited (DSPL), a software company in Islamabad. We rely on DSPL to provide us not only office space and resources, but also volunteers and other personnel. DSPL recently moved its offices into a newly-constructed building and therefore the last few months have been very hectic for all of us. As you can imagine, there are many new problems associated with a new site – just obtaining water, electric, and gas connections is a huge challenge, but if you add construction issues you might agree that it is a debilitating process.
It is for this reason that we were not able to organise any community service during your winter holidays. However, your summer holidays are still some months away and this is the time to plan ahead. Between June 10 and June 25 this year, we hope to perform with your help an important duty for the future of our environment and society.
As you may know, the Northern Areas of Pakistan are home to some of the world’s greatest mountains, glaciers, and rivers. As such, they are the source of most of our trees, water, and minerals. Unfortunately, because of an absence of environmental, educational, and social policy, we have nearly destroyed this resource. We’re depleting our forests for fuel and furniture, causing mountains to erode and river beds to rise with silt and pollutants all the way down into Sindh. This is the foremost cause of destructive flooding almost every year. As a small organisation, we may not be able to do much about erosion except through educating tourists and locals. But we can play a more effective role in the reduction of debris and pollutants that human beings introduce into our northern rivers.
Our first initiative in this regard shall be to clean up Kaghan Valley from Kiwai in the South to Lake Saif-ul-Muluk in the North (about 100 km). We shall walk and clean and walk and clean. Day in and day out. We shall live in tents, cook our own food, wash our own dishes and clothes, and at least for 15 days behave like responsible citizens of a desperately poor and fragile nation.
Please write to us directly with your ideas so that we can make this effort more comprehensive and effective. Since your participation is not optional, please plan ahead to make sure that you will be available.
Sincerely,
Chairman
