Category: News

This year we received nearly 150 applications for 10 awards. Since many more than 10 applicants had very compelling cases, we have increased the number of awards to accommodate them. Existing recipients who appeared for interviews last week have all qualified for renewal. We ranked new applicants by awarding points based on the following criteria:

1. Need for aid – 50 points maximum
   Calculated by creating an index out of monthly income, number of dependents, housing expense, and educational burden of dependents
2. Academic performance – 35 points maximum
   Calculated by creating a weighted index based on SSC or O Level marks, HSC or A Level marks, and GPA or university performance.
3. Quality of degree program and institution – 15 points maximum
   Based on entrance competition and reputation of university among faculty and students.

The competition for our limited funds is very intense and unfortunately we do not have the resources to support everyone who applies. Accordingly, we have now sent emails to all those who could not make it into the short list. Such applicants might be considered again if a substantial number of the top candidates fail to provide documentary evidence. However, this is unlikely because of the depth and quality of the short-listed applicants.

Those who have been short-listed will be asked for a telephone interview today. Please ensure that you attend your phone and answer all questions accurately. The Trustee who calls you today shall be your contact person through the rest of this process. If your telephone interview is successful you will be required to appear for an interview in person at 9 AM on Saturday, 22 September 2012 at our office. You will receive an email with the address and directions. Please bring the following documents in original for the interview:

Proof of Academic Record

1. Marks sheets, certificates, etc. for Matric, Intermediate, O Level, or A Level
2. Transcripts for ALL courses ever taken and grades obtained at university level (Bachelor’s, Master’s, etc)
3. Any academic references from teachers, professors, principals, etc.
4. Proof of admission to the university you are attending

Proof of Financial and Family Situation

1. Your Computerized National Identity Card showing your current and permanent addresses
2. Form B showing the names and dates of birth of all family members (father, mother, siblings, you)
3. A recent utility bill or other official document showing the address where you or your parents live
4. If a parent or guardian is not alive, a death certificate or official document showing the date he or she was deceased
5. If parents are divorced, separated, or otherwise not together, a deed or legal instrument showing the date of the event
6. All evidence of household income (pay slips for last 12 months, tax records, bank statements showing periodic deposits, fixed deposit certificates, rental agreements, etc).
7. All evidence of major household expenses (rent agreement, utility bills, school or university tuition bills for you and siblings, hostel or other accommodation bills, medical bills if a family member is chronically sick, etc.)

Unfortunately, we do not have the resources to reply to individual queries, particularly those that are frivolous. So we request you to not contact us unless it is absolutely critical. We will contact you if there is any update relevant to you. Please also note that if you made a mistake in entering your email address or phone number in the application form, we shall have no means to contact you and your application will be dropped.

We thank you for your cooperation and understanding and wish you the best for your education and future.

FURTHER is now accepting applications for scholarships for the academic year 2012-2013. The deadline for new applicants is Friday, 14 September 2012.

Existing scholarship recipients need not reapply, but they must appear for an interview during the week of 10-14 September 2012 at our office. You can choose any time slot between 9 AM and 4 PM from Monday 10 September to Friday 14 Septmeber. Please check your email and reply to us stating the time and date you would like to come for your interview. If you do not sign up for a time slot as described, or if you miss your appointment after choosing a slot, you will be ineligible for the renewal of your scholarship.

Please remember that we usually have only one person available for organising everything. We can neither take phone calls nor reply to individual emails for setting up an appointment. If we are to remain capable of supporting you financially, we must not fritter our funds away on paid positions. We need your cooperation to keep things simple, efficient, and affordable. For your convenience, you have the flexible option of choosing any time on a number of days for your appointment. If you still fail to sign up or appear for your interview, then we simply cannot afford to support you. Please also remember that in the past we have had to make an average of 7 phone calls per person to get in touch with you. It is therefore crucial for continuing this scholarship program that the burden of making contact should rest on the beneficiaries rather than the Trust.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. Eid Mubarak, and good luck.

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 central Kaghan Valley. 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 a few 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

Dear Scholarship Recipients,

We hope that you have been having a good academic year so far. Although we met some of you recently to discuss your progress, we would like to hear from all of you regarding your current academic and financial situation. Please send us an email with a brief overview of your courses and grades in your last completed semester as well as your courses and expected performance in the current semester. If your financial situation is different now, please include a brief description of how it has changed. The purpose of this informal mid-year evaluation is to establish that you are meeting the terms of your scholarship and whether we need to do more for you. Please send us the email by Friday, 24 February 2012.

Sincerely,
Chairman

All of the candidates interviewed so far have provided sufficient evidence of performance and need to confirm their awards. Details will be published after all interviews are completed on Monday, 26 September 2011. Meanwhile, please download the Affidavit and print it on a Stamp Paper of any value (Rs. 10 or less would be fine). You must submit the completed Affidavit to receive your award letter from our office in Islamabad on Wednesday, 28 September 2011, at 6 PM.

We had very pleasant conversations with all of the candidates and we learned a great deal from them. We are deeply impressed with the intelligence, integrity, and courage of everyone we have met so far. Two of the candidates, Waleed Aslam and Hassnain Arshad,  made the admirable effort to provide feedback on the process and we appreciate their comments.