Written By: Hafsa Alam, Maryam Ashfaq, Rumaisa Khan, Sara Muhammad Ishaq, Tooba Ahsan.
Students of Business Administration
Jinnah University for Women.

“Community Development is not only a project; it is a process. It is something you do with people”

The process by which communities identify their needs, establish goals, and take collective action to improve their social, economic, and environmental well-being is known as community development. It entails empowering individuals, encouraging teamwork, and developing sustainable solutions to improve the quality of life for all participants.

Community development empowers individuals and groups to take control of their own future, improve local infrastructure, and address social, economic, and environmental challenges. It promotes social cohesion, reduces inequality, and creates sustainable solutions that enhance the overall quality of life for community members. Community development plays a vital role in addressing significant issues and improving the quality of life for individuals in various communities. Through collective efforts, such initiatives create opportunities to make a positive impact on society. We are student of Jinnah University for Women for community development course we took on a project to upgrade the library at The Citizens Foundation (TCF) School, which focuses on providing quality education to underprivileged children used Facebook and Instagram groups to raise funds for our community projects, sharing our bank account and Easy Paisa number for easy and transparent donations. Although we contacted many companies through emails and calls, none were willing to collaborate. One company, "Pharmevo," initially responded positively, but later declined after a conference call with their HR team. Thankfully, angel investors supported us generously, and we raised Rs. 12,000. With this amount, we bought stationery, books, and chocolates for students, successfully upgrading the library and achieving our goal.

The Citizens Foundation, a prominent non-profit organization in Pakistan, has been dedicated to providing quality education to underprivileged children since 1995. With a mission to eliminate barriers to education, TCF has established a network of schools across the country, benefiting thousands of students. These schools emphasize academic excellence, character development, and inclusivity, becoming a symbol of hope for many impoverished communities.

During a visit to a TCF school library, it was evident that the facility required immediate attention. The library had a limited collection of books, with an almost complete lack of storybooks for children. This highlighted a critical challenge faced by students in accessing quality reading materials necessary for their educational and personal development. To fix this, we started a book donation campaign, gathering storybooks and educational materials with help from the community, and also we bought stationery, books, and chocolates for students we undertook the responsibility of transforming the library into a vibrant, resourceful space that would inspire a love for learning.

This journey was not easy for us. In achieving our goal, we face several challenges some of them are as follows;

• Our group emailed and contacted numerous companies for funds, but they didn't respond us.
• There is no organization to which we belong.
• Companies are not providing us the money because of Pakistan's uncertain economic situation.
• We don’t have any sufficient program.
• Other projects that are more in line with the company's economic interests or CSR objectives can be given importance.
• The company's capacity to finance community development initiatives may be limited by financial limitations, such as decreased profitability or reduced budgets.

But every problems have solutions. So, these challenges also have so recommended solutions. In order to help underprivileged pupils, succeed academically, corporations and universities must make the effort. Universities should set up financial aid programs that give deserving students the tools they need to finish their degree in order to do this. In a similar vein, businesses ought to be urged to start yearly fundraising campaigns with the express goal of aiding underprivileged kids' education. Additionally, the public and private sectors ought to strongly support groups like The Citizens Foundation (TCF), which are currently doing excellent services in the field of education. These groups can increase their reach and raise the caliber of education they offer with the help of this support, which can take the shape of money, materials, or experience. Additionally, by giving impoverished communities access to high-quality educational opportunities and resources, the government should start programs to support education in these areas. By doing these things, we can guarantee that every child has access to a good education and the chance to thrive in life, irrespective of their upbringing or socioeconomic circumstances.

Published in The Daily National Courier, December, 30 2024

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