Following our good example, a government girls' school has been established in every village of Bagrot over the past 33 years. Buildings have been erected for this purpose and sufficient teachers have been hired. The girls' school, which we founded in 1992, has been under government responsibility up to the 10th grade for several years. The spatial expansion of the school into a government higher secondary school (1st to 12th grade) has also been completed. Two of the existing school buildings were raised by one storey and the school grounds were levelled and walled. The new upper floors with additional classrooms are used intensively, even in the afternoons. But the most important thing is still missing, the subject teachers for grades 11 and 12.

Monika College for Girls

103 female students currently attend grades 11, 12, 13 and 14 of the college, which is financed by donations. The total of six class groups are taught by 14 subject teachers, 10 male and 4 female. In addition to the associated tasks, the local project manager teaches in grades 13 and 14. In addition, we employ an assistant for the personal care of the students and the babies of individual teachers and students. Without this offer, the young mothers would have to stay at home. All teachers come from the Bagrot Valley and enjoy great trust among parents and students.
The subjects taught in the first two years of college: Urdu, English, Pedagogy, Sociology, Politics, Social Studies, Islamic Studies and in the science-oriented classes Physics, Biology and Chemistry.
From the 3rd year (grade 13), students can prepare for the degree 'Bachelor of Science Education' (short: BS Ed.), which is a teacher training course. The subjects taught in the 3rd and 4th years of college focus on subject-specific and methodological skills for teachers. After successfully completing the first two of four Bachelor's years, the students can transfer to the university or to a full college in the provincial capital Gilgit. 10 out of 26 graduates of the new degree programme took this step in the summer, and the entire family always stands behind this decision.
The students come from all the villages in the valley. For the young women from the 3 most distant ones, we have set up a transport service, which is used by 32 female students. We share the costs with the parents.

My Visit

In May, I visited the college for girls in the Bagrot Valley. What I have observed is that everyday teaching is well organized. The students are ambitious and also courageously address problems. Satisfaction with the teachers is high. The four young female teachers are much more energetic in class than their male colleagues.

Current Affairs

In July and August, heavy rain, floods and mudslides and debris avalanches shook the Bagrot Valley. The damage to roads, bridges, fields and houses in individual hamlets is considerable. Fortunately, the school grounds are designated as a safe haven by disaster relief workers. The house in which we have been living for 33 years during our visits, on the other hand, has suffered severe damage. A debris avalanche has crossed the farm. It is still unclear what will happen to the house.

Milestones

Today, we can hire very well-trained female teachers for new hires. This was practically impossible in the past.
The first graduates of the new Bachelor of Science Education course are moving to the university in Gilgit for a higher education degree.
In October, a 'Sports Week' was held for the first time:
The subject of sports has so far been missing from the official curriculum. Students and teachers competed in a cricket tournament and in running and jumping. At the end, there were award ceremonies in all disciplines and a small buffet with local delicacies, to which everyone contributed. Sporting activities will be offered regularly in the future.
With the call "walk clean live clean", students and teachers organized a joint clean-up campaign on the main street for the first time, after they had already set an example against environmental pollution on the school grounds and in the rooms (see above) a few weeks earlier. Today's popular snacks such as chips, chocolate bars, biscuits, etc. produce packaging waste that remains on the path and does not rot.
At first, some teachers were not comfortable with the idea of female teachers and students to take to the streets. This is another effect of education. The young women turn to the public with their new knowledge confidently and loudly. Their lively action in public space was very well received and the teachers were committed to joining in.
In November, the college held a day of action 'Together against breast cancer':
A gynaecologist from Gilgit explained the dangers and prevention options and took a lot of time for individual questions. Topics related to the female body are taboo and have never been addressed so openly in Bagrote so far.
All participants were very grateful for the clarification. Word of the new knowledge will spread among the women in the valley. And another mother-tongue educational event is planned.

Project Costs

The total costs for the specialist teachers and material costs of the college, which are financed by private donations, amount to EUR 17,500 for the year. We are very grateful for any support. There are good examples of this:

• Donations instead of gifts: Dear fellow humans have once again used private occasions to donate.
• One seam a day: A friend sews for a good cause in her free time. She donates the profit from the sale of Cologne lanyards, neck pillows, bags and many other practical things to the project.
• Donate fee: Lecture at the Society for Geography and Cultures of the World e.V. in Lübeck about our educational project.
• ‘Monika Girls School. Every donation helps!’: Free fundraising on the new season jersey of the women's handball team of the LSC in Cologne. The cycling team ‘Marx Städter Bike Scheune’ will also wear the advertising on the new season jersey.
• Some permanent donors, long-standing supporters and also the members of the Forum Kinder in Not e.V. make a significant contribution to the continuation of the project.

Best regards from the bottom of my heart
Yours truly
Monika Schneid, December 2025

Further Information:

Donation Account:
Kreissparkasse Tübingen,
IBAN: DE31641500200002753609,
BIC: SOLADES1TUB,
Forum Kinder in Not e.V.
For earmarked donations, enter the keyword "Pakistan".
Please support us with your donation, which is tax deductible.
A donation receipt will be sent to you by Forum Kinder in Not e.V. if you provide your postal address on the bank transfer.

Images: Saira Ahmed, Bettina Keil-Rüther Monika Schneid