Press Release

Press Release
April 18, 2013

Returned Peace Corps Volunteers who Served in Pakistan
Fund Scholarships for School Girls in Pakistan

Inspired by Malala Yousafzai who survived a Taliban shooting, a group of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers and supporters who served in Pakistan, have funded scholarships for girls attending secondary school in Pakistan. The scholarships will cover tuition fees and other essential expenses including books, supplies, uniforms, and transportation.

Friends of Pakistan USA (FOPUSA), a non-profit organization founded by returned Peace Corps Volunteers and supporters who served in Pakistan, has approved funding for up to 46 educational scholarships for young women attending Secondary schools in northern Pakistan for the years 2013-14 and 2014-15.

The FOPUSA will donate up to $4,206 to the Hoshyar foundation in Mansehra District, Pakistan, for scholarships for forty girls from the villages of Jabbar Gali , Meil But,  and Manda Gucha, Mansehra District, Pakistan, so that they may continue their education at the 11 and 12 year levels.

Six girls in Class Level 13 at Government Girls Inter-College, Rerra, Bagh, Azad Kashmir will benefit from a $900 scholarship donation from the FOPUSA for 2013-14 academic year and, upon successful completion that year, will be eligible for continued scholarship funding from FOPUSA for the 2014/15 academic year.

For the past five years, the FOPUSA has donated $2000 per year for ten girls to attend Phengali TCF Secondary School, Lahore, $5000 to support the innovative educational organization, Design for Change Pakistan, Karachi, and $2600 to support basic literacy education for mothers and school ayahs through the Aagahi Adult Literacy Initiative of The Citizens Foundation, Pakistan.

After the devastating earthquake of 2005 destroyed the Government Girls Inter College, Rerra, Azad Kashmir, FOPUSA donated a set of library books to meet the GGIC Library Challenge Project of 2010-11, and sent an additional $2400 to The Citizens Foundation, Pakistan, to stock a Secondary School TCF library.

For further information about FOPUSA and their commitment to education, scholarships, and donations, please contact Carol Cespedes, President: fopusa-owner@yahoogroups.com or go to FOPUSA’s blog: http://peacecorpsfriendsofpakistanusa.blogspot.com.