PAKISTAN (PUNJAB) OKARA

The Holy Family of Bordeaux religious order has been working in Pakistan for 36 years on behalf of families in severe economic difficulty due to the social and political context.

The OKARA district is an agricultural region of 26 villages.

Transport problems, particularly in relation to school access for children, prompted the Sisters of the Holy Family of Bordeaux working in the area to launch a project to acquire a rickshaw (a three-wheeled passenger vehicle), in order to set up a school pick-up and drop-off service for children from the surrounding areas.

Another project run by the Sisters in OKARA, to rehabilitate a school, involved constructing a well and overhauling the pipework to supply the primary school, improve its sanitary facilities and, at the same time, teach the young children about environmental issues.

Meanwhile, the communities of Sisters in the GORJA region arranged training (in dressmaking and general schooling) for young girls, provided tutoring and redeveloped the school library.

In all, around fifty children and young people – boys and girls – benefit from the programmes set up.