KGS Pakistan school fundraiser off to strong start

Kirkwall Grammar School students are working on a project to help fellow learners in Pakistan – and they have reached a third of their fundraising target.

Following a successful appeal to the people of Orkney for educational and tech supplies for the South Asian country school, S5 pupils are asking for your help to ensure the donated goods can be transported to where they are needed.

The class has set up a GoFundMe page where community members can make donations to their causes – which also include raising money to buy uniforms and sandals and to support and empower widows. You can donate here: https://bit.ly/3oYTmxh

Theo Ogbhemhe, KGS teacher of religious moral and philosophical studies, said: “I am currently teaching a wider achievement (S5 class) group learning about how to become just and fair citizens. They are looking at the ways inequality damages society and what they can do about this injustice. They have keyed into the ongoing global education programme Connecting Classrooms partnership between KGS and Government Boys’ Secondary School in Pakistan to see how they can help provide practical solutions to goals one and ten – which focus on no poverty and reduced inequalities. The links first began with S2s at our school who appealed for the donations.

"Now the S5s have identified the need to send the collected educational materials and tech donated by members of the local community to the less privileged students of Government Boys’ Secondary School. They have also identified the provision of school uniforms and sandals to these group of students as well as empowering several widows in the community that GBSS is located (to help reduce inequalities) as a vital step.”

Emily Heal, S5C2, said: “I think it is a wonderful programme as it helps us talk about and deal with issues that affect and connect us all, wherever we are on the planet. Issues like poverty, climate change, gender equality and how we should live and act sustainably. The projects (educational materials, tech, widows' empowerment and the provision of school uniforms and sandals) provide a way for us to start dealing with and solving these problems. I got involved because I think it is right to make the world a fair and safe place for everyone to live in. You can be involved because your help will go a long way in our work to reduce poverty and inequalities. With your donations, we can be able to provide school uniforms and sandals to poor students, empower a few widows and send the donated educational materials and tech to our partner school.”

Fraser Stout, S5E2, added: “I think working to eradicate poverty and inequalities in any way is a good cause to get behind. I am keen to be involved because I feel that it is right to try and educate yourself on issues regarding inequality, especially when an opportunity to do so is presented to you. People should dig deep and involve themselves with projects like this because it is the least that people who are more fortunate than others can do.”

Finally, Thorfinn Kitney, S5C2, said: “The project resonated with me, as it was all well and good me preaching equality and the need for aid, but without action, how was I in anyway helping our brothers and sisters in need? I feel enthusiastic about the goal of the project and if people could match that even by putting their change in a donation tin, contributing to the GoFundMe page or any step at all towards change, it can go a long way. If everyone just in Orkney gave their widow’s mite, our initial goal of sending the donations we have collected so far will be met and lives will be changed. If there is generosity amongst the few, the majority will benefit.”