Capital fundraisers secure new school for Pakistan

Published on Monday 19 February 2007 11:59

A NEW school will be built in Pakistan thanks to the fundraising efforts of the Edinburgh Pakistan Society.

The charity has been raising money since 2005, following the devastating earthquake in the Kashmir region which killed 75,000 people and destroyed 6000 schools.

A total of 22,500 was raised by the society through contacting members for donations, carrying out street collections throughout the city centre, and encouraging local schools to raise funds.

The money will be presented to Mercy Corps - an Edinburgh-based international development charity that has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize - on Wednesday.

The charity will build a new primary school in Kohley Village in the Siran Valley, which lost its only primary school during the earthquake.

Since the disaster, the 75 primary pupils have been taught in a temporary tented school.

Mohammed Shaffi, chairman of the Pakistan Society, said: "We are delighted that the money we have raised will be put to such good use by Mercy Corps.

"It is very exciting to know that a new school can now be built thanks to the generosity of the Pakistan community, local schools and general public in Edinburgh."

Work on the school will begin as soon as snow has cleared in the region.