Reaching the industrial side of Karachi made me more aware of the huge differences and of the immense gap between the more and the least fortunate people of Karachi.
I am sure that everywhere in the world there are such discrepancies and that most neighborhoods from industrial areas are overcrowded and poor compared to other residencial areas, but I was not ready to see dusty roads, small frail-ready-to-crumble houses, people sleeping under the sky or in improvised tents with all their belongings ready to be packed in one bag and with their goats near their bed.
Public schools and kindergartens were in very bad conditions and I wonder what is the quality of the education that children can get there.
Everything looked barren under the hot summerish sun, but for the people living there that was the normal scenery. Kids were playing in the middle of the street, men were enjoying tea at improvised tables on the side of the road or riding back home to their families after a hard day at work carrying one day's food supplies.
Confronted with that new face of the city I have to admit that I was scared. I was scared because everybody was looking at us and I didn't know what to expect. I was scared not because there was any real threat but because of my own prejudices.
And then after a while, when the fear passed, I was ashamed. I was ashamed and sad that I stumbled and fell in the trap of ignorance and that I was no better that other people who freaked out at the word "Pakistan".
The people in the industrial residential area of Korangi were not criminals or offenders. They were humans, hard working people employed by the big plants of Karachi, payed poorly for their work, forgotten by a state with a semi-nonexistent health and education system.
I wonder if there is a way out for them. I hope that the new mobile school system that Mr Rehan Allahwala presented at TedX would reach the children (and the adults) from that area. I really hope that his Mr Sarfaraz M Khan, Mr Abdul Hameed Kath and Mr Sarosh Waiz will get the support needed in order to change things for the needy people of Pakistan.
Lessons of the day: My fear comes from my ignorance and not from the things around me. New challenges are best faced with an open heart and an open mind.
Public schools and kindergartens were in very bad conditions and I wonder what is the quality of the education that children can get there.
Everything looked barren under the hot summerish sun, but for the people living there that was the normal scenery. Kids were playing in the middle of the street, men were enjoying tea at improvised tables on the side of the road or riding back home to their families after a hard day at work carrying one day's food supplies.
Confronted with that new face of the city I have to admit that I was scared. I was scared because everybody was looking at us and I didn't know what to expect. I was scared not because there was any real threat but because of my own prejudices.
And then after a while, when the fear passed, I was ashamed. I was ashamed and sad that I stumbled and fell in the trap of ignorance and that I was no better that other people who freaked out at the word "Pakistan".
The people in the industrial residential area of Korangi were not criminals or offenders. They were humans, hard working people employed by the big plants of Karachi, payed poorly for their work, forgotten by a state with a semi-nonexistent health and education system.
I wonder if there is a way out for them. I hope that the new mobile school system that Mr Rehan Allahwala presented at TedX would reach the children (and the adults) from that area. I really hope that his Mr Sarfaraz M Khan, Mr Abdul Hameed Kath and Mr Sarosh Waiz will get the support needed in order to change things for the needy people of Pakistan.
Lessons of the day: My fear comes from my ignorance and not from the things around me. New challenges are best faced with an open heart and an open mind.
