Story

Hello,

I hope you're doing well.

My name is Fatima Ahmed, I’m 16 years old, and currently in Year 12 at Al Salam Community School in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Recently, I came across a deeply concerning fact: 26.2 million children in my home country are out of school, and more than half of them are girls. Even more alarming is that 7 out of 10 children either have no access to education at all or receive poor-quality education.

This has made me reflect deeply on the importance of accessible, quality education for every child regardless of background or gender.

Why is this such a big deal?

Education is one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It’s not just a global priority - it’s a basic human right. Education is essential for a child’s mental, physical, and spiritual development. It builds key life skills like communication and critical thinking, boosts confidence and self-esteem, and opens doors to future careers.

Educated individuals are more likely to live healthier lives, make informed decisions, and contribute to economic growth. Education also helps reduce poverty, narrow inequality, and drive innovation and sustainable development.

How I’m Taking Action

To help address this issue, I am volunteering in the Ambassadors of Change programme under The Citizens Foundation (TCF) - an incredible non-profit organization working to provide quality education to children in underserved communities.

About TCF

TCF has made a remarkable impact:

• 2,033 schools established
• 301,000+ students currently enrolled
• 14,700 trained female faculty members
• 63,000+ graduates so far

Their vision is to enable positive change by offering quality education that creates opportunities for a better life and a brighter future. Their mission focuses on making education accessible to all, especially the underprivileged.

They are guided by values such as:

• Sincerity
• Service with passion and humility
• Excellence with beauty and mastery
• Promoting positive conduct with respect and inclusion. 

To make education more affordable, they use a unique approach of charging a small fee per family, not per child.

What Makes TCF Different?

• Builds schools in villages and slums to reduce barriers like transportation costs.
• Uses customized textbooks with interactive and hands-on activities.
  
• Employs all-female faculty to help parents feel more secure about sending their children to school.
• Strive to mantain gender balance among students to promote healthy, respectful interaction.
• Provides holistic training for teachers and principals to ensure up-to-date teaching methods.
• Adopts globally recognized early childhood practices, using captivating stories, reflection, and hands-on learning.
• Offers mother-tongue-based multilingual education (MTB-MLE), gradually introducing new languages for better understanding.
• Teaches digital literacy to secondary students, giving them access to modern tools, coding, and digital citizenship.

Community Impact Beyond Schools

• Adult literacy programs for those who missed the chance to learn earlier in life.
• Vocational training to equip people with practical skills for jobs.
  
• Clean water projects that provide safe drinking water to both schools and nearby communities.

A Real Story of Change: Kainat Ansari

One of TCF’s 63,000 graduates, Kainat Ansari, is a shining example of the power of education.

 After graduating, she earned a scholarship from United World Colleges to study high school in Norway, then secured another to study Experimental Psychology at Whitman College in the U.S. She even spent two semesters at the University of Oxford.

Today, she works at Fisher Investments in the USA and is an inspiration to girls in her community.

As Kainat beautifully said:

“Education is the best investment one can make.”

Her story proves that education truly is the foundation of success.

How You Can Help

It costs just AED 600 to educate one child at a TCF school for an entire year.

My goal is to support the education of 9 children, which means I hope to raise AED 5,400.

Your donation - no matter how big or small - can change a life.

Let’s Be the Change

Please support me in giving a child the opportunity to learn, grow, and build a brighter future.

 Together, we can make a lasting difference - one child at a time.

For more information, please contact me at +971502708538 or fatimamahmed27@gmail.com

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