Footpath School
Access to education is unequal and uncertain for many children in Karachi, Pakistan. For families in deep poverty who cannot afford school fees, uniforms and supplies, several non-profit organizations have sprung up, trying to fill the education gap by offering street schools. At Footpath School, the children range in age from about 5 to 13, and attend class under the overpass of a busy street. Roads flank both sides of the school, and the staff have covered some of the fence walls with banners for privacy, and to reduce the amount of dust and exhaust from vehicles.
In addition to classes of basic English and Urdu, the children are given free uniforms and supplies, as well as a stipend of Rs50 (about 60 cents in USD) to take home to their families. Some children are homeless, orphaned or recent arrivals from rural Pakistan. The school ran on donations, and after classes the teachers doubled as fundraisers, shaking a bucket at cars stopped in traffic next to the school. Since making these photos, the school was dissolved by the local government, citing poor quality of education. Local government officials said the students would be sent to government-run schools at nearby shrines instead.