Work has begun on building a new school in one of the areas of Pakistan devastated by an earthquake, with money raised by Nottingham people.

The Lord Mayor of Nottingham, Councillor Mohammed Munir, launched an appeal days after the earthquake struck northern parts of Pakistan in October 2005. The aim was to fund a long-term project rather than provide immediate relief aid. A number of fundraising events, including the Drop in the Ocean music festival, a special locally-produced play staged at the Theatre Royal, and proceeds from the City Council staff Christmas party, raised over £100,000.

Councillor Munir took a self-funded trip to Pakistan to see for himself the extent of the devastation and meet representatives from various agencies in the disaster zone trying to rebuild communities and lives. He and the appeal committee agreed to a partnership with The Citizens Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation that provides quality education to 55,000 children in 455 schools in Pakistan.

The Citizens Foundation (TCF) is now using the money raised in Nottingham to build and run a primary school in Khanian, a village less than 30 miles from the earthquake’s epicentre in the Mansehra district of Pakistan’s North West Frontier Province. Homes and two schools were reduced to rubble and many people were injured in the village. The new school by TCF will benefit the local community of 4,000 and surrounding villages of up to 5,000 people, providing a high standard of education to 180 pupils. Work to build the school began this month.

Proposals for the new school include a 6,500 sq ft building, furniture, equipment including library books and a school van. The money raised will cover this and the running costs for three years.

Councillor Munir said:

"I was keen from the outset that the money we raised in Nottingham would fund a lasting project to help people affected by the earthquake to rebuild their lives. High quality education is fundamental to enhancing people’s chances of succeeding in life, and I am delighted to be able to provide this large amount of money, raised through the generosity of Nottingham people, to allow The Citizens Foundation to create a new school in Khanian."

Lt. Gen. S.P. Shahid, Chief Executive Officer of TCF, said:

"The children of Khanian, an area ravaged in the earthquake of October 2005, will always cherish the generosity of people of Nottingham in helping them recreate their dreams through quality education. Acts of such benevolence are greatly helping TCF advance towards its vision to remove barriers of class and privilege to make citizens of Pakistan agents of positive change."

Even before the earthquake struck, education facilities were poor:

• 15% of state schools without proper buildings
• 40% without water
• 71% without electricity
• most suffering from sporadic provision of education due to teacher absences
• The literacy rate in Mansehra dropped even further from its 36% mark after the earthquake.

For more information about The Citizens Foundation, visit www.thecitizensfoundation.org.