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Naiko is a 16 year old boy who, along with countless other Afghan refugees, lives on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border in Chaman, Balochistan. Socio-economic problems such as poverty, a high unemployment rate, and inaccessibility to essential services such as education has resulted in cross-border smuggling becoming a common source of income for many refugees who have no other viable opportunities to help support their families. 

16-year-old Naiko and another boy in Killa Malik Abdul Rehman Village in Chaman, Balochistan.

Photo: Khumais Hashmi for the ̽����ѡ

Naiko shares his personal story with us.

 “We are a family of 5, including my father, mother, myself and 2 little brothers. My father—Muhammad Sadiq—works as a cobbler at a nearby market. His daily earnings barely cover the expenses of the household, so I helped him by doing what every other person in our neighbourhood does; smuggling goods from Afghanistan to Pakistan.” 

The relative ease at the border check for Afghan refugees allows many of those living in the Chaman district to move freely between the two countries. The severe lack of other income earning possibilities has pushed many refugees just like Naiko into the illegal trading business. One round trip would earn him $5, at most, which, combined with what his father earned, helped the family afford their daily bread. “I used to wake up early in the morning way before sunrise and cross the border from Pakistan to Afghanistan. There, I picked up lentils, rice and edible oils, and carried them on a cart back to Pakistan and sold these products in a nearby market.”

Naiko on his way to the Government Boys Middle School in his village after successfully completing the ̽����ѡ's Accelerated Learning Program (ALP).

Photo: Khumais Hashmi for the ̽����ѡ

The ̽����ѡ, through its sustained partnership with the (EU), has been operating in Pakistan since 1980. Since then the ̽����ѡ has expanded its reach to all provinces, providing emergency relief, education, job training, and many more essential services to vulnerable communities. 

Under the “Integrated Humanitarian Assistance for Vulnerable Afghan Refugees and Emergency Affected Population (I-HAVE) in Balochistan and Sindh” project, the ̽����ѡ has established an Accelerated Learning Program Center (ALP) near Naiko’s home. The centre provides free bridging programs for refugee students to attain basic skill-focused learning and education so they can be supported before they transition into the formal education system. Enrolled students are provided with textbooks, notebooks, and other stationery items. Our local out-reach staff got to know about Naiko from community members and reached out to his father in order to convince him to allow his son to attend the program at the centre. 

“Each day, I was able to earn $4 to $5 daily which helped us in sustaining livelihoods,” Naiko tells us. Now he is happy to receive a formal education that will enable him to acquire a job where he can apply his love for reading.

Photo: Khumais Hashmi for the ̽����ѡ

Initially Naiko’s father, Muhammad Sadiq, was hesitant to enroll Naiko in the learning program because of its timing conflicts with Naiko’s working hours. However, after mobilization efforts by the team, Sadiq left the decision to Naiko himself. He explains his story: 

“I was reached out by our community members, along with team members of ̽����ѡ. The ̽����ѡ staff explained the ALP centre to me and how it would provide me a second chance of acquiring education. I used to bring Afghani newspapers to Pakistan a few years back and always wondered how amazing it would be to be able to read the newspapers and I always had a wish to learn how to read and that’s why the offer of joining the centre intrigued me so I agreed.”

At the  ALP centre, Naiko successfully completed his non-formal education curricula. He was then provided with the completion certificate that then enabled him to enroll in the government school. “With the support of the ̽����ѡ staff,” says Naiko, “I submitted the relevant documents to a nearby school and now I am a student of a formal middle grade government school.” 

A class being taught outside at the ̽����ѡ's Accelerated Learning Program (ALP) institution in Chaman, Balochistan. All of the students in the program belong to low-income, marginalized families, and many of them are refugees.

Photo: Khaula Jamil for the ̽����ѡ

Naiko is now able to dedicate some of his evening time to reading newspapers. He goes on with his story, “The Accelerated Learning Program centre helped me in learning to read and write in Urdu and now, at the government school, I am learning to read and write in English as well. I have left smuggling and I am also learning the cobbler skills from my father. The ̽����ѡ helped me in making my dream come true.” He can read road signs and names of streets as he walks to school, which encourages him in his educational journey and his hope of acquiring a job one day. 

“I will continue to study and one day I will make my father proud.” 

“With the help of education, I now have a hope of a future with a dignified and sustainable source of income,” says Naiko.

Photo: Khumais Hashmi for the ̽����ѡ