Reconstructing the schools after the earthquake

“Following the earthquake of October 2005, most of the schools of Pakistani Kashmir were destroyed: this truly compromised the future of the region. This type of project is therefore of the most crucial importance.”
Nathalie de Lataillade

On October 8, 2005, a terrible earthquake ravaged the north of Pakistan. Tens of thousands of persons were killed and hundreds of thousands were homeless. Many towns in this part of Kashmir were nearly completely razed to the ground. Today, among the collective buildings destroyed, the new schools still have not all risen from the ground; far from it, considering the huge reconstruction task at hand.

At Behri and Seri Behri, the association Pour que l’école continue (founded after the accidental death of the prominent war reporter Patrick Bourrat) joined hands with the NGO Architectes de l’urgence to reconstruct the girls’ school (220 pupils) and a primary school (80 pupils).

Jobs for 26 adults

Since its creation in 2002, Pour que l’école continue has mobilized to help create new schools in areas destroyed by wars or natural disasters. For its part, Architectes de l’urgence dispatched experts to Pakistan in the very first days following the earthquake, initially working with the homeless, and then in the reconstruction programs under way.

The two new schools should be completed in the course of 2007. The subsidy granted by fondation Veolia will be used to build a drinking water network and sanitary blocks.

Ultimately, this contribution will help the children and young girls of Behri to resume school attendance. However, as an important side effect, it will also create 26 jobs. So far, the indispensable employees and teachers needed to run the two schools were in fact jobless.