All the credit goes to Dr. Khalid Bhamba who has been the medical angel for The Garage School since 2001. The students get free ENT checkups, eye checkups and blood grouping at his hospital.

Mariam, a new student, who just turned 5 was the bravest of the first batch of students that went for their checkups. She was not only extremely patient in the extreme heat at the hospital but also let the doctor take her blood for the grouping without a murmur. When even the older children were crying, she maintained her calm!

Medical checkups will continue through the second and the third weeks of May.

The school came alive again with the usual warnings for coming late, the teachers teaching the class and the students asking questions, the chatter during recess and activities for TGS open day, scheduled for the first week of June.

School for Nursery students started on 2nd May and like any other school, the kids were vary of letting their mothers go. Some students cried for hours till their parents came to get them. And today, their third day at school, they still bawl for an hour before they settle down.

Unlike the others, there are two cousins in Nursey who come to the school alone from the colony. Their parents work long hours and hence these kids are on their own! For this reason. we cannot move out of Neelum Colony and the building that we plan on purchasing, borders this colony. We must get children like these off the streets and into the school in order to bring about a revolutionary change in these colonies by the light of education.

Outstanding students for academic performance, cleanliness, regularity and punctuality were awarded certificates and small tokens of appreciation by The Garage School.

Parents of these students, who had come along with their children for their results, were given a lecture by Mrs. Mustafa on health, hygiene and the importance of education. They were explained in detail as to how they could play their part in polishing their child’s future.

Emphasizing on the importance of education, these parents were urged to come to The Garage School in the evening to study at least the basic English. Urdu and Mathematics courses in our eight month Jugnoo (basic Adult Literacy) course. Most parents, especially mothers were enthusiastic to join these classes which will be beginning from May.

We’d like to wish these students and also those parents who’d be starting their classes from next week, all the very best for the coming year.

The workshop was held for The Garage School students and their parents. The to-be doctors of JMDC discussed various common diseases, their effects, symptoms and prevention. The basic diseases for these people are water borne diseases, diseases due to lack of cleanliness in their homes and their colonies, and diseases due to unhealthy eating habits. These medical students discussed these issues at length and answered any questions that the audience may have regarding these diseases and others. Some of the basic things in the discussions were very common preventive strategies but due to lack of education, the parents of The Garage School students were unaware of them.

We would like to thank Volunteer Karachi, Acumen Fund and the students of JMDC for conducting a very helpful, interactive workshop.

The students were shown presentation of the various jobs offered by Pearl Continental. They were then taken around the hotel so they could have a better idea of all the work being done there by the employees. They also met the managers of various departments and they assured them that with proper education and training, a managerial position was no fairytale for them. The students were excited and this trip to Pearl Continental has given them an added incentive to work hard to secure a job in a work environment envious to others of the same background.

We would like to thank Ms. Uzma, Ms. Shagufta and Dr. Amin of Pearl Continental Hotel for arranging such a wonderful trip for The Garage School students. This definitely was a very inspiring experience for them.

Students of various religious backgrounds participated in this event, regardless of the fact that it was a Muslim celebration. The students at The Garage School are taught to participate in each other’s joys and share the sorrows. This teaches them to be tolerant towards those who don’t share the same faith. If the same philosophy is taught everywhere, the world will surely be a better place to live in.

Held on 11^th February, 2012 at The Second Floor, the background vocals were done by the girls of The Garage School and SMB Fatima Jinnah School.  The audience enjoyed the performance of Ross Mintzer on his saxophone, which is rare in Pakistan and applauded the performance of the girls who practically had no prior practice for this. It was a very good experience for the girls and such exposure makes it easier for them to decide what they want to be when they grow up!

He not only taught English to the grade V students but being a musician, he chose one student to do the background vocals for one of his songs that he recorded at a studio in Karachi.

Before he left, he had organized a concert at The Second Floor where his choir included grade V girls of The Garage School. This provided an opportunity for our girls to get a taste of the music industry.

On 10^th February, 2012, his last day at the school, the staff and students of grade V gave him a farewell party. Mrs. Shabina Mustafa appreciated his efforts and thanked him. The students, all sad, gave him handmade cards. We’d like to thank Ross Mintzer for all his time that he gave to The Garage School.

In this regard, we have started Cross Stitch classes at The Garage School. Started on the 2nd of February, 2012 and taught by Mrs. Shifana Diwan, a volunteer at our school, the class is open for any student interested in embroidery. She will teach the students to not only do cross stitch work on canvas / fabric but will also teach them to make other things like cross stitch pencil holders, etc.

The classes are held twice a week and we aim to start more classes like these to promote work of our students and push them forward in life.

CAP  started this program on the 19th of January in our school. The students, of ages 11 and above, are enrolled in this 3 year, comprehensive course of theirs which is held every Thursday for 1 hour in the afternoon. The Citizens Archive of Pakistan is trying to instill the pride we all must have of Pakistan. The activity based teaching approach is surely going to help our students in their learning abilities along with sowing the seed of patriotism in their hearts.