700 attend meet to support education in Pakistan

Over 700 supporters including Pakistanis based in Dubai and other Emirates along with others have attended the Annual Supporters Conference organised by The Citizens Foundation (TCF), a leading non-profit dedicated to educating less-privileged children in Pakistan.

The annual conference was held at the Millennium Plaza Downtown Hotel in Dubai and attended by philanthropists, education advocates and long-standing supporters to highlight the organisation’s growing impact and vision for addressing Pakistan’s learning crisis.

Since its inception in 2004, TCF has played a vital role in advancing access to quality education in Pakistan.

As the first international chapter of TCF, it has built a strong community of supporters in the UAE, who continue to help expand the organisation’s reach in underserved communities. Pakistan continues to face a severe education and learning crisis.

While millions of children remain out of school, many who are enrolled are not learning at grade level, reinforcing cycles of poverty and inequality.

TCF’s mission is to break this cycle by providing quality education and long-term support to children from low-income communities. During the conference, Zia Abbas, CEO of The Citizens Foundation, highlighted the urgency of addressing Pakistan’s learning challenges and shared TCF’s continued expansion. “Pakistan is facing not just an education crisis, but a learning crisis,” he said. “Only three out of 10 children in school are learning at grade level, while millions remain out of school entirely.”

TCF is committed to changing this reality by providing access to quality education that equips children with knowledge, critical thinking and 21st century skills.

He said, what began as five schools has now grown into a nationwide network of 2,033 school units educating over 320,000 students.

TCF is also the largest private employer of women in Pakistan, with more than 16,500 all-female faculty members, creating both educational and economic empowerment.

The presentation highlighted several of TCF’s innovative initiatives, including an Early Years Programme focused on developing 21st-century skills, an updated digital curriculum introducing coding through Scratch from Grade 6, and the Aagahi Adult Literacy Programme, which has now empowered over 293,000 women with functional literacy skills. TCF’s flagship college for higher secondary education was also highlighted for its strong academic performance, ranking alongside leading colleges in Pakistan, including private institutions serving more affluent communities.

The conference showcased powerful stories of impact, including that of TCF alumna Almas from Rehri Goth, a coastal community in Karachi.

As an agent of positive change in her community, she is leading initiatives to protect mangrove ecosystems by mobilising residents to plant trees and establish mangrove nurseries.

Her work supports marine life, improves water quality, and promotes environmental sustainability, demonstrating the broader societal impact of education.

The event also featured inspiring reflections from TCF alumni now working in the UAE.

Urooba Yousuf, a Performance Marketing Manager and entrepreneur, shared her journey from growing up in severe financial hardship to building a successful professional career.

“TCF gave me the power to dream beyond my circumstances,” she said.

“It provided me with knowledge, confidence, and the strength to transform not just my life, but the future of my family.”

Imran Khan, now an entrepreneur running his own business formation services company, highlighted the role of education in shaping his path.

“TCF gave me confidence, awareness, and direction,” he shared.

“It enabled me to take on responsibilities, make independent decisions, and turn challenges into opportunities.”

Their stories reflected TCF’s long-term impact in enabling students to overcome adversity and become contributing members of society.

As TCF continues to expand its reach and strengthen its programmes, the organisation remains committed to ensuring that every child in Pakistan has access to quality education and the opportunity to thrive.

With the continued support of its global community, TCF aims to address the learning crisis at scale and create lasting change for generations to come.