📚 Bunyad Education & Literacy Programs

Empowering Communities Through Knowledge

Education is at the heart of Bunyad Foundation’s mission. Since 1994, Bunyad has led innovative, community-based literacy and education programs to empower the most marginalized—especially girls, women, and working children across rural and underserved areas of Pakistan.

We believe that literacy is liberation—from poverty, injustice, and inequality. Our education programs are designed to reach those left behind by formal education systems and to create lifelong learners through inclusive, flexible, and localized approaches.

📖 Our Core Education Initiatives

🔹 Adult Literacy Programs

Bunyad has successfully implemented over 6,000 Adult Literacy Centers across Punjab. These centers teach reading, writing, and numeracy to women and men, enabling them to lead informed lives, engage in economic activities, and participate in community development.

• 80% of learners are women
• Integrated with life skills (health, legal rights, digital literacy)
• Certified by Literacy & Non-Formal Basic Education Department, Punjab

🔗 Explore Adult Literacy Program

🔹 Child Education Initiatives

We establish Non-Formal Education (NFE) centers and Community Learning Spaces for out-of-school children, especially girls and working children. These programs provide accelerated learning and bridge courses to reintegrate them into formal schools.

• Over 2,000 learning centers established
• Curriculum aligned with Punjab Textbook Board
• Child-friendly, inclusive, and safe environments

🔗 Explore Child Education

🔹 Self-Run Schools Initiative

Bunyad’s self-run schools are managed by trained community women who serve as teachers and role models. These schools operate in hard-to-reach areas and are vital in addressing accessibility gaps in rural education.

• More than 350+ self-run schools
• Local hiring ensures ownership and sustainability
• Emphasis on girls’ retention and parental involvement

🔗 Visit Self-Run Schools

🔹 UNESCO Partnership for Literacy & Girls’ Rights

Bunyad has been recognized and supported by UNESCO for its outstanding contribution to literacy and gender equality in education.

• Winner of King Sejong Literacy Prize (2002)
• Developed models for community-based girls’ education
• Implemented projects on “Literacy for Sustainable Development”

🔗 UNESCO Collaboration

🔹 Brick Kiln Education Project

Bunyad reaches bonded labor families in brick kilns by setting up mobile schools, advocating for children’s rights, and encouraging parents to enroll their children in schools rather than labor.

• 150+ kiln schools
• Integrated services: nutrition, hygiene, birth registration
• Strong community engagement to break generational illiteracy

🔗 Empowering Brick Kiln Communities

🔹 Education for Afghan Refugees

Bunyad supports Afghan refugee children by establishing schools in settlements, providing Urdu-language materials, and offering psychosocial support and teacher training for refugee educators.

🔗 Afghan Refugee Program

📊 Key Impact Stats

• 📍 18+ Districts served in Punjab
• 👩‍🏫 2,000+ community-based education centers
• 👧 200,000+ children enrolled in non-formal education
• 👩 1.5 million+ adult women made literate
• 📚 6 UNESCO and Govt-recognized model programs implemented

💬 What Makes Bunyad’s Approach Unique?

• Community-Centered: Teachers are recruited locally, and communities are involved in decision-making
• Gender-Responsive: Programs prioritize girls’ education and female empowerment
• Flexible Learning: Timings and methods are adapted for working children and adults
• Integrated Services: Health, nutrition, and protection support included in education delivery

🧭 Future Goals

Strengthen inclusive education for children with disabilities and refugee children

Expand literacy programs to remote and post-disaster regions

Use digital learning hubs and mobile libraries to reach more learners

Advocate for policy reforms to support NFE systems nationwide