In the remote, rugged hills of District Kohlu, Balochistan, Muhammad Akhtar grew up in a household where education was a distant dream. Born to a labourer’s family with very limited means, he faced the reality that even basic schooling was often beyond the reach of children in his community.

His journey changed with the Chamalang Balochistan Education Scholarship Programme, launched in 2007 by the Pakistan Army in collaboration with the Government of Balochistan. The initiative was designed to open the doors of education for children from marginalised and low-income coal miner families, offering them a pathway that poverty had long denied.

In 2021, PPAF joined as a financing partner to support the continuation of the programme for day scholars in districts including Kohlu, helping ensure that students like Akhtar could remain in education despite financial pressures and operational challenges. This support strengthened the sustainability of the initiative and safeguarded educational opportunities for hundreds of deserving students.

From his early years in school, Akhtar remained under the umbrella of this programme and steadily progressed through each stage of his education. With consistent support covering his academic needs and his own determination to succeed, he completed matriculation and FA/FSc with distinction, continuing on to university education. The programme not only eased the financial burden on his family but also gave him the stability to focus on learning and personal growth.

With persistence and hard work, Akhtar completed his university education and went on to achieve a significant milestone—securing a position at the Survey of Pakistan in Islamabad, a respected national institution far removed from the hardships of his early life.

Today, Akhtar’s journey stands as a testament to the transformative power of sustained educational support. Through long-term collaboration and PPAF’s continued commitment to strengthening access to education for marginalised communities, lives like his have been reshaped—turning barriers into opportunity and possibility into achievement.