The founder and managing member of VSF, Sana Ullah, was heartbroken by the mass rush of children and parents to his car begging for money or food during a trip to Pakistan. He held his first meeting with the residents of the slums on University Road Karachi to discuss the need for an education to cultivate the skills needed to effect positive change in this most vulnerable community on 26 November 2021. In this meeting, Mr. Ullah spoke with parents who want an education for their children, but felt their socioeconomic status, profession (often street beggars), financial difficulties, lack of self-esteem, lack of trust, and marginalization prevents their children from having the same educational opportunities as children born to middle and upper-class families.  With the commitment from parents to allow their children to go to school, Mr. Ullah decided to build a center to educate their children and committed to partnering with both the children and parents to provide a path to the mainstream of society.

Mr. Ullah was able to build an education center within three weeks of the November meeting with all the necessities and classroom accessories. The school began immediately accepting free student registrations, enrollment, hiring of teachers, support staff and provided free uniforms, shoes, books, workbooks, stationary along with free medical services to all students at first enrollment.

The first class began on 16 December 2021, less than a month after Mr. Ullah’s initial visit.  VSF is proud to report that student enrollment included those from different religious faiths including Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, and Christian along with different sects.

Upon seeing the amazing success of the co-education center in the slums on University Road Karachi, Mr. Ullah immediately expanded to three more education centers in other parts of Pakistan, including Mr. Ullah’s hometown of 40MB Joharabad where he began his educational journey that led to Mr. Ullah obtaining his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in the United States.