About – The Garage School
The Garage School, a project of Safi Benevolent Trust, is a non-profit organization looking after the educational needs of the children of Shah Rasool and Neelum Colonies adjacent to DHA Phase-V, Karachi. The Garage School (TGS) uplifts the community and transforms their lives, through ‘tarbiat’ (grooming) and education – to all children of the community as Pakistanis, with no distinction of any kind whatsoever.
History of the Garage School
It was in November 1999 when Somia, not yet in her teens, showed her bubbling desire to learn but was denied admission in a vocational school just because she could not read or write. Shabina Mustafa reacted to this and The Garage School was born in her garage, in the posh Minerva Court Apartment compound, in the elite Clifton area of Karachi!
On the very first day of school, there were fourteen young and eager learners, joyfully clearing up the garage to set it up as a classroom. Most of these children belonged to domestic helpers in the compound and adjacent area.
As more children joined in, they moved into the open area in front of the garage. By 2002 there was no more space for these bright young children to grow. It was through the generosity of Mr. Abbas Vawda who sponsored these children to many mainstream schools.
In 2006, the Safi Benevolent Trust was established to realize the dream of Flight Lieutenant Syed Safi Mustafa (Shaheed – 1971), Sitara-e-Jurrat: TO IMPART COST FREE EDUCATION TO ALL.
It had by now become imperative for TGS to move to larger premises. Shabina had no choice but to rent space in a commercial building in the same area where the children resided. This space in Neelum Colony today comprises three complete floors.
The bigger challenge was to get good teachers. 2015 thus marked the opening of the Safi Teacher’s Training Centre under the umbrella of the Safi Benevolent Trust (SBT).
Yet another mezzanine floor close to the existing building was rented to accommodate additional children. And so TGS-3 (Elementary Section) was added in 2016.
The Garage School today is a full-fledged learning, teaching and caring center, registered with the Board of Secondary Education and a member of the Pakistan Center of Philanthropy, under the umbrella of The Safi Benevolent Trust. It is also registered with the iCare Foundation.
Our children are brilliant; and they are also street-smart. Given proper ‘Tarbiat’ and a good education, every child can become a most useful member of our beloved Pakistan. Do have a look at what some of TGS children have achieved.
TGS ultimately aims to move to bigger and better custom-built premises, with a playground, a good library, hostel for boys and girls, a medical facility, a day-care center for mothers, and a community hall for their families to use for various festivities, etc.
Right now, TGS desperately needs additional space to accommodate the ever-increasing influx of children. The Board has therefore decided to increase capacity by having our own school building, in the same area where these children come from instead of renting additional accommodation. For this, SBT has procured space right across the road from its present location. This building is being razed to the ground to build a new multi-story school building.
The immediate objective of The Garage School is to construct its own school building to enhance capacity to 800 students.