Federally Administered Tribal Areas: Ashar is an age-old local tradition in Pakistan's northern areas where communities collectively contribute to meet the pressing needs of an individual or family, especially in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and frontier regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Long before the introduction of farming equipment, construction tools or banks, ashar banded communities together during harvest season to construct homes or offer financial assistance to the those in need.

Last year, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) revived this tradition in FATA, mobilizing parents to improve their children's schools and their learning environment. USAID's Links to Learning: Education Support to Pakistan program, or Ed-Links, encouraged parents and siblings of students to come together and repair school buildings, providing financial and technical support as needed.

"This is the first time that we have gathered together on behalf of education for the collective interest of the community," said Sher Andaz, the leader, or malik, of one participating community. "Projects included painting walls, fixing electrical fittings, doors, windows and furniture, replacing blackboards, strengthening boundaries, cleaning up courtyards, and improving sanitation in the schools," he said.

"I'm illiterate, so I don't understand much about education," said Mohammad Nawaz, whose son, Jahanzeb, is a student at the school. "But through ashar, I can still contribute to my son's education by helping improve the condition of his school. I hope my son will enjoy his studies now."

In most cases, men worked at the school while women cooked meals and prepared a feast to celebrate the project's completion. At one school in the extremely conservative Frontier Region of Bannu, women insisted on helping paint the walls and boundaries. For the first time, fathers and husbands allowed them to step outside their home and work in public. Through ashar, passive and disinterested community members became active and eager agents of change. Over six months, community members improved the learning environment for 13,985 middle and secondary school students studying in 46 schools in FATA.

"I'm surprised at such high participation by the community since this is harvest season," said Hamdullah, whose daughter, Yasmeen, studies in Class 10. "I didn't expect people to leave their work in the field for the school."

FATA is considered to be one of the most unsafe places in the world; and despite reports of schools being closed down and even destroyed by militants, communities in Khyber, Mohmand, Bajaur, Bannu, and North Waziristan banned together, and proved that education can flourish, even amid adversity.

"There is strength in unity," said Sabr Ullah, a father from Madyana. "No one could have accomplished this alone, but together we did it in just three days. I've asked parents not to stop here but to dedicate a few days each month to improve the education of their children." Not only are students benefitting from an improved learning environment, but enrollment has increased significantly in beneficiary schools, he said.

After the success of ashar in FATA, Ed-Links expanded the model to the Malakand Division in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where thousands of families have gradually returned home to rebuild their lives after spending the past year displaced by internal conflict. These communities are eager to repair schools, hospitals, and other public facilities destroyed by insurgents. They are driven by the need to provide their children with a healthy and stable learning environment.

"We are thankful for such an activity that will improve the schools in which our children study. We want our children to study well, and I know they are also eager to learn," said Sultan Mahmood, Chairman of the Parent Teacher Council at the participating Government High School in Kokaray.

Over the next year, ED-Links will work to improve as many as 150 schools in the Malakand Division. The initiative began last week, and ten communities have already seen improvements made to their schools.

"We want education for our children, and our children also want education" said Shahid Wali, a community member. "We are grateful for this activity."