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Meet Our Pen Pals
Hover over each student's picture to learn more about them
Pakistan
ERAJ
Eraj is fourteen and is in eighth grade. She enjoys playing soccer and dancing in her free time. She has five sisters and four brothers. Eraj's favorite color is sky blue and her favorite food is a fish sandwich. She loves living in Pakistan.
From Pakistan
SUMMIYA
Summiya is fifteen years old. She has four brothers and four sisters. She enjoys skipping and watching movies in her free time. She doesn't have time to play after school because she has to help her mother at home and do her homework. Her father is a shopkeeper and her favorite subject in school is math. She speaks Urdu and Pashto and is learning English. Her favorite food is mixed vegetable bhujia. If she were to change one part of her school, she would like to have more art classes. Even though she can't attend college because she is part of a tribal family, she is grateful to her school and the US for helping her receive an education.
NOUMAN
Nouman is fifteen years old and is the youngest of five brothers. His favorite sport is cricket and which he always plays on the weekend and he enjoys flying kites. His favorite food is chicken korma. His goal is to attend college and would like to become an army officer in the future. His favorite color is sky blue and his favorite part about his school is their garden which is used to teach them agriculture. If he were to change one thing in his school he would like to have a computer lab.
Exchange #2
Pen Pal Exchange
2018-2019
Power to Pakistan builds connections and friendships with the students in Pakistan through a pen pal exchange. This exchange seeks to eliminate the presumed stereotypes mainly around terrorism and to build peace between Pakistan and the United States. Fifteen students from the U.S. and 15 students from Pakistan took part in three letter exchanges during the school year. The creative project for the club this year was to create a Pakistani cookbook with recipes that each Pakistani student exchanged with their pen pal with a description of what this food is and why it is special to them. This cultural activity was a fun way for students to learn about Pakistani food and culture.
Meet Our Pen Pals
Hover over each student's picture to learn more about them
Pakistan
ERAJ
Eraj is fourteen and is in eighth grade. She enjoys playing soccer and dancing in her free time. She has five sisters and four brothers. Eraj's favorite color is sky blue and her favorite food is a fish sandwich. She loves living in Pakistan.
SUMMIYA
Summiya is fifteen years old. She has four brothers and four sisters. She enjoys skipping and watching movies in her free time. She doesn't have time to play after school because she has to help her mother at home and do her homework. Her father is a shopkeeper and her favorite subject in school is math. She speaks Urdu and Pashto and is learning English. Her favorite food is mixed vegetable bhujia. If she were to change one part of her school, she would like to have more art classes. Even though she can't attend college because she is part of a tribal family, she is grateful to her school and the US for helping her receive an education.
NOUMAN
Nouman is fifteen years old and is the youngest of five brothers. His favorite sport is cricket and which he always plays on the weekend and he enjoys flying kites. His favorite food is chicken korma. His goal is to attend college and would like to become an army officer in the future. His favorite color is sky blue and his favorite part about his school is their garden which is used to teach them agriculture. If he were to change one thing in his school he would like to have a computer lab.
SONIA
Sonia is thirteen years old and is in seventh grade. She enjoys playing badminton with her friends in her free time. Her favorite food is mango chutney which her sister cooks for her. Sonia loves going to school. It is the best part of her day. Sonia loves celebrating festivals with her friends and family.
RIMSHA
Rimsha is fourteen and is in eighth grade. She is so grateful that she receives a free education because her family could not cover the expenses otherwise. Her father passed away leaving her and her two sisters alone with a single mother. Her two sisters also attend the same school. Her favorite food is simply rice because you can eat it with anything. If Sonia were to add anything to to school, she would like to have a playground.
MOHABBAT
Mohabbat is fifteen years old and has seven sisters and two brothers. He finds it unfair that his sisters are not allowed to go to school. He lives in a very strict and conservative household. Mohabbat is extremely grateful for his education because he realizes the great value that an education holds. His favorite subject in school is English and his dream is to study this in college. His favorite foods are cheeseburgers and omelettes. He loves to play cricket in his free time. He believes that to improve the school more furniture, additional classrooms, and a computer lab should be added.
NAGINA
Nagina is twelve years old and is in sixth grade. She has five sisters and six brothers. Two of her sisters are married and she misses them very much. Her favorite food is dried bitter grounds with turnips. She enjoys playing hide and seek and volleyball with her sisters. She isn't allowed outside of her house after school because she lives in a very conservative household and needs to help her mother at home. Nagina's favorite color is yellow. If Nagina could change one thing about her school she would change the furniture.
MOMNA
Momna is fourteen years old and has three brothers. Her father works in a bakery. Her favorite sport is badminton and would love to travel to the US someday. She enjoys spending time with her friends and family in her spare time. Her favorite food is khees which is made for religious festivals and weddings. If Momna were to change anything about her school she would like it to be in a larger building and would like to have art class.
MARIA
Maria is fourteen years old and has two brothers and three sisters. One of her sisters is married with two kids. Maria enjoys reading novels and plays in her free time. She also likes to play badminton and her favorite subject is English. She dreams of traveling the world but does not have enough money to do so. Her favorite foods are biryani and minced meat with potatoes. If Maria were to change anything about her school she would want to add art classes.
LAIBA
Laiba is fifteen years old and has three brothers who she plays with after school. She enjoys playing soccer and her favorite food is pizza. Her favorite color is black because it is a sign of luck. Laiba's favorite subject is English and her favorite food is vegetable soup. Laiba's nephew is suffering from cancer and her family cannot pay for his treatment. This worries her deeply. If Laiba were to change anything about her school she would like it to be in a larger building. She finds Americans to be loving and caring people.
EMAN
Eman is fourteen years old and is in seventh grade. She has two sisters and two brothers. Her two sisters are married and she misses them very much. Eman likes to act and dance but there are few opportunities for this in Pakistan. Her favorite food is chicken karahi. After school Eman helps her mother in the kitchen to prepare food. Eman loves her teachers and believe that they work very hard. If she were to change one thing about her school she would like to have a science lab with computers.
KAINAT
Kainat is fourteen years old and has four brothers and four sisters. She loves skipping and reading books in her free time. Kainat's favorite holidays are Independence Day and Eid and her favorite food is suji ka halwa. The most exciting part of Kainat's life is in school. Kainat thinks of her teachers as her friends. She does not have any pets because her house is too small.
BUSHRA
Bushra is fourteen years old and is in eighth grade. She has four brothers and four sisters. Five of her siblings attend the same school that she does. She enjoys reading and writing stories in her free time. She belongs to a Pakhtoon family, which is very conservative and strict, making it difficult for women in this family to receive an education. Her favorite food is a cooked pickle. She loves how her teachers are very hardworking and search for resources for their students. She does not like how small the school is and says that there should be more space. Prior to this exchange Bushra thought Americans were unfriendly, but now she believes we are nice and kind hearted people.
FAZAL
Fazal is fourteen years old and has two brothers and two sisters. He visits a nearby city called murree every winter where it snows. His favorite hobby is gardening and his favorite sport is cricket. Fazal has hens as pets and uses their eggs to cook. His favorite food is sweet vermicelli. Fazal likes the discipline and rigor that his school has but does not like how congested the classrooms are. Fazal views Americans as generous and friendly people after this exchange.
