I traveled to Pakistan in mid-November of 2005 to photograph the work of the Dosti Foundation, an educational NGO in the Northwest Frontier Province. The organization has been building schools for rural and poor children in the last ten years, placing a particular emphasis on girl’s education. But following the devastating earthquake of October 8 th, they were also becoming deeply involved in relief work, setting up makeshift schools and training centers in the camps that were springing up near the most affected areas. I spent much of my time in Pakistan photographing life in the camps, as well as the camp schools and the children who attend them. I also photographed Dr. Munir Ahmad, the founder of the Dosti Foundation, and the work he and his staff and vast numbers of volunteers were performing.

After several days in the camps I traveled to the outskirts of Peshawar to survey the Dosti schools there. Pakistan is recognized internationally for its very low rates of literacy and the lack of educational options for girls and women. According to the Asian Development Bank, only 30 out of 100 primary-school age girls are actually enrolled in school. Girls old enough to be in grade 9 or 10 number less than 2 per 100 students. In some areas, particularly rural regions, up to 70 percent of women are illiterate.

But there are bright spots in these dismal statistics. The government has recently mandated free and compulsory education for all children and countless NGOs are clamoring to help them meet the demand. And many girls are taking advantage of the education opportunities being offered by organizations such as Dosti. (In fact, Dosti’s entire enrollment of more than 6,000 students includes more girls than boys.) Sadia and Neema are representative of these determined girls, both of whom are the first females in their families to ever attend school.