If you had to leave your home at a moment’s notice, what would be the first thing you would grab? For Sobia Bhatti, a 13-year-old student at DIL School Khuhra in Sindh who has grown up with very little, books—her most prized possession—were the first thing that came to mind. Her heart pounding, she took them in one hand and her little sister’s fingers in the other, and forded the debris surrounding the Bhatti residence.
She quickly forgot the few rupees—now washed away—she had saved to purchase a laptop some day. Stepping into a river of earthenware and heirlooms, Sobia had to focus on finding shelter and ways to survive.
Happily, she is back in school now, and though she wasn’t able to buy her own latop, she’s grateful to be using the school’s computers to catch up on TEAL lessons. “At DIL, we try to create an environment that sparks a love of creativity and exploration in our students,” Sobia’s teacher remarks. “Considering everything she’s been through, Sobia is doing very well!”