Shining Light International

Meeting practical needs through education impacts all generations by providing lasting change. All of our programs have this long term view of breaking cycles of poverty and injustice through education. Providing quality education to the most vulnerable, marginalized and oppressed people in Gilgit Baltistan will yield the greatest return on investment measured in economic opportunities and transformed lives. We aim to do this through the following ways:
1 . Administration and Financial Goals: hire more SLI staff, promote awareness, raise funds, purchase land in Gilgit Baltistan, and registration of an international NGO office in Islamabad, Pakistan by 2020.
2. Shining Light Academy: We seek to expand our educational services to include ECD through College (class 11 & 12) in both Gilgit and Skardu. We also aim to provide scholarships to support all levels of education and implement a leadership development program for high school, college, and university students with SLI internship and employment as an end goal.
3. Technical Training: We seek to expand all women's vocational training, Life Stitch Manufacturing, life skills, entrepreneur business skills training, Urdu adult literacy, animal husbandry, and other employment skills training programs in both rural and urban settings. We will first replicate our programs in the Ghizer District and among Gujjar villages, followed by expanding to two other districts.
4. Gujjar Education and Rural Schools: All education and scholarship programs, health and hygiene, mother tongue literacy and other community development programs, projects and services to be deployed among the Gujjar people in Gilgit Baltistan.

Along with engaging support and nurturing relationships with local communities, Shining Light has done an outstanding job of soliciting and engaging outside support from businesses, churches, and non profit organizations that have provided expertise and training in many areas. SLI has mobilized over 200 foreign volunteers and workers since 2003. Our volunteers have been instrumental in filling the gaps and provided the expertise needed to develop and implement our current programs. Our partnership with Partners International, Yobel International, ROPE, and other foreign organizations has provided the knowledge base, financial support and strengthened our ability to deliver innovative and effective education and training programs. We depend upon our ability to collaborate with others to together we can serve those in need. Shining Light will continue to pursue meaningful partnerships the provide needed expertise in education, training, and development areas that best serve the people of Northern Pakistan.

Shining Light has consistently delivered affordable, high quality education and training programs and services that meet practical needs since 2003. These needs have been understood through a grassroots effort to identify needs of the most vulnerable and oppressed in communities where we live and work. The main premise of all our programs is to fully engage the communities we serve, identify their needs, and working together, determine a course of action that is practical, culturally sensitive, and relevant to their specific communities. Many of our employees have come from the communities we are currently serving. This has enable us to develop strong partnerships and working relations with local communities that fosters trust and has earned us an excellent reputation. We have worked very hard to consistently deliver quality programs and services and implement projects that are practical because they have engaged the very people we desire to serve. Shining Light has become a trusted, professional organization with an excellent reputation for delivering services that promote dignity and self worth.
Some of our strengths include:
- Established reputation and longevity in Northern Pakistan
- SLI Board and staff have international experience and expertise
- Innovative, passionate, and dedicated staff that are committed to the people we serve
- Strong partnership with FGA Gilgit Church that has a strong reputation in Gilgit since 2006
- Dynamic emerging leaders over the next five years
- Successful implementation of development programs with proven results
- Multiple partners raise money for our projects and programs in Pakistan
- Reputable Disaster Relief organization based on the outstanding work done in the 2010 flood relief effort
- Strong, working relations with other organizations

Since 2003 we have accomplished, and provided the following:
1. Shining Light Academy: an English medium, private school providing affordable, high quality, conceptual learning in a fun, nurturing environment for all religious sects in Gilgit, Pakistan. In 2016 there were 500 students attending preschool to 9th grade.
2. Shining Light Scholarship Program: SLI, along with a number of organizations provide financial assistance for books, tuition, uniforms, school fees, and other expenses to over 100 Christian, minority students from pre-school to college. Half of the recipients are considered persecuted Christians who cannot attend school in their own village. By the end of 2015, six of the scholarship students were attending college with plans to intern with us.
3. Women's Vocational Training and Life Stitch Manufacturing: Over 400 local women, primarily from low-income backgrounds have received sewing, knitting, and embroidery skills along with Urdu literacy, business development, ethics, and other essential skills to become contributing members of their families and communities. The Life Stitch Manufacturing Center was started in 2011 to employ women in the manufacturing of local, national, and international clothing and accessory items.
4. Rural Village Schools: Education among remote, rural communities is very poor quality and in come cases, non-existed, especially among girls. This is certain true among the semi nomadic, religiously conservative Gujjar tribal people. In 2009 Shining Light began providing financial assistance and hired local teachers to provide education to over 600 boys and girls in four remote villages. Special emphasis has been placed on girls education month the Gujjar communities. As a result, over 150 girls are attending school for the first time in village history.

To be accomplished:
1. Shining Light Academy- We hope to register and accredit our school as a high school, complete a science lab, begin a formal internship program, increase college scholarships, purchase our property that we are currently leasing, establish a new Shining Light Academy in Skardu.
2. Womens' Vocational Training- Hire a Life Stitch production coordinator, expand training centers to rural Gujjar communities and eventually open more Life Stitch factories, establish a local retail sales outlet, train Gujjar master trainers, employ 20 women at Life Stitch and register with government for imports/exports and eventually 100 employees by 2020, Life Stitch will be self sustaining.
3. Rural Village Schools- print and implement Gujjar preschool readers in 3 villages, hire and train 2 teachers for our expansion to Shashi Nallah, conduct mother tongue literacy training every winter, middle school expansions for all Gujjar schools, provide government enrichment training, have over 75% enrollment of girls by 2018, complete full assessment and date collection process for rural village schools.