A Pakistani rickshaw driver who provides a free transport service to 300 schoolgirls has been hailed as a hero for his work in his native Peshawar province.
“My mission is to ensure that every girl receives an education," said Arab Shah, 33, in Pir Bala, a suburban neighbourhood of Peshawar city.
Mr Shah, 33, began taking girls to school in his rented rickshaw, driven by regret over being unable to support his five sisters during their school years. His free service has now expanded to include an auto rickshaw and four Suzuki vans that transport hundreds of girls to school and back.
“My sisters now proudly say, 'it’s a good thing we couldn't get an education, other girls would suffer, and you wouldn't have discovered this greatness within you',” he told The National.
His work has gained support from the world-renowned Pakistani women's education advocate, Malala Yousafzai, and her family.
“When I saw his story in the media, it brought me immense joy, and I immediately contacted Shah to support his remarkable work. Malala also spoke with him and appreciated his efforts in ensuring that girls receive an education,” Malala's father, Ziauddin Yousafzai, told The National.
In Pir Bala, several girls told The National that Mr Shah's service had allowed them to pursue their dreams.
Madiha Bannat, a 10th-grade student whose father passed away during her childhood, and whose mother works as a housekeeper in various homes in her village, said she had found it difficult to continue her education due to travel expenses.
However, “Bhaijan” (Dear Brother), as she calls Arab Shah, took on the responsibility of getting her to school.
“For the past five years, without paying a single penny, I've been able to pursue my dream of attending school without any obstacle,” Ms Banat told The National.
Salma Khan, an eighth-grade student who attends school in Mr Shah's rickshaw, said: “When a fellow schoolgirl in our class mentioned facing transport or other issues that hindered her education, I reassured her, saying, don't worry, I'll tell Bhaijan (Arab Shah), and he'll sort it out.
Mr Shah said that in 2014 he had first rented a rickshaw and began taking take three or four pupils from poorer neighbourhoods to school during his morning shift.
After realising that many more pupils needed transport to reach school, he embarked on a mission to provide free transport to schoolgirls in his village.
Three years ago, after his story gained media attention, he received financial support from the Yousafzai family.
"When Malala's father, Ziauddin Yousafzai, called me, I couldn't believe it. They offered financial support for me to purchase my own rickshaw. I told Zia that many girls were out of school due to transportation issues, and for that, I needed a vehicle.
“Now I have an auto rickshaw and four Suzuki vans, providing free transport to over 300 school and madrassa students,” Mr Shah told The National.
Starting his duties at 7am, he does 15 shifts in the Suzuki vans and 10 in his rickshaw, offering free pick-and-drop services to school and university students. The other vehicles have been assigned to drivers who are paid for their work, and the income generated is used to provide one additional free pick-and-drop service for schoolgirls.
Once all the children have reached home from school, Mr Shah returns to the streets of Peshawar, ensuring he can earn sufficient income to maintain his fleet.
“Due to high inflation and rising fuel prices, I now extend my working hours into the late night to increase earnings," he said.
Mr Shah's efforts have been recognised beyond his community. In August 2020, Zia Ullah Bangash, a former education adviser to the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, presented him with a shield and prize in recognition of his work.
Malala's father, Mr Yousafzai, told The National that he was inspired by Mr Shah's story and suggested that his scheme be expanded to other remote areas.
"We will continue to support him in the future and will suggest to the government that Shah's mission of providing free transportation services to students in remote areas be implemented on a broader scale," he said in a phone interview.
Mr Yousafzai explained that there are more than 22 million children out of school in Pakistan. Twelve million are girls, he said.
"The primary issue preventing many out-of-school children from attending is the lack of transport. Schools and teachers are available, but students cannot access them due to transport barriers," he said.
“If I had the authority, I would implement a similar transportation system to what Shah is doing and name it the 'Arab Shah Transport System',” he added.
Mr Yousafzai stressed the need to break with patriarchal traditions and promote equal rights.
“The world has reached the Moon, and here we are still discussing whether women should be allowed to leave their homes. We should support our women in obtaining education, pursuing careers, and achieving their dreams.”
US Industrial Market figures, Q1 2017
Vacancy Rate 5.4%
Markets With Positive Absorption 85.7 per cent
New Supply 55 million sq ft
New Supply to Inventory 0.4 per cent
Under Construction 198.2 million sq ft
(Source: Colliers)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance: the specs
Engine: 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 plus rear-mounted electric motor
Power: 843hp at N/A rpm
Torque: 1470Nm N/A rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.6L/100km
On sale: October to December
Price: From Dh875,000 (estimate)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Christoph Ribbat
Translated by Jamie Searle Romanelli
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Tailors and retailers miss out on back-to-school rush
Tailors and retailers across the city said it was an ominous start to what is usually a busy season for sales.
With many parents opting to continue home learning for their children, the usual rush to buy school uniforms was muted this year.
“So far we have taken about 70 to 80 orders for items like shirts and trousers,” said Vikram Attrai, manager at Stallion Bespoke Tailors in Dubai.
“Last year in the same period we had about 200 orders and lots of demand.
“We custom fit uniform pieces and use materials such as cotton, wool and cashmere.
“Depending on size, a white shirt with logo is priced at about Dh100 to Dh150 and shorts, trousers, skirts and dresses cost between Dh150 to Dh250 a piece.”
A spokesman for Threads, a uniform shop based in Times Square Centre Dubai, said customer footfall had slowed down dramatically over the past few months.
“Now parents have the option to keep children doing online learning they don’t need uniforms so it has quietened down.”
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Cast: Colin Firth, Matthew Macfayden, Kelly Macdonald and Penelope Wilton
Rating: 4/5
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Company profile
Name: Back to Games and Boardgame Space
Started: Back to Games (2015); Boardgame Space (Mark Azzam became co-founder in 2017)
Founder: Back to Games (Mr Azzam); Boardgame Space (Mr Azzam and Feras Al Bastaki)
Based: Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Industry: Back to Games (retail); Boardgame Space (wholesale and distribution)
Funding: Back to Games: self-funded by Mr Azzam with Dh1.3 million; Mr Azzam invested Dh250,000 in Boardgame Space
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- Adapt your business model. Make changes that are future-proof to the new normal
- Make sure you have an online presence
- Open communication with suppliers, especially if they are international. Look for local suppliers to avoid delivery delays
- Open communication with customers to see how they are coping and be flexible about extending terms, etc
Courtesy: Craig Moore, founder and CEO of Beehive, which provides term finance and working capital finance to SMEs. Only SMEs that have been trading for two years are eligible for funding from Beehive.
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Cyclists must wear a helmet, arm and knee pads
Have a white front-light and a back red-light on their bike
They must place a number plate with reflective light to the back of the bike to alert road-users
Avoid carrying weights that could cause the bike to lose balance
They must cycle on designated lanes and areas and ride safe on pavements to avoid bumping into pedestrians
How to help
Donate towards food and a flight by transferring money to this registered charity's account.
Account name: Dar Al Ber Society
Account Number: 11 530 734
IBAN: AE 9805 000 000 000 11 530 734
Bank Name: Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank
To ensure that your contribution reaches these people, please send the copy of deposit/transfer receipt to: juhi.khan@daralber.ae
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Founder: Hasib Khan
Based: Dubai
Employees: 40
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Produced: Lionsgate Films, Shanghai Ryui Entertainment, Street Light Entertainment
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Cast: Ed Skrein, Woody Harrelson, Dennis Quaid, Aaron Eckhart, Luke Evans, Nick Jonas, Mandy Moore, Darren Criss
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This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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Pupils to learn coding and other vocational skills from Grade 6
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Name: N2 Technology
Founded: 2018
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Startups
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Funding: $1.7m from HNIs
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How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
