My name is Aamir Kohli.

I am a secondary school teacher in the UK with nearly 20 years of experience, and a deep passion for improving education, especially in languages and communication, because I believe language opens doors to the world.

My roots, however, are in a small village in Pakistan. That village is where my father grew up and where he attended a small primary school called Pir Jand High school, that gave him the gift of education, despite having very little in the way of resources.

I haven’t been there recently in person, but through weekly video calls, the headteacher walks me through the school, showing me the classrooms, the children, and the reality they face every day.

The education is still free. The children are still eager to learn. The headteacher is open-minded, proactive, and determined. In fact, the number of pupils has grown from 29 to 56 in a short time because families trust the school.

But the environment the children sit in every day is heartbreaking.

Broken windows. Peeling walls. Damaged floors. Desks and chairs that have been repaired again and again by hand just to keep them usable. Classrooms that no child should have to learn in, yet they turn up every morning with hope.

Watching this week after week, I realised something very personal:

This is the school that helped shape my father’s future.

And now, I have the opportunity to help shape theirs.

I am not trying to build something new.

I am trying to restore dignity to something that already exists.

Because when a child walks into a clean, bright, safe classroom, it tells them something powerful:

You matter. Your education matters. Your future matters.

A relatively small amount of money from the UK can completely transform this school, repairing walls and windows, improving floors, and providing proper desks and chairs for every child.

This is more than a fundraiser for me.

This is about legacy, gratitude, and giving back to the place that started my family’s journey.

My father once sat in those classrooms.

Now, I want these children to sit in ones they can be proud of.