Malala Fund co-founders Malala and Ziauddin Yousafzai announce $230,000 in emergency funding to support flood-affected communities in Pakistan and help children continue to learn.
Flooding has devastated communities across Pakistan, damaging or destroying hundreds of schools and displacing thousands of families. In response, Malala Fund co-founders Malala and Ziauddin Yousafzai are announcing $230,000 (6.5 crore rupees) in emergency funding to support flood-affected communities and help children, particularly girls, continue learning.
“This monsoon season has brought heartbreaking devastation to communities across every province of Pakistan,” said Malala. “To support recovery efforts, we are announcing a $200,000 grant to Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi and a $30,000 grant to the Mountain Institute for Education and Development, two local organisations providing critical relief to survivors. They are offering girls books, uniforms, school bags and menstrual hygiene kits, funding libraries and delivering teaching and counselling services.”
Data from the Provincial Disaster Management Authority underscores the scale of the crisis:
61 schools destroyed and over 400 damaged
122 schools affected in Swat, 72 in Shangla
Multiple teacher and student casualties reported
“Now is the time to come together to support the frontline workers helping families recover and keeping girls connected to learning,” Malala added.
A Visit to Flood-Affected Communities
Earlier this month, Ziauddin Yousafzai visited Swat, Buner and Shangla, three of the hardest-hit districts, accompanied by Toor Pekai Yousafzai, Nishat Riaz (Chief Executive, Malala Fund Pakistan), and Yusra Jabeen (Pakistan Coordinator). The visit was an expression of solidarity with girls, families and teachers and a call to action for investing in education recovery.
“Floods are becoming more frequent and intense. Federal and provincial institutions must work more proactively to protect people’s lives and livelihoods, and build stronger, flood-proof infrastructure including homes and schools. Right now, governments around the world must support Pakistanis in their time of need,” said Ziauddin and Toor Pekai.
“The scale of the crisis is unimaginable. So many people have lost everything – their loved ones, schools, homes, livestock, and all their possessions. But when we saw the compassion, kindness, and solidarity of Pakistanis, our faith in humanity grew stronger than ever,” they added.
Highlights from the visit:
In Swat, the delegation visited Islampur, where Malala Fund is supporting the construction of a new school. Ziauddin and Toor Pekai met with community members, religious leaders and former students leading volunteer cleanup efforts in their neighborhoods.
Malala Fund organized a dinner in honour of relief workers and community leaders. Around 40 representatives of political parties and 22 humanitarian organizations attended, alongside youth volunteers, teachers, lawyers, doctors, mental health professionals, and members of the cultural community. Participants shared insights on the destruction caused by the floods, highlighting urgent needs such as sanitation, provision of school supplies, and climate-resilient school infrastructure.
In Swat, Buner and Shangla, the delegation visited flood-damaged communities, met with families, and spoke with local media. Ziauddin called for urgent international climate action and increased investment in girls’ education in disaster-prone regions.
With more than six million girls already out of school in Pakistan, climate disasters like flooding make existing inequalities worse, robbing even more girls of their right to education, particularly in rural areas where access is limited.
