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OUR Story (by the Fauji Foundation College of Education, Rawalpindi)
email : qwd@apollo.net.pk

It was a stony hill on the Pothowar plateau near the Sowan River.The site selected for the Teachers Training Institute. The land
was granted to Fauji Foundation Education Section.

One look at the landscape and the vision of Madam Shaista Shahid, the innovative and creative nature loving principal soared to the blue skies...the rose garden, the bougenvillia vines creeping down the hill, the grass lawn. and the hedges, all in a flash had come in to the panoramic camera eye. Yes, it will be on the hill top, Sir,...from where we can feel the CONNECTION with the Gracious Almighty Allah...and begin our noble task of teaching.

Time passed...the years turned from 1990 to the new millenium....the roses bloomed , the grass grew, the tall trees now swing with the breeze....spring comes full of glowing colors..BUT....loads and loads of trolleys of earth to level the place....hours of personal supervision, days and months of picking hard rounded and rough stones out of the area.....Yes ..Water...sprinkling
and flowing whenever available....and prayers to Allah for rain....planning flower bed layouts ; now..the garden is set....whoever
comes stands and looks around feeling a glow of Faith and Companionship....the Touch of Nature is so strong' deep and loving..so refreshing..so peaceful...its like Heaven...

Then suddenly you hear a loud zoom.!!!!!....far in the distant you can see a jet climbing steeply....at times there is thick haze...OH black smoke rising high spiralling on and on....fire in the dry grassy area....OH NO....not again....???but our environment is still growing green day by day because we all believe in taking care of it....Nature talks to us...as the rain strikes the classroom windows....I teach them about the kinds of trees..SEE..outside the window..how many can you name?See the clouds?

What shapes do they make? SEE..the Earth is round , see how the land blends from the hills to the plains...? and the students know that Pakistan is made up of mighty majestic mountains,lofty trees, river valleys fertile plains and of course the desert which we cannot see from these Margalla hills..but the dates and the fruit...and the visuals ....are there to keep us Connected....

Yes we are connected...and this year more improvement in the greening of the area..this year the young graduates are all part of the environment..they have joined hands...they have volunteered..they have made the connection....and here we are ..the
students of the Fauji Foundation College of Education planting the first tree in the new extension of the lawn for the new training block....the vision is still there ...we are on the right path..One with Nature....to look around the globe...to participate ..to share the care of the gifted land..our college , our environment our country...our Hope Our Future.....

PS.
This is our story and the WED was celebrated in our college on the 1st of June , as you can see from the attached pictures. The principal was the chief guest, messages from the UN secy gen. and the UNEP ex. Dir were read out. The students made and wore environment badges. They made and displayed posters on pollution and its problems. A tree was planted. A prayer of thanks to Allah was offered and a song was sung by all as they joined hands to make the connection. A bulletin board was specially prepared for the occasion.

Report by
Mrs Anjum Wasim Dar
Lecturer
Pakistan Studies
Project WED Incharge
FF College of Education
1 new lalazar Rawalpindi
Pakistan