Our Story

Since 2011, Quest for Education Foundation has been supporting schools and teacher training initiatives in underserved communities. Our work began in partnership with Kashmir Education Foundation (KEF) to establish and run schools and a Teacher Training Institute in Pakistan.

In many rural areas, education is not a priority for families due to poverty. Children are often required to work or beg on the streets instead of attending school. Girls face even greater challenges in accessing education because they are often considered less worthy of schooling than boys.

Quest for Education Foundation works to ensure that children in disadvantaged communities receive the education they deserve. Our partnership with KEF has focused on providing access to quality education in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. KEF has established schools and a Teacher Training Institute to improve teaching standards, with a strong emphasis on gender equality. More than half of the spaces in these schools are reserved for girls, and the Teacher Training Institute is dedicated to training female students to become educators in their communities.

The concerns that led to the formation of Quest for Education Foundation were first raised by Joan Atkins, who had a deep interest in improving education in Pakistan. Joan visited the Teacher Training Institute in Basali and highlighted the urgent need to provide quality education and teacher training in rural areas. Inspired by her insights, a group of like-minded individuals came together to form Quest for Education Foundation, including Iffat Ferdinand, a teacher with strong ties to Joan. Although Joan was not a founder or a board member, she continued to support QEF’s fundraising activities and remained an inspiration to the board.

Joan also recognised a major gap in teacher training. Many teachers had been trained through rote learning and struggled to apply their knowledge in the classroom. This observation reinforced the need to focus on equipping children with critical thinking and decision-making skills, helping them become independent, lifelong learners.

Today, Quest for Education Foundation continues to support schools and teacher training programmes in Pakistan through charitable contributions to KEF. As we move forward, we are expanding our efforts and looking for partners around the world who share our commitment to improving education in underprivileged communities. Our goal is to empower schools and teachers to create lasting change that benefits not only their students but also the wider communities they serve.

Learn more about our vision and mission.