From floods to futures: Seema Aziz’s CARE Foundation journey

When devastating floods swept through Pakistan’s Punjab province in 1988, displacing millions and destroying countless homes, Seema Aziz saw an opportunity to make a lasting difference.

In an interview with Kamran Khan, the founder of CARE Foundation, said, “We went to help the affected areas, and that’s where we built the first school.”

Initially supported by friends and family, the effort grew into Pakistan’s largest educational non-profit.

The first school opened on January 17, 1991, near Sheikhupura Road. “When we opened the gates, 250 children were waiting barefoot,” Aziz recalled. The area lacked basic amenities like clean water and electricity, but the community embraced the initiative despite skepticism from others.

“People said I was crazy,” said Aziz, who had no formal education background but relied on her personal schooling experience to design the curriculum. “I realized replicating the education I received was the best way forward.”

CARE’s mission prioritizes equal access to quality education. Aziz initially used the same English-medium curriculum taught to her children, diverging from government standards. “Education should be equal for everyone,” she said. “There’s no difference between rich and poor in God’s eyes."