By Syma Sayyah, Tehran

Last week I went to Bam to have a look at the Popli Khalatbari Charitable Foundation’s (www.pkcf.com) ongoing project of building a Vocational School for 420 girls in Bam (see report).

There I met Mrs. Diana Khalatbari whose endless zest and hard work puts many to shame.  This lady is the one of the most determined individuals I have ever met in my life, focused as well as efficient; when necessary compromising to make things move; cooperative alongside understanding.   She is the chief executive of PKCF and with the help and cooperation of the active PKCF board of directors and with an international network of donors, friends and helpers, this lady makes things happen.  It is a true lesson to many who choose to be passive and suffer when tragedy takes away such a lovely young daughter in her prime.  May she and what PKCF has done be a lesson to us all.  One can never say to her, this is not done or this is not possible, because Diana joon, as she is called by many of her friends across the globe will simply prove you wrong big time.

PKCF has done good and great works of the highest standard and done this very fast, many times in the past, inside and outside Iran. The Bam project is no exception. 

This building, which is being built for PKCF by Mr. Por-Hemat who is the project architect, under the daily supervision of his colleague Mr. Zarghanie and his team including Mr. Reza, our driver around town, has been designed and built in just two years.  Kandovan Construction and Engineering Company under the direct supervision of Mr. Hassan Fateh has so generously helped this project practically and materially

Over two years ago during my second trip to Bam I had taken pictures for PKCF from the site of the vocational school for girls that they were going to build in Bam.   Later the local authorities informed PKCF that that land would be needed for a new road and offered PKCF a big and wonderful site next to the Ark (Citadel) for the Honarestan (Vocational School)

One main difference between this school and many others is that the future students will be the girls who are currently studying in temporary buildings at Hakim Farabi.  It is hoped that the girls will be able to move into their new school in a few months.  All efforts are being done to speed up this process.

Every effort has been made in the planning stage to make this place of learning interesting, comfortable and beautiful to be in and to look at. The view from the site is most impressive and I am sure the girls will enjoy it enormously.  But they have many other things to enjoy at this most advanced and technically impressive school.  There is a large hall good for many functions and gatherings and a private hayatt (garden) which is not visible from outside where they can enjoy their rest time by a small pool or benches under a long colonnade covered with palm branches.  There is a big stand to offer food and drink.

There are 12 classes and 8 labs for the students to use. The floors and lower parts of the walls in the rooms are covered with marble from the Kandovan Company and the best material that could be found has been used.  It is PKCF policy to simply do the best in all areas when they do something and continue with their involvement by nurturing and supporting the centers they build.

I was unable to be present on the 1st of Mehr (the beginning of school year 23rd September) in Bam to see 310 of the future students and their teachers come to have a look around and enjoy a lovely lunch as the guests of PKCF and meet Diana who is at work usually from 7am to 8 pm nonstop, talking, meeting, arranging, requesting, visiting, organizing the whole day through, during her visits to Iran.  I can hardly wait to go back to Bam when the school opens in a few months time and see the finished school and meet the students as I did with their project in Tehran (see reports: Payvand, PKCF).

Another PKCF project in the village of Jafar-Abbadd, Ghazvin, was opened last year and this year a workshop and laboratory will be added to it. This project is for girls and boys attending secondary school.

PKCF built a very big vocational school for girls in West of Tehran which houses over 340 girls to study and learn computer sciences, accountancy, graphic design and physical education in the large and modern sports center

(see report).

PKCF built a large workshop on the premises of Dr. Naraghi’s vocational school for 360 boys where they learn electrical and mechanical trades.

PKCF also has built a unit and maintains a little heaven for physically handicapped girls in Tehran where seven of the residents were accepted at universities this year  (see June 2004 & June 2005 reports)

PKCF has built a computer unit and furnished the equipment for the Mohebie School for the Blind a few years back among many other works that they do or have done in Iran since their formation in 1999 (see April 2006 report)

Please visit their website and learn about them at www.pkcf.com.

... Payvand News - 10/17/06 ... --