In my village, girls’ education was not considered important. But my parents believed in me and were determined to give me the opportunity to learn.
Growing up in Alo Goth Rana Bhite, a small village near Winder in District Lasbela, Balochistan, Kulsoom Afzal was surrounded by a mindset that rarely encouraged girls to pursue an education. For many families, a girl’s future was already decided long before she stepped into a classroom.
But Kulsoom’s parents saw a different future for their daughter.
Her father, a driver, and her mother, a teacher, believed that education could open doors that circumstances could not. Although resources were limited and opportunities were few, they remained committed to ensuring that their daughter had the chance to learn.
At the age of seven, Kulsoom began travelling from her village to Winder every day to attend school. The journey was long, but it became part of her daily routine and the first step towards a future she had yet to imagine.
That journey almost came to an end when financial hardships forced her to leave school after Grade 4. Like many children facing similar circumstances, she watched her dreams pause before they had the chance to grow.
Everything changed when her family discovered TCF.
After successfully clearing the admission test, Kulsoom joined TCF in Grade 5. With a monthly fee of just 25 rupees, along with books, notebooks, and a school uniform, the opportunity to continue her education suddenly became possible again.
At TCF, she found much more than a classroom.
She found teachers who encouraged her to ask questions, speak with confidence, and believe in her own potential. She still remembers standing on stage during her first morning assembly to recite the Quran. A moment that seemed small at the time, but one that quietly transformed her confidence.
When I stood on stage during the morning assembly, I began to find my confidence. TCF taught me to speak up, ask questions and believe in my own potential.
As the years passed, she became the first girl in her family to leave home and stay in a hostel to continue her education. It was an unfamiliar decision for her family, but one that would change far more than her own future.
Soon, other girls in her family and community began following the same path. Many enrolled in school. They had seen what was possible when one girl was given the opportunity to learn.
Kulsoom continued to excel academically. She completed her Matric in 2015 before securing 812 marks in Intermediate, becoming the topper of District Lasbela. Her hard work earned her admission on merit to the Balochistan University of Engineering and Technology, Khuzdar, where she pursued Civil Engineering.
The road to graduation was filled with challenges. Financial pressures, demanding coursework, and moments of uncertainty tested her resolve. Throughout every obstacle, her parents remained her strongest supporters, while her teachers and friends encouraged her to keep moving forward. TCF once again stood beside her by supporting her university semester fees, ensuring that financial constraints did not stand in the way of her education.
After graduating in 2022, Kulsoom began her career as a trainee engineer with the National Highway Authority before gaining further experience through internships.
Today, she works as a Civil Engineer on the IFAD-funded GLLSP Project, contributing to infrastructure development across Balochistan. Whether she is supervising work on construction sites or collaborating with her team in the field, she represents a growing generation of women entering professions where they were once rarely seen.
She is also among the first female civil engineers from District Lasbela.
Even while building her career, Kulsoom continues to invest in her own education. She is currently pursuing a Master’s degree at NED University while preparing for the BPSC examinations, determined to continue serving her province in even greater ways.
I was the first girl in my family to leave home and live in a hostel for my education. When other girls began following the same path, I realised my journey was creating possibilities for them too.
Today, Kulsoom’s greatest achievement is not simply becoming an engineer. It is seeing the change her journey has inspired. Her younger siblings continue their education, and many girls in her family and community now dream of university, careers, and futures that once seemed impossible.
Looking back, Kulsoom knows that every milestone in her journey was made possible by the unwavering support of her parents, the guidance of her teachers, the encouragement of friends who believed in her, and the opportunities provided by TCF.
Her story is proof that lasting change often begins with a single opportunity, and with one family willing to believe that a girl’s education is worth investing in.
