The Children of the Pamirs Education Fund

The Children of the Pamirs Education Fund

If you want to touch the past, touch a rock.

If you want to touch the present, touch a flower.

If you want to touch the future, touch a life.

- It was 2014 - 

We were driving the Silk Road through the Pamir Mountains of Tajikistan. Dropping over a 14,000-ft pass into a valley, we quite accidentally met a young girl as she walked back to her village. We were just washing the dust off our truck. She was 11 years old. With no common language, we could not communicate verbally, but there was something magical about the look in her eyes. They said “I am not afraid and I want to help you.”

We camped there for three days and met her family across the river. They were very hospitable yet very poor. This girl had received a limited education in her rural school. With such a yearning to learn more, how could we help her? Fast forward 11 years. (2025)

We began sponsoring her to attend the prestigious Aga Khan Lycée (school) in the nearest city, three hours from her mountain village. She was able to live with a safe family. Her progress was amazing!! 

After finishing high school, she enrolled at the UiTM University in Rzeszow, Poland to study Business and Marketing. Last semester, she participated in the Erasmus Program in Cyprus and will graduate with her Bachelor degree next year. 

Watching this young girl grow with Education has been like watching a beautiful flower unfold! It certainly brings to life the wonderful saying:

If you want to touch the past, touch a rock.

If you want to touch the present, touch a flower.

If you want to touch the future, touch a life.

Thanks to generous DonorBox friends and family, we have been able to sponsor five other bright young women to follow their dreams who otherwise, for lack of funds, could never receive the education they deserve to make a positive difference in the world; for themselves, their family and their community. 

The Children of the Pamirs Education Fund  is exclusively used for helping these university students from the Pamir Mountain region of Tajikistan pursue their dreams. They have responsibilities towards their sponsors as they are required to submit semi-annual reports showing their grades, an essay about the past few months' activities along with some photos. In addition, we have been teaching them about the concept of paying it forward.

Any help to support a continued sponsorship will be much appreciated. Monthly, quarterly or annual contributions (single or continuing) are welcomed. Aside from tuition, we have been able to help with a monthly $50 support towards living expenses as they all have to live away from home.

Thank you.

Gary and Monika Wescott

The Turtle Expedition, Unltd.

www.turtleexpedition.com