Introduction

Mehnaz Fatima Foundation (MFF) is a not-for-profit organization that has been working on Inclusive Education, Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), Food Security, Emergency Relief, and Human Resource Development in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), Pakistan.

In1998, founding members of the MFF established Mehnaz Fatima Educational & Welfare Organization (MFEWO) with the mandate of establishing an Early Childhood Development (ECD) programme using the Montessori Method of early learning and development of support and learning service for children with special needs. For this purpose, the first Montessori learning center was established in Gilgit with the focus on developing local teacher’s capacities from Pakistan Montessori Association Karachi and from International School of Islamabad (ISOI). The support for special needs persons started with a small rehabilitation center in the school and an innovative community-based support program for persons with special needs in partnership with local partners. The Montessori center progressed from just 9 students to over 750 students and from an early childhood center to a high school in GB.

In 2017, the Board decided to transform MFEWO into a section 42 company to register with the Securities & Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) with diverse Board members and renewed mandate. The new organization is registered as MFF with a mandate to work for quality and inclusive education and an expanded and comprehensive inclusive program for differently abled people. Henceforth, MFF has achieved many milestones in the last 22 years of its journey, nevertheless, a hallmark of the organization has been its investment in establishing purposeful inclusive school building and “State of the Art” Rehabilitation Centre in Gilgit.

• A Company set under Section 42 of the Companies Act, 2017.
• Registered with Securities & Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP).
• Certified with Pakistan Centre for Philanthropy (PCP).
• Certification with Pakistan Economic Affairs Division (EAD) is in process.
• MFF is the pioneer in Montessori & Inclusive Education in Gilgit-Baltistan.
• Well-equipped IT & Human Resource Development Center (HRDC).
• MFF has a purposeful inclusive school building & a “State of the Art” Rehabilitation Centre
• Certified with Pakistan Montessori Association (PMA).
• Certified with Provincial Forum for Inclusive Education Initiative Gilgit-Baltistan (GB).
• MFF School is affiliated with Aga Khan University Education Board (AKU-EB).