Cost estimation for school furniture : donation purposes

[khurram_shahzad]

Hi,

I have been out of Pakistan for last 7/8 years. Along with my few friends want to help schools in underprivileged areas of Pakistan.
To start we want to arrange furniture for schools.

I would like to know how much it would cost to buy 200 chairs and 100 study desks(obviously it would be great if someone can give us exact unit price otherwise estimate will also be appreciated). If any one of you have information about possible best places to buy such things in southern Punjab and in interior Sindh as it would cost less and will be convenient to transport.

Thanks for help!

 

[avaatar]

its better if you contact with furniture suppliers in pakistan

 

[butt1940]

15 years back i went to pakistan with 1000 personal calculators to hand to poor kids outside any school.i choose a school in muzaffrabad AK . i had just started to hand them out at the end of their day (must have off loaded 5 or 10 ) when a teacher(could have been the head) came out and praised me for the good work ,then took the lot off me and said that he will personally give them out the following day during assembly.My cousin who was with me cursed me for handing them over as he said tht the teacher would have kept them all for personal gain.My advise ,do everything yourself ortherwise you will be shafted especially by the people you trust the most.my cousin told me once that his teachers made everyone in their class bring in food/fruit on routine basis.

 

[Star Gazer]

It is a very good idea and apparently easy to follow but in a place where there is no accountability and no structure it is hard.Having said that i will suggest that you choose an organization that is working for such causes and fulfill their needs.
It also depends which area are you considering for the donation.
There is a school system run by some private people in sindh and it is doing very good.
Then there are some people who are doing such work on individual basis, there are some schools who run evening classes free of cost for the poor students and they need sponsership for those students.
These may not sound like vague ideas but if you do good home work and satisfy yourself before donating you will get savab for the donation plus the research, and you will come across better options also.

 

[brilTek]

.

Instead of chairs,

Arrange a 1 year salary for a good teacher --- who will transform children lives. Hire someone from city and send them to a village with very good salary.

If quality teacher is present --- children will be able to learn without chairs as well.


Tackle the problem --- its not furniture, its quality of human resource. My father studied at 'taat' school but had great teachers.



---
brilTek

 

[GeoG]

I have gone through a similar exercise a few months back in Lahore.
Chinese made stainless steel chair (pretty comfortable) costs around 1600 in wholesale market. Desks were made to order, wooden ones cost around 5700 each for three students (three drawers). Manufacutrer claimed that he has not taken any profit. I suppose it would be better to buy from a wholesale market in Karachi so just add transportation costs from Karachi to destination which is not huge in Pakistan.

God Bless you for your efforts.