My Educational Journey

My name is Samuel, and I come from a small village in the Punjab province of Pakistan. My father works in a private organization in Mirpur as a Bible translator. Since we belong to the Saraiki community, he translates the Bible from Urdu into Saraiki — so that our people can understand the Word of God in their own language.

When I completed my FSC . (Intermediate), I didn't plan to study further. I knew very well what our family's financial condition was. I thought maybe I should learn some practical skill, like motorbike mechanics, so I could earn a bit and support my father. He has always sacrificed his own wishes for me — fulfilling all my needs, just like every parent does, dreaming to see their children succeed one day.

After I finished my 12th grade, many of my classmates got admitted to universities. One night, while we were sitting together as a family, I got a call from a friend. He said, "Tomorrow is the last date for university admission! Are you applying?" I told him, "No, I'm not planning to." But my father looked at me and said gently, "If you want to go to university and study further, don't worry about the money. We'll find a way."

So the next morning, we went to the university, which was about 95 kilometers from our village. I chose Physics as my subject — mostly because all my friends were joining the Physics Department too. When we got there, I learned that the admission and first semester fee together was thirty thousand rupees — and it had to be paid the very next day.

That night, when I told my father about it, he smiled and said, "Don't worry, son. By tomorrow, we'll arrange something. Just say your prayers and sleep peacefully."

The next morning, he borrowed some money from his brother and another five thousand from a friend — but even then, we could only manage fifteen thousand. I called one of my old teachers from the village, whom I used to go to for tuition, and explained the situation. Out of kindness, he lent me another fifteen thousand rupees. That's how I paid my first semester's fee.

At that time, Imran Khan's government was in power, and a scholarship was announced for financially struggling students. Whoever qualified would have their tuition fully waived — and receive forty-five thousand rupees each year. I applied for it — and by God's grace, I was selected! My four years of university fees were covered, and I started receiving forty-five thousand annually from the government.

It was the first time in my entire student life that I received something so good, and I was deeply thankful.

From 2020 to June 2024, I completed my master's degree. I became the first person in my entire community to earn a master's. Most of our relatives can't even afford to educate their children beyond matriculation. Some are too poor, while others simply don't see education as important — sending their kids to do labor instead, because that's what they themselves have done all their lives.

But my father never stopped believing in me. He always encouraged me and stood by me no matter what.

Now, I'm looking for a government job. But in Pakistan, especially in these times, getting one is extremely difficult — mainly because of the high unemployment rate. At the end of 2024, I applied for a government post under the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC). It was an office-based position in the Civil Secretariat, with only 105 seats available — and more than 112,000 applicants. That shows how hard the competition has become. Sometimes it's pure merit; sometimes, sadly, it's bribery that gets people through.

Still, I remain hopeful. As a Christian, I fall under the minority quota system — which reserves 5% of government jobs for religious minorities. This policy gives me some encouragement, a small window of hope. I keep praying that I, too, might get a chance, because honestly, I have no other option left.

When it comes to online earning, I'm far behind. There's no one around here who could guide me. Though, thankfully, with the rise of modern AI tools, learning new things has become much easier. But we still face issues like poor internet connectivity. Right now, as I'm writing this article from home, I'll have to travel to the nearby town to find a stable network just to publish it on Medium.

In our village, there are no real earning opportunities — not even a school nearby where I could teach privately. Whenever there's fieldwork or labor available, I join in, or I help my father with his translation work.

This is my small story — the story of my educational journey. I hope you liked reading it. Thank you for taking the time to listen to me.

Would you like me to refine it a bit more — like an article ready for publication on Medium (with smoother flow, better structure, and title suggestions)?