History

Nearly 30 years ago, Shahida Perveen came from Lahore, Pakistan to Germany where she was introduced to the Waldorf aproach to pedagogy. She began her teacher's training in Witten-Annen with the goal of founding a school for poor children in her home country.

In 1994, she married Hellmut Hannesen, who at the time was general secretary of the „Verband für anthroposophische Heilpädagogik Deutschland“ (organization for athroposophic curative education Germany). After visits in Pakistan it became very clear to both Hellmut and Shahida that the need for support and care for people with special needs there was immense. Hence, in cooperation with the Amin Maktab Centre for Special Education in Lahore the planning for a care centre with workshops began.

During the years 1998 - 2000 many fund-raising campaigns were launched to enable Shahida and Hellmut Hannesen, as well as Lars Jamke and Graham Simpson, both of whom are curative teachers to move to Lahore. Thus, in March of 2001, with the purchase and development of property, the community for adults with special needs was established. After much preparation, the work began with a day care centre, which opened its doors on September 3, 2001. In response to the continuous struggles of the Roshni team, staunch support from donors in both Pakistan and Germany enabled the organization to purchase and develope its own property in Karbath Soling, off Bedian Road, Lahore Cantt, Pakistan in 2005.

There is space on these new premises for various workshops, gardens and a community house, thus giving a home to people with special needs and enabling a spirited community life to arise. Since 2005 the property as well as the fields of work have never stopped expanding.

To name a few additional accomplishments for Roshni: in 2006 the nearby Green Earth Roshni School opened its doors to the children from the surrounding villages and in 2008 the construction on the second community house began which was completed in 2010.