Special moments: Eight angels of Sweet Home celebrate first birthday in life
100 orphans stay at the facility and have lost their fathers in tribal feuds or other tragedies
National Assembly opposition leader Khursheed Ahmed Shah cuts the cake with the orphans of Sweet Home in Sukkur on Thursday evening. Eight children celebrated their birthday on the occasion. PHOTO: INP
SUKKUR:
Birthdays are one of those occasions that all kids look forward to. But not all are fortunate enough to have them celebrated or even remembered. Pakistan Sweet Home, an orphanage in Sukkur, organised a joint birthday celebration for eight of the 100 orphans living at the facility on Thursday evening.
The leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, Khursheed Ahmed Shah, was the chief guest at the event, which was attended by a large number of people from different walks of life. The residents of Sweet Home greeted the chief guest with slogans of 'Welcome, welcome' in chorus and the chief guest shook hands with them one by one before taking his seat. The Sweet Home is run and managed by the Sukkur Baitul Maal.
Hailing from rural Sindh and having a poor family background, Nazir, Perwaiz and Farooq never thought of celebrating their birthdays before. Dressed in striped t-shirts and pants and wearing birthday caps, all the children were too excited to see the birthday boys cut the cake with the chief guest.
"I used to hear that people celebrate birthdays but never knew how exciting it could be until today," Perwaiz, who belongs to Shikarpur and lost his father at the age of two in a tribal feud, told The Express Tribune.
Nazir, who belongs to Jahan Khan district of Shikarpur, also lost his father in a tribal feud and his mother married another man after disowning the child. Like the other children of Sweet Home, Nazir studies in class three in Public School, Sukkur, and is doing well.
Farooq, who belongs to Kandhkot and also studies in class three, has a story slightly different from the others as he lost his parents in an accident in 2012.
Talking about the birthday celebrations, Sukkur Baitul Maal assistant director Shabbir Memon said that there are a total 100 orphans residing at the facility and all of them have lost their fathers in tribal feuds or some other tragedies. Around 30 members of Sweet Home lost their parents at a very tender age, he told The Express Tribune.
He further said that the facility has started organising such birthday celebrations for eight to 10 children every month to make them feel at home. While nobody knows the actual dates of birth of the children, these celebrations aim to provide them a sense of belonging and love.
"At Sweet Home, we provide them free accommodation, food, schooling and best available medical facilities," said Memon. "Philanthropists of Sukkur, in general, and Khursheed Shah, in particular, frequently visit Sweet Home and distribute goodies among the children." Memon further said that there is one mother-like figure for every 10 children, who takes care of her children round the clock.
The principal of Public School, Sukkur, Ali Gohar Chang, said that despite the fact that all the children belong to rural areas, they are doing very good at the school. "As far as talent is concerned, it cannot be confined to the rich and privileged alone," he said. "Orphans like these can perform better." He further explained that the school is providing education to these children since 2011 and most of the children are very good at not only their studies, but also in extracurricular activities.
Speaking on the occasion, Khursheed Shah wished the children a very happy birthday and thanked the management of Sweet Home for organising such a memorable event for the orphans. According to him, it was the duty of every Pakistani to look after the orphans to please Allah. He demanded the government allocate at least Rs25 billion for the orphanages throughout the country. He also announced that the new building of Sweet Home, which is under construction near deputy commissioner's office in Sukkur, will be ready by the end of May this year. He hoped that these young orphans will one day become good doctors, engineers, politicians, teachers and bureaucrats.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 2nd, 2016.
Birthdays are one of those occasions that all kids look forward to. But not all are fortunate enough to have them celebrated or even remembered. Pakistan Sweet Home, an orphanage in Sukkur, organised a joint birthday celebration for eight of the 100 orphans living at the facility on Thursday evening.
The leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, Khursheed Ahmed Shah, was the chief guest at the event, which was attended by a large number of people from different walks of life. The residents of Sweet Home greeted the chief guest with slogans of 'Welcome, welcome' in chorus and the chief guest shook hands with them one by one before taking his seat. The Sweet Home is run and managed by the Sukkur Baitul Maal.
Hailing from rural Sindh and having a poor family background, Nazir, Perwaiz and Farooq never thought of celebrating their birthdays before. Dressed in striped t-shirts and pants and wearing birthday caps, all the children were too excited to see the birthday boys cut the cake with the chief guest.
"I used to hear that people celebrate birthdays but never knew how exciting it could be until today," Perwaiz, who belongs to Shikarpur and lost his father at the age of two in a tribal feud, told The Express Tribune.
Nazir, who belongs to Jahan Khan district of Shikarpur, also lost his father in a tribal feud and his mother married another man after disowning the child. Like the other children of Sweet Home, Nazir studies in class three in Public School, Sukkur, and is doing well.
Farooq, who belongs to Kandhkot and also studies in class three, has a story slightly different from the others as he lost his parents in an accident in 2012.
Talking about the birthday celebrations, Sukkur Baitul Maal assistant director Shabbir Memon said that there are a total 100 orphans residing at the facility and all of them have lost their fathers in tribal feuds or some other tragedies. Around 30 members of Sweet Home lost their parents at a very tender age, he told The Express Tribune.
He further said that the facility has started organising such birthday celebrations for eight to 10 children every month to make them feel at home. While nobody knows the actual dates of birth of the children, these celebrations aim to provide them a sense of belonging and love.
"At Sweet Home, we provide them free accommodation, food, schooling and best available medical facilities," said Memon. "Philanthropists of Sukkur, in general, and Khursheed Shah, in particular, frequently visit Sweet Home and distribute goodies among the children." Memon further said that there is one mother-like figure for every 10 children, who takes care of her children round the clock.
The principal of Public School, Sukkur, Ali Gohar Chang, said that despite the fact that all the children belong to rural areas, they are doing very good at the school. "As far as talent is concerned, it cannot be confined to the rich and privileged alone," he said. "Orphans like these can perform better." He further explained that the school is providing education to these children since 2011 and most of the children are very good at not only their studies, but also in extracurricular activities.
Speaking on the occasion, Khursheed Shah wished the children a very happy birthday and thanked the management of Sweet Home for organising such a memorable event for the orphans. According to him, it was the duty of every Pakistani to look after the orphans to please Allah. He demanded the government allocate at least Rs25 billion for the orphanages throughout the country. He also announced that the new building of Sweet Home, which is under construction near deputy commissioner's office in Sukkur, will be ready by the end of May this year. He hoped that these young orphans will one day become good doctors, engineers, politicians, teachers and bureaucrats.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 2nd, 2016.