Meherban Ghar offers used household items for free
Painted with the colours of the sky with a peacock gazing from a tree branch, this ‘Wall of Kindness’ on Thandi Sarak has been drilled with five sets of hooks to hang clothes for the poor and needy to grab. PHOTO: COURTESY HUDA BHURGARI
At a time when the prices of all essentials, including clothing, are flying high, Meherban Ghar in Rawalpindi has become a provider for the poor and needy, who cannot afford to buy clothes.
Meherban Ghar, or the gracious house, offers used clothes besides wide range of household items for free.
The people of the garrison city continue to donate warm clothes, shoes, blankets, and other accessories in the Meherban Ghar, a charity in the precincts of Liaquatabad police station.
The poor and needy families choose and take away the things they require from the charity spot for free.
Former Chairman of Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) and also the founder of Mehrban Ghar, Arif Ali Abbasi, told The Express Tribune that used clothes are washed, ironed and put on hangers and shelves by the staff. Shoes are washed or polished and put on shelves too.
Moreover, Abbasi said, people in need can even get kitchen utensils, burners, crockery, old curtains, chairs and sofas, and many other household items people leave at Meharban Ghar.
A lot of people buy new household goods, but end up throwing the old ones in trash, although these could be reused, he said.
Abbasi said that they have received donations of warm apparel and other winter equipment from the donors and claimed that a large number of people had taken away different items during the past week after a drop in temperature.
The founder added that the practice is continued while they would soon establish more Meherban Ghars in different locations in the garrison city including Pirwadhai, and Peshawar Mor, and other places.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 7th, 2020.