Al Qaim Support Network Pakistan focuses entirely on Pakistan and at present works in two regions: Sindh and Gilgit-Baltistan. Just like other charities we build houses for the homeless, construct water pump wells, mosques and small village schools. We also distribute food parcels, clothing, blankets, arrange medical camps, organise group marriages, set up small enterprises and much more. So what is different?
So what is different?
Pakistan is not a wealthy country. Large segments of its population’s economic uplifting have been slower than some other countries. Again there are many reasons for that. Suffice to say that people struggle to satisfy their basics of food, shelter and economical growth. Government or State departments, international agencies and grant-making bodies, overseas and local charities, family support, religious bodies and philanthropists among the rich Pakistanis do their best, but problems continue to deepen rather than diminish.
Two regions that we work in, Sindh and Baltistan, have alarming rates of suicides — and Baltistan’s rates are the highest in Pakistan. Extreme poverty, local restrictive culture, regional traditions, national habits, political confusion, sectarian issues, lack of financial resources and opportunities, absence of financial trust, misunderstanding or misinterpreting of religious principles, massive family debts (often inherited), extremes of weather, loss of hope and the resultant mental-health deterioration, and many other issues contribute very significantly to the problems.
According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, 70%–90% of Pakistani women experience some form of physical, emotional or psychological abuse from an intimate partner. The International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health identified the risk factors behind domestic violence as poverty, the influence of in-laws, second marriage, stepchildren, forceful intimate relationships, a husband’s irresponsibility and addiction, and handicapped children.
A tough call to address for anyone — especially a charity. These deep-rooted, often historic, challenges are neither for one man nor one decade to solve. Eventually the people themselves will have to take ownership of the issues and work with all helpful agencies to find solutions. In the meantime Al Qaim Support Network, besides providing homes and schools, has started to set up Women’s Work Skills & Vocational Centres, debt-clearance programmes, orphan initiatives, facilities to learn IT skills among the young, the reduction of child labour, and rescuing young children from survival back to school — far away from the cruel trap of a young ‘breadwinner’. We are also giving priority to widows with young children, the elderly and the disabled. Our small but effective economic-development programme helps unemployed men and women set up their own businesses and move away from food-parcel handout dependency.
All this costs money to implement and manage, and we rely entirely on our ‘donor family’ of like-minded supporters. We are a Pakistan-registered and Pakistan-based charity working under the principles of universal justice for all. Our team of highly competent and committed young volunteers, mostly graduates, runs the charity under the wise guidance of the two founders. We are proud of our transparency and total accountability, and operate a strict 0% management cost policy. We help everyone in need as long as their genuineness passes our strict due diligence — irrespective of their faith, belief, creed, caste, religious sect or political affiliation. Your donations in any form — Zakat, Khums, Sadaqa, other religious dues and general donations — will enable us to achieve these goals and promote our ethos and vision of ‘helping humanity’.
With gratitude,
Dr Munawar Hassan
