Two Parveens Two Paths but One Town & One Objective

Help the Needy with Honour & Dignity

There is a town “Khuda Ki Basti” in outskirts of Karachi. It is home to very poor families who are merely surviving. I came across the story of two Parveens here, one providing food for the body and the other one for the mind. Which is more important, you decide!

Parveen Saeed: Khana Ghar, Food for Rs3 (3 Pakistani Rupees)

“Mother killed her own children because she could not feed them”. We read such news often and then move on but years ago one such news changed Parveen Saeed’s life, forever. She decided to help and started cooking extra food at her home for hungry. We can’t manage like this, family advised. So she moved from a middle class to a poor people’s town Khuda ki Basti and established first Khana Ghar (Food Home). This place provides food for Rs3, though it costs Rs20. Where does Rs17 come from?

Parveen explains, I started from home, family got involved, friends followed. Then we got known and support started pouring in. Some charities are providing food for free, why do you charge Rs3? There are two reasons, Parveen illustrates. One, people tend to care less for free food so there will be wastage, and two, charging encourages the person to work and earn few Rs to get food for the family.

Parveen is getting busier despite food cost sky rocketing. There are two Khana Ghars and four pickup points (mobile food homes) functioning at present. Current political and economic situation is ever increasing the number of hungry. Some people can’t even pay a single Rs. We don’t bar anyone from eating. If one can pay, fine, otherwise he is welcome for free.

Parveen understands that her scheme cannot eradicate the hunger. To eliminate it we need to change our thoughts. We need to understand that country needs to develop an infrastructure that provides and promotes economic opportunities for people to earn respectably.

Parveen Rao: Amle Danish School, Fees Rs1

Parveen started this educational project of establishing “Amal e Danish School” in “Khuda ki Basti” some 17 years ago. She explains, I had the ambition of educating 100 children in my life. But when I started, another 100 children came and then another 100, it just kept going. More supporters joined as well.

Amle Danish was the first school to start in the area back in 2000. It runs two shifts now and educates about 675 students who learn Urdu, English, Maths and Drawing; all the subjects you would expect in a good middle class school.

The tuition fee is only Rs1. Why Rs1? Parveen clarifies, so that children don’t feel they are studying for free, for charity. Children don’t know the difference between Rs1 or 1000. For them, they are paying fees for their education. They take the receipt home with honour and dignity.

The creation of school is not only based on the idea of charity, rather the concept revolves around four dimensional model:

1- Education at very low fees; no one misses school due to lack of money

2- Education for Adults, especially mothers so they could read & manage basics of life at home, hospital & market such as names, places, bus numbers, ingredients, prices, etc.

3- Fast Track Education; for those who have passed school age. They are fast tracked to catch up.

4- Oblige: Learn Self and Teach One.

Teachers are also local who understand the psychology of the people of the area. They earn income and can take educational loan and study more, consequently benefiting the area!

Buildings and chairs matter less, rather you should educate & train the teachers well and have the best books available to improve the level of education, Parveen stresses. She didn’t stop here. Another four schools are established in Karachi, Sargodha, Kashmir and Lahore (to be functional soon) for very low income families!

Long Live Parveen, Long Live Education! Ideally this should be done by the government. This is their responsibility.

And this is a lesson for us all; what are we doing around us? Are we making any difference? No matter how small!