Surge in number of orphans a challenge for govt, society

PESHAWAR: Besides various humanitarian crises, the massive surge in the number of orphan children during the past two decades during the worst wave of terrorism and actions to counter the menace turned out to be the most serious challenge for the government and civil society to deal with.

According to a rough estimate, some five million children in the country have lost their parents for one reason or another and they need to be taken care of to make them useful citizens.

The World Orphans Day observed on Ramazan 15 every year is a reminder to everyone to come forward and put a hand of affection on the heads of the orphan children. It is beyond the capacity of the government to take care of such a huge number of orphan children. The non-government organisations also lack enough facilities and resources to extend full support to these children. The situation requires an effective role by all and sundry to overcome the challenge.

Alkhidmat Foundation is playing a leading role to create awareness among people about the needs of orphan children and inviting their attention to support the orphans in a fitting manner.

The foundation marked World Orphans Day effectively by arranging events and Iftar dinners across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and elsewhere in the country. One such event was arranged at the Aghosh Alkhidmat Home, Peshawar, which is a state-of-the-art orphanage.

Provincial President of Alkhidmat Foundation Khalid Waqas Chamkani received the guests including caretaker provincial ministers Adnan Jalil, Meher Elahi, known Pashto literati Prof Abasyn Yousafzai and a number of senior journalists at the Aghosh Home to mark the day and also inaugurate the digital library at the facility. Provincial secretary general of the foundation Shakir Siddique, deputy presidents Hafiz Hameedullah, Fida Mohammad Khan and administrator of the orphanage Zahoor Ahmad were also present on the occasion.

The guests had a round of each and every section of the facility. The inhabitants of the orphanage were present at every stop to welcome the guests and give them a briefing about each section of the facility.

The visitors lauded the facilities made available for the orphan children and assured their support. Meher Elahi said that it was not his first visit to the Aghosh Home. “I have come here several times. It gives me a soothing effect and satisfaction every time I come here. This is really a matchless job. I congratulate Alkhidmat Foundation for doing this excellent work,” he said while talking to the media.

Adnan Jalil assured all-out support to the Foundation in taking care of the orphan children. Abasyn Yousafzai lauded the management of the Aghosh Homes for doing the great job of providing quality life facilities to the orphan children.

Khalid Waqas Chamkani said that taking good care of the huge number of orphan children was an arduous job and every one should play an overdue role for the noble cause.He said that Alkhidmat Foundation was trying to perform an active role in taking care of the orphan children despite limited resources, but a lot was required to be done for reaching out to each and every orphan child.

He said that Alkhidmat Foundation had established a full-fledged Orphan Care Department to take care of orphan children and turn them into valued citizens of society.But the Foundation alone cannot overcome the biggest challenge. Despite all its efforts, Alkhidmat Foundation has managed to take care of 21,000 orphan children, which is not enough in view of the five million orphan children in the country.

He informed that the Foundation had established 21 Aghosh Homes across the country and eight more were under construction. It was planning to set up eight more such Homes, he said, adding that currently nearly 1600 orphan children are enrolled in the Aghosh Homes where they are provided excellent lodging, education and health facilities.

Some 20,000 more orphan children are facilitated under the family support programme, he added. He urged the affluent people to come forward and support the orphan children. He said Alkhidmat Foundation was providing the best platform for the purpose.