Alkhidmat Foundation honours street children

LAHORE:Alkhidmat Foundation Pakistan organised a special ceremony in the provincial capital to honour the street children enrolled at its Child Protection Centres.

During the event, children from the seven Alkhidmat Child Protection Centres were provided with school bags, stationery, uniforms, school shoes, and other gifts to help them formally begin their educational journey.

Speaking on the occasion, Alkhidmat Foundation’s Vice President Syed Ihsanullah Waqas stated that there are currently around 1.3 million street children in Pakistan. He attributed this alarming figure to governmental negligence and societal apathy, which have forced these children to spend their lives on the streets rather than in homes. 'Alkhidmat Foundation is striving to safeguard this precious asset of the nation and restore their lost childhood,' he said.

Ihsanullah explained that the Child Protection Centres, part of Alkhidmat’s Education Programme, gather children such as rag pickers, domestic workers, workshop helpers, and others wandering the streets, for two hours daily. These sessions include education as well as lessons in personal hygiene, table manners, social etiquette, and recreational activities.

The ceremony was also attended by Alkhidmat’s National Director of Education Dr Ahmad Jibran, along with other officials, educationists, and prominent figures from various walks of life.