Our Approach

Previous slide

Next slide

In our unwavering commitment to children’s rights, we firmly believe that every child deserves the opportunity to relish their childhood and pursue their dreams. No child should be compelled to toil at a tender age or endure the harsh realities of street abuse. In Pakistan, the harsh grip of poverty, inadequate educational resources, organized crime, and various other factors have robbed hundreds of thousands of children of their rightful childhood.

While there are myriad ways to support these children—ranging from financial aid for education to providing recreational facilities—such approaches often fall short. The missing ingredient is motivation; without it, neither the children nor their families are inclined to participate in these activities.

Our approach transcends the conventional. We aspire to reignite their dreams and instil hope, marking the first step toward reclaiming their stolen childhood. Our focus extends beyond immediate assistance; we strive to introduce them to a better life and impart the skills to work toward it. We aspire for these children to harbour aspirations for a successful future, to witness their smiles return, and to banish fear from their lives. Guided by the wisdom of the ancient proverb, “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.”

Creating a secure haven, we bring them together away from the harsh realities of the streets and garbage dumps where they once endured their lives. Our program promotes hygiene and cleanliness, instils a sense of self-respect and respect for others, and fosters mutual learning. Excursions to museums, picnics, archaeological sites, theme parks, and swimming pools form part of our repertoire, offering a blend of fun and education. The children revel in these experiences, rediscovering the joy of laughter and expressing a desire for more. This newfound enthusiasm fuels their determination to work toward a brighter future, encouraging a thirst for education and skills.

This transformative process has already unfolded for numerous children in our centres, and we hold firm to the belief that each and every child will rediscover inspiration and dreams once again!

All children have a right to enjoy their childhood and follow their dreams. They should have a chance to get educated and choose a career. No child should be forced to work at a young age or be exposed to abuse on the streets. Hundreds of thousands of children in Pakistan have lost their childhood to poverty, lack of educational facilities, organised crime and many other factors.

There are different ways to help these children and families from giving them donations or fund their education or even provide facilities where they can have fun. There is a problem with this approach. It does not necessarily work as without motivation neither the children nor their families are interested in attending these activities.

Our approach is more fundamental. We want to inspire them and give them back their dreams and hope. We aim to return their childhood as a first step while giving them a taste of good life and teach them to work towards it. We want them to have aspirations of a successful life. We want to see them smile again and not be afraid. We believe in the ancient proverb “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”

We bring them together in a safe environment, away from the streets and the garbage dumps where they spend their lives. We encourage hygiene and cleanliness, we provide fun and activities, teach them self-respect and respect for each other and learn from each other. We take them to museums, picnics, archaeological sites, theme parks, swimming pools and many other fun yet educational activities. They have fun, they smile and they want to have more of it and then they want to work for it and then they want to be educated or learn a skill.

It has already happened for many of the children in our centres and we believe they will all be inspired and have dreams once again!

It worked! Over the years these children have been transformed. They and their families have removed them from the garbage dumps and some of them are studying full time with clear career objectives while others with more entrepreneur minds have started their own business using micro-financing also provided by this program and have already shown signs of success.

When I watched a progress report movie made by the program co-ordinators and saw these children transform, I was moved. I knew then, this program has to be taken to other cities as the same story is being reported everywhere in Pakistan. Child abuse and criminality is exploited and encouraged due to poverty among people. This has to be stopped.

A group of doctors had been collecting donations through direct debit for years while planning educational grants for the poor in Pakistan but never found the right cause. Here it was, right in front of me. As they say, rest is history. We had the funds, a template of successful program, clear objectives, experienced organisations already working on this project and an added advantage of having another big organisation Islamic Society of Statistical Sciences (ISOSS) http://www.isoss.net/ ready to work with us and provide the infrastructure free of cost. ISOSS are educationists, scientists and teachers with international reputations and who better to be around these children and to inspire them.

In short, we discussed, we agreed, we planned and we started the program as Child Protection and Rehabilitation Trust (CPRT) in Lahore, another major city in Pakistan. CPP and CPRT are essentially the same programs with CPP based in Pakistan and CPRT are the UK based charity. Within the first week 30 children were identified and following the same meticulous model that has been successful in Peshawar, these children and their families agreed to use these facilities. The photographs tell you the story. They are enjoying being kids again. They have fun, they play, more importantly they are clean and realise the importance of personal and societal hygiene now and they have started to enjoy a bit of studying and asking for more.

Our supporters have more than trebled now and we have other colleagues inspired and planning to take the program to their own cities. The number of centres has been increasing. We are on a journey and we hope you will join us to inspire us and to be inspired.

Please contact us and support us with funds or just encouragement will do.

Quick Links

CONNECT WITH US:

Join The Newsletter