Karachi: Eight-year-old Safa carefully held up a beautiful floral dress from the rack and looked toward her younger sister Marwa with sparkling eyes. “This one?” she asked softly.
Marwa nodded instantly, smiling.
For the two sisters, both orphans whose names have been changed to protect their identity, it was not just a dress. It was the chance to choose something for themselves before Eid.
Like hundreds of other children, Safa and Marwa were among the 2,500 orphan boys and girls invited by Alkhidmat Karachi for a special Eid shopping experience during the holy month of Ramzan. For many of them, it was a rare moment of joy in lives shaped by hardship and loss.
The annual five-day Eid shopping program, organised under Alkhidmat’s Orphan Care Program, concluded on Saturday with children from the Aghosh Home in Gulshan e Maymar and girls from the Aghosh Home in PECHS visiting a local shopping mall where they freely selected dresses, shoes and other items of their choice.
Moving through brightly lit aisles filled with colourful clothes, the children excitedly picked outfits, compared designs and shared laughter with each other. For a few hours, the mall echoed with the cheerful chatter of children preparing for Eid.
Each child was given Rs6,000 to buy clothes, shoes and other items along with Rs500 as Eidi. Volunteers and caregivers accompanied them to help with the shopping while ensuring the children could enjoy the experience independently.
Chief Executive Officer of Alkhidmat Karachi Naveed Ali Baig said the organisation had facilitated Eid shopping for around 2,500 children over five days.
“These are courageous children whose families receive monthly sponsorship from Alkhidmat to support their education and essential needs,” he said while speaking to the media during the event.
He explained that the organisation invited the children along with their mothers so they could shop according to their own preferences.
“The smiles on these children’s faces are priceless,” he said. “Our aim is to bring happiness into their lives and help them build a better future.”
According to him, around 200 children currently live in Alkhidmat’s Aghosh Homes where they receive boarding, education and care, while thousands of other children receive financial sponsorship and educational support.
Naveed Ali Baig said that across Pakistan, Alkhidmat is currently sponsoring about 32,000 orphan children through its welfare programs, while 24 Aghosh Homes are providing residential care facilities to many of them.
He added that alongside financial support, the organisation also runs training and development programs for the children and their mothers to help strengthen families and improve livelihoods.
For Safa and Marwa, however, the day was less about statistics and more about simple joys.
After trying several dresses, the sisters finally chose matching outfits. Safa also picked a pair of shiny shoes while Marwa selected a small bag she said she would carry on Eid day.
Nearby, other children proudly showed their selections to friends and caregivers.
Renowned television anchor Farhana Owais, who attended the event, said she visits every year to spend time with the children.
“Supporting orphans is a Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him), and initiatives like this should be encouraged everywhere,” she said, describing the activity as a beautiful tradition that brings happiness to children who deserve love and care.
Leaders of Jamaat e Islami’s District East and District Korangi chapters also attended the event and praised the initiative, saying orphaned children should be treated like our own and given opportunities to grow with dignity.
For Safa and Marwa, the shopping trip ended with their bags full and hearts even fuller.
As they left the store, Safa held the dress close to her chest and whispered to her sister, “I will wear this on Eid.”
For children who have already faced more loss than most their age, moments like these transform a simple shopping trip into something much bigger: a reminder that they are not alone, and that Eid still brings hope, joy and belonging.
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