Tell us about yourself — where you grew up, what you studied, and what you do.
Basically, I am a villager — I grew up in Shujabad, a small village near the River Chenab. I attended Bahauddin Zakariya University where I completed my MPhil in Mass Communications. After my degree I worked with local and international NGOs — Cesvi Onlus (Italian), Memoona Development Foundation and others — focused on education. After about six such assignments, I decided to leave my jobs and start my own orphanage. I rarely mention my education unless I am asked; what use is education if it does not teach a person his identity and value before Allah?
“That education is of no use which does not inculcate true identity in an individual — the value system commended by the Almighty Allah.”
How and why did you found your school and orphanage?
In January 2016, I started the Equal Schooling System to provide free education in Khaliq Nagar, Lahore — a slum area where families could not afford to send children to school. We began with 12 children in a single room; today that number stands at 851. I paid Rs. 2,000 rent and partitioned the room — a classroom on one side, my personal space on the other. I was working as a surveyor with the Walled City project at the time, but a year later I quit to focus completely on the school and orphanage. Mera Ghar orphanage also began in 2016 — with 3 children. Today it is home to 58.
What is the philosophy behind the name “Mera Ghar”?
Every time someone asked one of our orphan children where they lived, they answered “Mera Ghar” — my home. That’s why the name was the only logical choice. It gave the children a positive feeling: this is a home of their own, and everyone in it is their own.
Where do these orphans come from?
The children are mostly from Faisalabad, Narowal and Harbanspura. We also have Christian children at Mera Ghar. In most cases, their own guardians — often blood relatives — leave them here with lame excuses. The real motive is usually to seize the orphan’s inheritance. They distance the child so no one comes back later asking for their fair share. These children hardly ever hear from their guardians again. It is an unfortunate reality of our society.
“The relatives and guardians often abandon these orphans so they don’t demand their share from the inheritance.”
What other projects are you working on?
In September 2016 we established the Pakistan Stitching Center — free vocational training for women, funded entirely by six donated stitching machines. By the grace of Allah we now run multiple centers across Multan and Lahore; each one-year course accepts up to 20 women. We are opening a new center in Kahna Kacha. I also run a Community Help Centre which installs hand pumps, provides wheelchairs, distributes ration and supports weddings — all donor funded. Another initiative is Fikr-e-Akhirat, focused on cleaning and maintaining graveyards in Khaliq Nagar and nearby areas.
What challenges did you face along the journey?
Starting out was difficult. We used to ask people for daily ration, rents and electricity bills. Alhamdulillah it has become easier — people are generous, and I almost always find a donor when I post a need on Facebook. But depending on donations for daily expenses remains risky — we may have today, but what about tomorrow?
“When a person has some serious purpose in life, he never gets tired working towards it.”
How did you cope with those hurdles?
I am setting up a cosmetics shop and a salon shop for the children of the orphanage. Every rupee earned goes back to Mera Ghar — and the children are the sole owners, not me. These shops give our girls a hairdressing and business skill, and provide jobs to women of Kahna Kacha alongside training our own children and other women.
How did you get people to believe in you and your work?
This is a very important question. It is easy for anyone to make money through fraud and miscommunication. I could take multiple donations for the same need and hide it — but sooner or later that would foster hatred in people’s hearts. I fear that. So whenever I receive any donation, I post it on social media — ration money, wheelchairs, food, anything. That way people know I received it and where it went. This creates trust and strengthens credibility. Today, when I post a need on Facebook, I usually get the donation within an hour. Social media is powerful — but credibility is even more powerful.
“I could take multiple donations for a single need and hide it, but sooner or later it would foster hatred in the hearts of people for me.”
Please share one lesson you have learned along the way.
I have been in this field for 12 years and I never tire, though I believe I work the hardest and the most — nearly 18 hours a day. I have worked with flood teams, earthquake rescuers and disaster relief operations. When a human has a real purpose, he does not get tired working towards it.
One piece of advice for youngsters who want to pursue philanthropy?
It is very difficult to create trust today — people are skeptical, and rightly so, because fraud is common. When starting out you must be determined to achieve your goal. Even a stone on the hillside has its own significance — it does not sway with the wind. It holds its ground. When the world does not believe in you or your work, persist. That is what has always helped me and will help you.
“Even a stone on the hillside has its own significance. It does not sway with the wind. It holds its ground.”