Alkhidmat Foundation Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (AKF KP) Tuesday organized an iftar dinner for street children at the Academic Blocks of the University of Peshawar and launched a province-wide Eid shopping drive for orphaned children.
At the iftar gathering, Prof. Dr. Hafeezur Rehman, President AKF Pakistan, joined street children, sitting and sharing a meal with them alongside other officials, including Khalid Waqas, President Alkhidmat Foundation KP; Farman Ghani, Deputy Superintendent of Railways Peshawar; and Iftekhar Ahmed, the organization’s district president.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Dr Hafeezur Rehman noted that first Alkhidmat Child Protection Center was established in Peshawar in 2013 with just 50 street children. Today, he said, the network has expanded to 76 centers across Pakistan, serving approximately 4,000 children.
“In Peshawar alone, there are now 24 centers supporting 1,245 street children,” he said, adding that the centers offer informal education, meals, uniforms, books and health screenings. Many children from these programs, he added, have gone on to secure admissions in schools, colleges and universities.
At the conclusion of the event, children received Eid gifts, including clothes, shoes and cash assistance.
In a separate initiative, the foundation also launched its annual Eid shopping drive for orphaned children in Peshawar. The event was attended by Abdul Wasi, Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami KP Central, along with Khalid Waqas, Iftekhar Ahmed and Dr. Muhammad Adil, Manager Orphan Care Department.
During the drive, children were taken to local mega mart, where each child was given a voucher of Rs6,000 to purchase Eid items of their own choosing, an experience organizers said was designed to bring joy and restore a sense of independence.
The campaign, officials said, will continue across all districts of the province, reaching thousands of orphaned children ahead of Eid.