Special Eid Celebrations for our Sponsored Orphans in Pakistan
As our Eid celebrations draw to a close, we may find ourselves reflecting on our experience of Ramadan. For lots of us, Ramadan and Eid have been a time to appreciate what we have and give back to those who have less. We have spent time with family and loved ones as well as indulging in an array of enjoyable activities and foods.
For children around the world who have lost their parents due to illness, war and displacement, Eid can bring feelings of loneliness and despair. However, this Eid we caught up with our team in Pakistan who told us all about this year’s Eid for our Penny Appeal orphans.
The Quran is clear about our responsibility as Muslims to show compassion and care towards orphans. Orphan charity is one of the most blessed ways to honour Allah, invest in our own blessings as well as giving vulnerable children the opportunities and love they deserve.
The Prophet Muhammed (ﷺ) said, “I and the one who sponsors an orphan shall be in Paradise like this,” and he held his two fingers together to illustrate. (Bukhari)
Let’s take a look at what your amazing sponsorships have meant for orphans’ Eid celebrations in Pakistan this holy season.
Penny Appeal ensures orphans in our OrphanKind programme have the most fulfilling and enjoyable Eid, every year. Preparations include shopping for a new outfit for the big day. Girls will shop for matching shoes, bangles, and beautiful hair accessories and join their other female family members in getting intricate henna designs on their skin. Boys on the other hand will spend their time shopping for new clothes, shoes, and accessories as well as getting their hair cut.
So, what does a typical day of Eid celebrations look like for a Penny Appeal sponsored orphan? Their day usually consists of getting themselves ready in their new outfits for morning prayer. They will attend prayer with their families, maybe meeting up with friends on the way. After this, they will meet with extended family members and elders and assist their mothers with cooking and celebration preparation. Throughout the remainder of the day, children may also take a trip to the local park to enjoy the outdoors and play games with other children.
Before being sponsored by our generous Penny Appeal donors, many orphans lived uncertain lives. Often with no idea whether they would get to celebrate Eid at all, many didn’t have a family or stable living conditions. Orphans may not receive a meal at all, never mind a special Eid feast. They wouldn’t be able to enjoy new clothes or shoes to mark the occasion. In fact, many would spend the entirety of Ramadan and Eid alone.
Now that they are sponsored, the children typically enjoy their favourite Biriyani, Korma or kebab as well as popular sweet desserts such as halwa and sheer khurma. The children are eternally grateful for their sponsors as it means they get to enjoy an array of delicious, foods which are rich in nutrients with their new families.
Thanks to your amazing support through our OrphanKind appeal, children who previously suffered with hunger, poverty, and uncertainty, now face a lifetime of amazing Eid memories. As we lament the end of Ramadan and mark the first Jummah of Shawwal, let’s continue into this transformative period and put what we have learnt into action.
Sponsor an orphan today and change a life.
FRIDAY 28 APR 2023
