PAKISTAN: Free Supply of Food To Poor Elderly

KARACHI, Pakistan (Senior Citizens Forum), February 18, 2008: The Senior Citizens Forum writes: "It has been observed that some old age people in Karachi live below poverty line. They are living in isolation because their loved ones have deserted them or they are childless. They dwell in poorly maintained house and find much difficult to avail a daily square meal. If they are ailing or can not move because of old age, they go without food unless some one feeds them. "Such persons should be fed because our religion has ordained to feed the deserving persons. The idea of supplying free food to old age people was conceived by Mr. Ali Raza T. Lakhani of Seniors Citizens Forum (SCF) which was set up three years back to organize indoor and outing programs for seniors. A project has now been launched by SCF for free supply of quality meals to these senior citizens at their door step. A modest start is made to help old age male and female seniors residing in Kharadar area of Karachi (Pakistan). A survey conducted by Ali Raza T. Lakhani, Shaukat Ali Jiwani and Shiraz Onali under the guidance of Shabbir Jassani, a social activist of the area, who visited the homes of deserving seniors. They saw several people in squalor, lacking basic needs of human life. The scenes were pitiable and highly emotional. A husband and wife, both in early sixties, are living in shabby, poorly maintained 12' x 12' room. Husband is a wall painter but does not work because he has to attend to his sick wife. She has bone pain and mental health problems. The house rent of Rs. 170 a month has remained unpaid for a year. Another couple, in their seventies, lives in a small room, a corner of which is used as cooking space. But the wife is bed-ridden and preparing meals is difficult. Their children have deserted them and do not come to see or take care of them. A lady in seventy, lives alone in a small room on second floor of poorly maintained building. She can not walk well because of old age and falling health. According to her, she is sister of a renowned philanthropist and social worker but after his death no one cares for her. She has failing memory and gets irritated because of difficult life. Her two sons are settled in America but do not communicate. Another lady in late seventies passes lonely life in a small and dilapidated room. She says she has a son who some times visits her but only to beat her if she demands a help from him. There are many other cases of the aged whose plight is difficult to describe. The Senior Citizens Forum, Karachi, has started providing daily meals to these deserving people. Food is specially cooked for these elderly and sent at mid day to their home. The quantity is sufficient to carry over the food for dinner. There are many other such deserving seniors to be fed regularly on daily basis. The present cost of supply of a meal is Pk Rs. 60 per day, roughly US $1. SCF seeks sponsors for its meal service for the deserving old age people. Request is also made to provide the names of deserving old age persons in Karachi so that they can be included in the free meal plan. Information will be kept confidential. For more details, contact Senior Citizens Forum via e-mail: scfkhi@gmail.com