In a world with depleting resources it gives us so much pleasure to be able to share good quality items that still have a shelf life to needy families that not only appreciate them but cherish each gift. This month some Asian donors have given some very high quality Asian clothes that families can use to wear on weddings and other special occasions such as going to church, which is still classed as special in Pakistan.
Pakistani Christians have become an underclass in Pakistan, with only 7% attaining an adequate level of literacy, despite $billions of foreign aid funding from the US and UK, much of which is ostensibly provided to induce holistic educational reform. 1 million Pak-Christians are bonded under indentured labour, after a ancestral patriarch had given up their liberty for a mere £50 or less, signing a brutal contract with a thumbprint unable to read any of the contract that placed themselves and their offspring into modern day slavery forever. Though Pakistan has introduced the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act in 1992, the law has yet to be used to free these slaves. In fact Christians seeking freedom have been killed (click here) with no prosecution of the slave masters or their cronies. Many Christians work in unhealthy and unsafe conditions contributing to a low life expectancy (click here). Others work as sweepers they are bullied and killed (click here), and provincial governments set adverts that allow only Christian applicants for sweeper roles (click here) – they say it is positive discrimination.
Many of those that have received these items would never have thought it possible to own anything of such good quality and it has been heart warming to see how these families have been overjoyed with their new items. So we just want to say a big thank you to all of you who are still donating items to be sent to Pakistan, even through the more difficult process of organising a drop off time.
We have also sent over some of our older publications to be shared with universities, other academic institutions and charities in Pakistan, and some of our remaining friendship bands designed for the charity during the incarceration of Asia Bibi.
We share some images of more of the transported goods that have arrived in Pakistan since the lifting of UK COVID-19 lockdown and images of some of the recipients.
You can still deliver items to be sent to Pakistan by organising a drop of with our volunteers in Ilford by contacting us using the contact details on our website. Alternatively you may wish to help us with the cost of transport to Pakistan which is £1.50 per Kilo. If you would like to donate towards the shipping costs you can donate (here). Alternatively feel free to do both, but please remember we can only accept items that are washed and clean and are in good condition.
