KARACHI: Women pedal sewing machines, deftly lining up seams and pleats as they assemble brightly coloured dresses for young girls at an orphanage in Pakistan, in preparation for Eid al-Fitr, which ends the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.
Yet as an economic crisis forces people to tighten their belts, fewer find themselves able to afford charity donations for the approaching festival, usually a time of generosity.
"This year no dress came from outside," said Laiba, a 16-year-old who lives in the home in the southern city of Karachi, as she was being measured for her clothes.
"But Bhabi purchased us unstitched cloth which we will wear after stitching here," she added, referring by an affectionate name to Saba Edhi, who is in charge of the network of orphanages across the South Asian nation.
"It is good," added Laiba, who goes by one name. She is one of about 30 residents of the home who said they were glad to get new shoes and clothes, despite the rising cost of living.
Edhi, who was helping to embroider the clothes, said she had to dip into savings to cover the cost of the Eid gifts, as this year no donations of readymade garments or unstitched cloth had come in, unlike previous years.
"We purchased some readymade items and unstitched cloth, jewellery, bangles, shoes and other things from our own funds."
The crisis drove inflation to a record high of 35% in March, following a depreciating rupee currency, a rollback in subsidies and higher tariffs, while food inflation rose to more than 47%.
"Slowly, the hardships are increasing," said philanthropist Faisal Edhi, the head of Pakistan's largest charity operation, the Edhi Foundation, which runs the orphanages, home to more than 8,000 children.
The three truckloads of donated items, such as old clothes, shoes and other household effects that the Edhi centres in Karachi usually received every week have dwindled to just one now, he added.
"We are worried," he said. "We are trying to get more donations but people have tightened the purse strings, and we are receiving fewer items as donations now."
With less than a month's worth of foreign exchange reserves, Pakistan awaits a bailout tranche of $1.1 billion from the IMF delayed since November over policy changes sought by the lender.
That is part of a $6.5-billion bailout package approved in 2019, which analysts say is critical for the nation of 220 million to avert default on external payment obligations.
Still, despite growing pressure on the Foundation's resources, Edhi was undaunted.
"We will stand with our country at this moment of distress and we will try to fulfill needs with our limited resources," he said.
Reuters
Thu Apr 20 2023
Women, who are taking shelter at the Edhi Home Orphanage Centre of the Edhi Foundation, a non-profit social welfare programme, stitch cloths for the children ahead of Eid al-Fitr celebrations, in Karachi, Pakistan. - REUTERS
200,000 pelarian tiba di Syria selepas serangan Israel ke atas Lubnan - UNHCR
Lebih 200,000 warga Syria dan Lubnan telah tiba di Syria dari Lubnan sejak serangan Israel bermula pada 23 Sept.
Belanjawan 2025: Kesalinghubungan internet di sekolah, kampus jadi keutamaan - Fahmi
Kementerian Komunikasi akan memberikan keutamaan dengan meneruskan usaha untuk meningkatkan dan memantapkan lagi prasarana kesalinghubungan melibatkan isu Internet, dalam Belanjawan 2025 yang akan dibentangkan pada 18 Okt ini.
Setahun solidariti, sokongan global untuk Palestin di tengah-tengah genosid berterusan Israel
Ribuan manusia di seluruh dunia turun ke jalanan untuk menyuarakan sokongan kepada Palestin dan menuntut keadilan.
Indonesia kecewakan China, raih kejuaraan badminton berpasukan campuran remaja dunia
Indonesia menewaskan China untuk muncul Juara Badminton Berpasukan Campuran Remaja Dunia dengan kemenangan 110-103 (mata terkumpul).
Bomba selamatkan tiga subkontrakor terkandas di kren pengangkat
Ketiga-tiga mangsa lelaki itu masing-masing berusia 24, 26 dan 32 tahun terkandas dengan anggaran ketinggian dua tingkat.
Hulu Perak daerah terbaharu dilanda banjir kilat
Banjir kilat berlaku disebabkan hujan lebat berterusan selama dua jam di sekitar Gerik.
Kejayaan pembangunan Sabah jadi kayu ukur pada PRN, PRU16 - Rafizi
Rafizi berkata kerjasama antara parti adalah perkara yang terus dibincangkan dalam kerangka semangat Kerajaan Perpaduan.
88 badan pensijilan halal luar negara dapat pengiktirafan JAKIM
Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (JAKIM) telah memberikan pengiktirafan kepada 88 badan pensijilan halal luar negara setakat Mei tahun ini.
eWarga Emas bentuk sistem penyampaian perkhidmatan berkesan, bersepadu - Noraini
Portal sistem warga emas (eWarga Emas) dibangunkan bagi membentuk sistem penyampaian perkhidmatan warga emas yang berkesan dan bersepadu.
MITRA lulus lebih RM95 juta untuk 11 program masyarakat India
Kesemua program yang dalam pelaksanaan itu memberi tumpuan kepada usaha memperkasakan sosioekonomi komuniti India dalam negara.