Who We are
U.M.E.R has been established since September 2010 .The organisation was established with the aim to work for the betterment of humanity. People at U.M.E.R Welfare dreams to cherish, love, sympathize and support under privileged clan of Pakistan. We truly believe that street children have capabilities and potentials just like the privileged children .It’s just that they are not molded and polished into better individuals. U.M.E.R has identified potentials among the under privileged class and we aim to foster the talent. The poor and under privileged children are the treasure of Pakistan. The future of Pakistan depends on these children as well. U.M.E.R makes sincere efforts to enlighten and nurture the young brains roaming around and begging on the streets of Pakistan.
The volunteers of U.M.E.R are working day and night to create awareness amongst two types of people:
Firstly the poor and deprived themselves, as they need to be educated about their basics rights. They require counselling and motivation so that they can strive for their rights. They must be made aware not only about their rights but also their duties towards their motherland. These suppressed and ignorant children need to be counselled about how they can be a productive individual of the society, community and the world.
Secondly, the most important part is to generate awareness among the masses about their duties toward these underprivileged class. Gathering maximum help and support to cater as many children as possible is the motto of this institution.
President: Moje-Barkat
Vice President-I Amra Zulfiqar Cell#0321-4471427
Vice President-II Fatima Aziz Cell#0336-4165191
General Secretary Abdul Qadir Cell#0336-6166688 & 0345-5887291
Joint Secretary Mujtaba Baig Cell# 0334-5189521
Finance Secretary Khawaja Muhammad Zulfiqar Aziz - 0345-4471426
Press & Media Secretary Khawaja Hamza Aziz - 0334-5189523 & Abdul Haseeb Dar - 0334-5256661
Education and Rehabilitation Coordinator Moje Tasneem Baig Cell#0334-5189523 & Moj-e-Bakthawar Asim Cell#0333-5108979
PR & Advertisement Manager Khawaja Muhammad Hassan Aziz Cell#0343-4195573
Our Main Activities are
- Catering to the needs of deprived and under-privileged students.
- Feeding the starving mouths.( daily meals & monthly grocery distribution )
- Educating the street children to educate our nation.
- Provision of Medical care and sanitation.
- Counselling and grooming to create individuals with better self-image and confidence.
- Rehabilitation of children and adults.
- Teacher training programs.
- Vocational and Professional Trainings
About U.M.E.R in the words of the Founder
The Journey of U.M.E.R Welfare
By Moj-e-Barakat
WHEN I STARTED MY WELFARE FOUNDATION:
I started working for the educational & other basic needs of street kids during 2007, after coming to the USA. I with the help of my sister in Rawalpindi, continued working for this cause with a small portion of my pocket money because I was also studying in USA at that time, but with consistency. Later on, with the help of my brother and his friends, we got this work registered as UMER WELFARE FOUNDATION.
Though we still continued to work at the same pace, teaching 15 street girls & boys in a very small room of our family home with the same amount of money, the purpose of getting this little effort registered as a foundation was to keep working without being bothered by neighbors and other people around us. And also with the dream that may be one day we will be able to expand our cause, more people will volunteer or donate hence 100s of street kids will benefit. My sister continued teaching them languages, mathematics, ethics, the basic concepts of hygiene in Islam and what the meaning/purpose of their lives was.
Issues we faced while teaching those kids: Besides feeling insecure while wandering on streets, these kids never felt safe and loved even inside their homes with their families and even parents. Every morning, very early, they were pushed out of their houses (a 20 by 20 square feet area without door), to find treasure in Trash. They were not given even a single piece of bread as breakfast, not even proper clothing to keep them warm and covered. They would walk all the way to my sister’s house because they knew they would be given some bread as first thing in class. Those sandwiches were the main attraction for them to attend the class. They had many psychological issues because of the behavior of their families & strangers around them. Panic attacks, bad health, poor oral health, abuse, physical torture by adults, hatred, sexual harassment in addition to hunger and zero education, This was all this world could give them!
What ever we gave them as reward & incentives for showing progress including some money, books & bags, stationery, even their soaps, toothpaste & toothbrush, those were all usually taken away or used by their family members around them. The next day they would come crying to school, with a sad story to tell.
These were the issues at their unsafe homes. We, specifically my sister who was teaching these kids also faced plenty of issues in her neighborhood. Her neighbors, shopkeepers, the building owner, none of them wanted them to come to this area. They were used even to throw their garbage sacks, in which they were used to collect their treasures from trash, to give them hard time and a lifetime lesson, because they all though they do not deserve better! They were probably not human beings. So the behavior of all these people around us made difficult for us to continue them educating, so I have to rent another room somewhere else to avoid these issues.
Founder’s Inspirations
Well, when I was 8 or 9 years old, I saw some unpleasant situations around me.I learned not all human beings are born with a spoon of gold & silver in their mouth, not everyone has the same comfort of life, not everyone eats bread & butter in breakfast. Not all kids around me have toys, not all kids around me wear clean clothes every day. Not everyone, some miles away from my home goes to school every day. Specially sons of Lady Asma & Feroza ( my mom's helpers at home ) look very different from me & every other kid that come to school. Questions like, What was that difference of living style called, flashed in my mind? That was the only time when I, for the first time in my life came to learn about poverty, hunger, helplessness kind of scary terms in Pakistan.
With the passage of time, I learned more. I always saw my dad and mom helping others; my mom feeding the hungry and my dad supporting students struggling with their tution fees of schools and colleges. My dad was himself a very competent, intelligent, knowledgeable and highly eduacted self made person, who always enjoyed high ranking in his professional careers and always seeking more knowledge. One thing he always taught us that ‘ eduacating others is a charity because it doesn’t only polish a human being and he learns skills but it also enables him to meet his basic needs at his own, without asking or depending on others. So my dad was my first inspiration! My second inspiration was a child,who was often seen selling fresh corriander or sometimes bolied eggs. After getting done with my bachelors and after my dad’s death in 1998, I had to discontinue my education due to many reasons. I stayed home with my mom and would walk her to the grocery shopping. Later, I started teaching at ‘The City School’ just to keep myeslf busy and avoid some sadness and depression mode after my dad passed away. One day while I was with my mom for grocery shopping, I saw that 5 or 6 years old boy, who was selling eggs and what happened to him was heartbreaking, out of nowhere somebody pushed him and his eggs fell in the dirt. Now the boy’s face was all covered in tears! That day I once again realized, these kids have the same potiential, same level of intelliegce and same dreams like all those kids coming from rich families at my job . That day, I strongly made a promise to myself that I can them teach them, I may not be able to help all these kids to be doctors,all lawyers or decent professionals, but may be I can teach them about their rights, may be I can teach them mathematics n langauge skills. May be I can teach them the techniques and basic marketing methods for them to sell their good and earn a decent respectable living!
A letter of Thanks by the Founder
I would like to thank my husband, my family and all the donors who had faith in me and helped me shape my dreams into reality. Especially my in-laws have been real kind and generous towards me in showing support for my cause. Without their support and backing it would have been impossible for me to be where I am today in life and maybe I would never have been able to accomplish what little I have. My husband has been the most supportive and cooperative person in all of this, who had been through every thick and thin in helping me achieve my dreams.