Research Analysis: Imkaan

Imkaan Welfare

 Imkaan is a Nonprofit Organization, which was founded in 2012, by Tahera Hasan. Amongst the ongoing crisis of infants either being found dead or left abandoned, The Edhi Foundation revealed a National Statistical Report;890 infant bodies were recovered in 2008, this number rose to 999 in 2009 and 1,210 in 2010. It concluded that in 2011, 70 dead infants were reportedly found in the city of Karachi alone.

That is when Imkaan came into being, and sought to address the issue and take responsibility for bringing down the infant death rates and child abandonment. Their organisation is known for taking a holistic approach when it comes to treating the children, as in ,it is not restricted to merely serving food, giving a place to sleep . Imkaan has a mission statement,

 “No child’s life shall be curtailed by the circumstances of his or her birth because each one deserves absolute love and infinite opportunity to grow”.

So in order to achieve it, they provide new families to children, education, mental & physical well-being, everything and anything a child in today’s modern era requires.They’re best known for their services in providing, adoption services, medical facilities & providing good education, both physical and mental. The NGO has 5 different sections through which they facilitate the children. They are as follows:

As quoted on their site: http://www.imkaan.org/

1. Imkaan Ghar(Shelter Home)                                                                                                          
   “ Primarily a shelter for abandoned babies, this is where rescued infants are placed to receive round-the-clock monitoring and care. All children placed in Imkaan Ghar also undergo thorough medical examination with registered practitioners so that a complete and comprehensive health evaluation can be provided to their eventual adoptive families. Detailed dossiers on the health needs of each individual child who stays at Imkaan Ghar are maintained so their adoptive families may be better prepared to meet their specific needs adequately”
   
   
2. Adoption Programme                                                                                         “Being an adoptive parent requires the same qualities as any other parent. Adoption offers children a home, family, stability, and love.Most of all, adopted children need honesty and support when they ask questions regarding how they came to be adopted. Adoptive parents need to be willing and able to discuss their adoptive children’s backgrounds with them, carefully and respectfully. They need to address any and all concerns such children may have, regarding their identities, both prior to and after they were adopted.Adoption is a lifelong commitment which requires honesty, love, empathy, energy,    emotional intelligence, patience, and even a sense of humor”.                                                 
3. Sehat Ghar(Health Services)                                                                                                          “A project dedicated to creating healthcare initiatives for the underprivileged communities that Imkaan Welfare Organization works with. Under Sehat Ghar, Imkaan has established a mother and child health care center in Machar colony. Catering to a community of 3000+ families with each family having 9 members on an average”.                                                                                                                 
4. Khel( A Learning & Recreation Centre)                                                                “Khel is designed to provide a physical space for recreation and learning to the children of Macher Colony, Karachi; free of judgment, restriction, and prejudice. The space is tailored to provide stimulus for intellectual, physical, and emotional growth; with provision for recreation, learning, leisure, and rest”.
5. E-Guard( Learning & Recreation) | Solid waste management                                                                          “Imkaan has launched a solid waste management programme in Machar Colony, effecting about 1,000 homes near its Mother and Child Health Clinic.We have done so in collaboration with the E-Guard Solid Waste Management Project, which is supported by the Dr. Akhtar Hameed Khan Memorial Trust. This trust has already initiated low-cost and self-sustainable waste management programmes in Rawalpindi, Sialkot, Mangora, Manshera, Gilgit, Islamabad, and Muzzafarabad, which assist the local municipal services in the primary collection and segregation of solid waste”.

This year I shall be focusing on Sehat Ghar & Khel primarily as these are the sections that differentiate the NGO than most of the others. Imkaan has been brought to life just a few years ago but has managed to make its name in well-known NGOs in such a short time. So, through the documentary we will be able to see up-close how they work and manage so many children , providing them with the day-to-day necessities.