In the heart of Machar Colony, Karachi’s largest informal settlement housing around 700,000 people, lawyer and activist Tahera Hasan has carved out a beacon of hope through the Imkaan Welfare Organisation. Her initiative, founded in 2012, was originally aimed at combating infanticide and child abandonment. But over the years, it has evolved into a broader movement to protect, educate, and empower some of the city’s most vulnerable children.
During her early work in Machar Colony, Hasan noticed large numbers of children loitering in the streets, often working in shrimp-peeling factories or falling into destructive habits like gambling and drug use. Living in cramped conditions, many in one-room homes with up to 11 family members, these children lacked any safe space to play or learn.
In response, Hasan and her team established “Khel”, a unique center providing both a physical refuge and developmental support. As highlighted in the documentary “KHEL: A playground for Karachi’s invisible children” by Extraordinary Pakistanis, the center not only removes children from the streets but also fosters emotional and intellectual growth.
Education, Arts, and Athletics Under One Roof
Khel integrates literacy, arts and crafts, and sports into its daily routine. It even boasts Machar Colony’s first-ever gymnastics team, a bold step in a conservative community where girls’ participation in sports was initially met with skepticism.
“We were concerned that gymnastics wouldn’t be socially acceptable, especially for girls,” Hasan explains in the documentary. “But once we received parental consent, the girls’ gymnastics team became a reality, something previously unheard of in the area.”
Tackling Deep-Rooted Social Inequalities
One of Khel’s most profound achievements has been fostering social cohesion among different ethnic communities, particularly the Bengali and Pathan populations. Initially marked by prejudice and hostility, the center gradually built an atmosphere of mutual respect and camaraderie.
Hasan shares a touching moment to illustrate this transformation: “One day, a child ran over to offer me a chair. A year earlier, that same child might have trampled me in a rush. That moment made me cry. It showed me how deeply their attitudes had shifted.
Economic Realities and Difficult Choices
Life in Machar Colony remains harsh. Many families struggle with limited income and large households. Parents are often forced to choose which children attend school and which must work. Daily wages for children in shrimp factories range from Rs50 to Rs200, a grim trade-off that steals childhoods.
Through Imkaan, Hasan has created an alternative path, one where children aren’t just surviving, they are thriving.