The Stitching Unit in Faisalabad was a heartfelt response to a profound need, born on October 10, 2021, during a visit to the Bureau on World Mental Health Day. Eilya Care Foundation recognized the deep scars of neglect and the untapped potential within the children residing there. We saw children struggling not just with their circumstances but with their own mental and emotional well-being. And so, a journey of compassion and empowerment began—a mission to provide them with the skills and support they needed to build brighter futures.
We started by addressing the core of their struggles: mental health. Free assessments were conducted to identify learning difficulties and emotional challenges, laying the foundation for targeted, meaningful interventions. But understanding was only the first step. We knew that without skills, these children might never escape the cycle of poverty and neglect that defined their pasts. Thus, we established a stitching unit, where vocational training became a gateway to a future they could shape with their own hands.
The stitching unit became a place of transformation. Children who had once felt lost found purpose in learning new skills. They worked with determination, creating not just tangible products but also hope for themselves and their peers. Through this initiative, awareness was raised about the critical importance of mental health support and skill development for vulnerable children—an issue too often overlooked.
Over the course of the project, we witnessed both heartbreaking realities and inspiring progress. Our mental health assessments revealed the extent of the children’s struggles, with many displaying profound learning difficulties and a lack of interest in formal education. Determined to make a difference, we developed a comprehensive proposal for the stitching unit, which gained approval from the government and led to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Child Protection Bureau.
With this support, we enrolled 22 children, aged 12 to 16, in a nine-month training program. For many of them, it was the first time they had a chance to see a different future.
Despite our passion and the children’s remarkable progress, we faced significant challenges. The promised government support never materialized, leaving us to struggle for the resources we needed. Efforts to secure donors and sponsors were met with the belief that the government should shoulder the responsibility for these children. Without adequate support, we made the heartbreaking decision to close the program. Yet, even in its closure, the stitching unit left an indelible mark: seven participants had become highly skilled and ready to enter the job market—a testament to the potential that remains within every child.
