Sanober is only 10 years old, but she’s already seen more tragedy and difficulty than most of us experience in our lifetimes. Sanober doesn’t let any of that hold her back though. Today she’s studying to be a hafiz at an AMWT orphanage in Lahore.
Before her father died, Sanober always dreamed she’d go to school one day. These were big dreams for a child from her background. Sanober’s father was a worker at a steel factory. He earned enough to feed his family but not enough to give his children an education. When Sanober’s father was diagnosed with cancer, he could not afford proper treatment. When he passed, he left four orphan children and his widow behind, with no one to care for them.
Sanober’s mother struggled to make ends meet, and though the family went to sleep hungry most nights, she did not lose hope. It was when Sanober gave up on her dream to go to school, that her mother became desperate and sought out AMWT. It wasn’t long after she applied that Sanober’s sponsorship came through.
Today, Sanober has food to eat, clothes to wear, a warm place to sleep and even access to medical care. She’s learning the Holy Qur’an and receiving a secular education, in a safe environment. All of this is more than Sanober's mother could ever have wished for for her daughter. Though she was sad to send her away, she takes comfort from the knowledge that Sanober's dream has come true.
80% of children in Pakistan are deprived of basic education, due to poverty. Many of them are forced to start working at a very young age in order to earn their livelihood or help provide for their family. This could have been Sanober.
