Punjab, Pakistan | Bethel Church of Pakistan

by Bethel Church of Pakistan Orphan Care Team

Two Widows, Eight Children, & One Community of Hope: Supporting Widow-Led Households in Punjab, Pakistan

Grace and peace. Today we want to introduce you to two remarkable women from Punjab, Pakistan — Koonjha and Shanti - and share how supporting their households can change lives.

Pastor Arbelo delivers food bag to widow Shanti and her children.

Koonjha is a mother of three. Shanti is a mother of five. Both are widows, shouldering the full responsibility of providing for their children at a time when safety nets are few and life’s daily demands are heavy. Their faces tell stories of resilience; their days are filled with practical struggles that many of us rarely see.

A Day in Their Lives — practical challenges they face

While every family’s story is unique, widows in rural and peri-urban areas of Punjab commonly face a mix of economic, social, and logistical obstacles. Here are some of the day-to-day challenges that Koonjha and Shanti may encounter:

Irregular or no steady income. Without a husband’s wage or stable employment, both women may rely on casual labor, piece-work, or small home-based activities (stitching, fetching water, selling small household goods). Income is unpredictable and often insufficient to cover basic needs.
Food insecurity and nutrition. Stretching a limited budget to provide nutritious meals for three or five children is a constant strain. Children’s diets may be low in protein and micronutrients, increasing the risk of malnutrition.
Schooling and education costs. Even when public schools exist nearby, indirect costs — uniforms, books, transport, lunch — can push children out of school. Older children (especially girls) might be expected to help at home or earn money.
Healthcare access and expenses. Small illnesses can become crises when consultations, medicines, or transport to clinics add up. Without savings, a medical emergency can force impossible choices.
Housing, utilities, and sanitation. Many widow-headed households live in simple dwellings with limited access to clean water, safe sanitation, or reliable electricity — all of which affect health and children's study time.
Legal and property rights. Widows sometimes face legal or cultural obstacles to land ownership, inheritance, or accessing government welfare programs, limiting their ability to build long-term security.
Social stigma and isolation. In some communities, widows experience marginalization, reduced social support, or restrictions on work and mobility — increasing emotional stress and reducing opportunities.
Child protection and safety. Financial pressure can push families toward risky coping strategies, including child labor, early marriage for daughters, or accepting unsafe work.

How targeted support can make a real difference

When you support households like Koonjha’s and Shanti’s, even modest, well-directed help multiplies:

Immediate relief: Food packages, assistance for a month’s groceries, or emergency medicine prevent families from falling into crisis.
Education support: Paying school fees, buying uniforms and books, or providing small scholarships keeps children in school — a vital long-term protection against poverty.
Emotional & community support: Counseling, women’s groups, and inclusion within Church network combat isolation and build practical ties — childcare swaps, shared markets, cooperative savings.
Pastoral Care: Support, guidance, and encouragement provided—in a Biblical faith-based context—to help these families with their spiritual, emotional, and practical needs, fostering personal growth, healing, and well-being.

A short story: what help could look like for Koonjha and Shanti

Imagine providing a three-month household support package: monthly food staples, school supplies for the children, and enrollment in a local sewing training program plus a small grant for a sewing machine. Within six months, Koonjha might have a reliable side income tailoring school uniforms; Shanti could start a home-based tuck shop selling snacks and tea, allowing her older children to return to school. The ripple effect — better nutrition, attendance at school, and increased family income — changes trajectories.

How you can help today

Pastor Arbelo distributes food bag and cash among the widows Koonjha & orphans.

Sponsor a child or household for monthly support.
Fund educational materials or one-time school fee payments.
Support skills training programs and microgrants for income generation.
Donate to emergency medical funds or food relief for vulnerable households.
Spread the word — share this post and invite friends and church groups to join a monthly giving circle.

Thank you

Koonjha and Shanti are not statistics — they are caring mothers doing everything they can for their children. With your compassion and practical support, we can turn daily struggle into safety, opportunity, and hope. If you’d like to learn more about sponsoring or providing targeted support for widow-led households in Punjab, reply to this post or contact our office. Together, we can stand with these families and help them flourish.

Grace and thanks for your partnership.

Please note that Pastoral care is provided to these families as our partners demonstrate the Gospel through your kind support.

We thank our local partner in Punjab, Pakistan, for their efforts to provide for the needs of Orphans & Widows in their community. We have served with this team since 2011. As we continue this effort it is important for us to secure the monthly support needed for this current level of aid so we can grow this partnership by serving additional families. This month, we suspended support for 11 widow-led households based on resources Many more widow-led households are in need of aid.

Support is needed for the 11 families that we had to suspend this month. We need to secure the needed $1,100 monthly restart this program that will include all of the families who started with us in January. Due to our resource availability, we notified the Bethel Church of Pakistan in December that support beyond the provision for March would be suspended due to a lack of funding. We do have some limited support that allows us to support a few families moving forward. We can also quickly increase the number of children served if resources are available.

Global Orphan Relief (GO!) has been serving orphaned children since 2005, and as a result of this effort, widows, families, and entire communities are transformed through our Home-based Care initiative. The care provided creates a ripple effect through the entire community as we demonstrate God’s love for His people.

You may send support or other correspondence to Global Orphan Relief, 16352 Prairie Farm Cir, Parker, CO 80134 or you may give also give electronically at Orphans & Widows | Pakistan for this specific effort to support widow-led households or you may give on this website at the upper righthand corner under ‘Donate’ by choosing Home-based Care under the Fund designation.

Movement of FAITH | Voice of HOPE | Act of LOVE

Global Orphan Relief is a Christian relief agency serving Orphans in need and a recognized U.S. public charity, tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3). All donations are tax-deductible to the extent of the law.

Two Widows, Eight Children, & One Community of Hope