Case Studies

On her first days at school, Umm al-Banin sat in class unable to understand the language being used to teach her. Umm al-Banin was ten years old and lived in Lashkargah with her family of seven. Her father had once run a small shop, but war swept through their community and the family lost everything,…

Overnight, Rasool became the one his family depended on. Rasool is 18 from Karbala. Five years ago, his father passed away and the household lost its main breadwinner. His mother was left responsible for eight family members, without the capacity to work, and Rasool, as the eldest son, stepped into a role he was never…

Before the water connection, every litre of water had to be carried home.  Anwari is a 45-year-old widow living in Jaunpur, India. Like many low-income households in the area, her home had no running water, and the responsibility for water collection fell heavily on women.  Without a home connection, daily life revolved around the next container. Water had to be…

Some evenings, Hamida’s hardest task was not cooking. It was deciding how little she could serve, and still make it last.  Hamida is 48 and lives in Sana’a, Yemen. Seven years ago, her husband died of cancer. He had worked as a daily wage labourer, and when he passed away, the family’s only income disappeared. Since then, Hamida…

In the middle of Arba’een, Ali found himself supporting a visitor who had collapsed.  In July 2025, The Zahra Trust, through its Diwaniyah branch, organised a specialised first aid workshop in collaboration with Al-Qadisiyah University’s College of Pharmacy. The training aimed to equip young healthcare students with practical skills to provide immediate assistance to pilgrims during the Arba’een pilgrimage of Imam Hussein (AS).  Ali, a…

For Mojtaba, the road to care was not just long, it was the difference between life and loss. Mojtaba was eight years old when he lived with his family in Khawi, a remote village high in the mountains of Nawzad District, Afghanistan. Rough roads, limited services, drought, and fragile livelihoods turned daily life into constant…

One day, Ali stopped being the loud child full of confidence. Ali is seven years old and lives in Nabatieh, Lebanon. After losing his father at a young age, he struggled with grief that was deepened by the trauma of war and displacement, leaving him anxious and withdrawn. At school, trembling hands, sudden outbursts, and…

The flood arrived without warning, turning an ordinary day into a choice between escape and loss.  In Shigar District, Gilgit Baltistan, Zahra is a 45 year old widow raising two children on her own. Floodwater tore through her village and into her home, leaving no time to gather belongings or protect what mattered. When the current eased, the house was…

No one should have to fall asleep afraid of the place meant to protect them.  Sadiya is 45, a widow from Najaf, raising three children alone with no safety net to lean on. One of her sons was born with nerve damage and needs constant care, adding to the daily strain of survival.  The family…