About the Project
Many men and women living in Pakistan’s northern province of Gilgit-Baltistan wish to marry, but for economic reasons, they cannot afford to do so. In a region where incomes are low and cultural expectations call for community participation in wedding day celebrations, many families simply cannot manage to save up for a wedding. In May 2015, The World Federation supported the marriage of 30 couples in Gilgit-Baltistan and has continued to grow the project over the years.
The Marriage Assistance Programme aims to provide aid to needy Shia families in impoverished and underprivileged areas who do not have the financial resources for a marriage ceremony, dowries, and/or the essential daily household equipment needed in by a newly-wed couple in their new home, including: wedding suits for both the bride and groom, beds and bedding items, sewing machine, kitchen equipment and gas cylinder, and other household necessities.
The programme also gifts the newly-wedded couple with religious books, including the Quran, Tauzeh ul Masail, Wazaif Ul Ibrar, & Nahjul Balagha. These books are stamped to show the Mohsin & Fauzia Jaffer Logo and slogan, along with the WF-AID logo, and the beneficiaries are asked to recite Quran and Duaa for their generous donors who made their marriage happen. The photographs on the below exemplify the stamped MFJ logo on the page of the books from the previous Marriage Assistance Project that took place in February 2021.
How the Jaffer Foundation Helped
The World Federation has been sponsoring Mass Marriage Programs for many years now and thanks to the continued support of the Mohsin and Fauzia Jaffer Foundation who contributed $25,170 USD towards this initiative, we were able to once again arrange a mass marriage program where funds were spent on the wedding day ceremony as well as a wedding gift pack gifted to each couple. While purchasing items for the wedding gift packs, our agent in Pakistan was able to negotiate lower prices with a number of key vendors where the more items purchased, the better the discount. As a result, The World Federation was able to arrange an additional 10 marriages bringing the total number of couples sponsored by the Mohsin and Fauzia Jaffer Foundation to 40 couples. Two mass marriage programs were arranged: 1. 20 couples married on 30 May 2015 in Skardu 2. 20 couples married on 2 June 2015 in Astore This report highlights the activities of the two Mass Marriage Programs and how funds raised for this initiative were spent.
The World Federation takes this opportunity to thank the Mohsin and Fauzia Jaffer Foundation for sponsoring the Mass Marriage Program held in Astore and Skardu. We congratulate each of the 40 couples and wish them a long, happy and prosperous life together filled with peace, love and faith.
2021 Marriage Ceremony
2015 Marriage Ceremony
