Child Safety

A sizeable chunk of the population of Islamabad lives in a relative bubble of prosperity and ease. However, the outskirts of the city are home to poorer communities. The Mehrabadi community is one of them. This community cannot be classified as a slum because it is neither illegal nor has make-shift housing; thus, it has the dna of a microcity, but in reality it operates much like a traditional slum. There are currently no childcare services present in Mehrabadi to look after the welfare and safety of children and ensure development while parents are at work. The Islamabad Hub is supporting the community to put an end to that by identifying verified community leaders who will take responsibility interchangeably for out-of-school children using their mobile phones. This will then be rolled out to include multiple types of general services offered through dedicated online messaging and social services. Given its unique status, the Mehrabadi also benefit from local government support. If this project succeeds, it can be applied to unofficial communities as well and contribute to a safer society for the city's most marginalized.