KARACHI: Parveen Saeed, founder and administrator of KhanaGhar (a chain of kitchens for the poor in some districts of the city), who recently suffered a stroke that left her right side paralysed, is back home and eager to get back to work as soon as her health permits, it emerged on Monday.

The news on the social media about her falling ill made one wonder what was going on at her kitchens at Khuda ki Basti, Lyari, Ajmer Nagri, Nooruddin Goth and Korangi, but the team of volunteers that she has prepared over the years has not let her down.

When Dawn visited the KhanaGhar’s main kitchen at Khuda ki Basti on Monday, one of her chief volunteers, Nadeem Ahmed, said things were carrying on as per routine despite Parveen being laid up.

“She suffered a stroke that has left her right side paralysed but she is out of hospital now and undergoing physiotherapy sessions. The positive upbeat person that she is, she is eager to get back on her feet and get back to work as soon as her health permits,” he said.

“People who come here for lunch or dinner ask after her. All pray for her fast recovery. I visit her every day to keep her abreast about things here. We cook food for around 1,500 people every day. When one person comes to buy food, they get it parcelled for five to six people so we are sending home 15 to 20 roti per person with enough curry. Of course, they have to pay Rs3 per roti and the curry is free. Two days a week we cook lentils, two days vegetables and every Wednesday and Sunday there is some meat dish be it chicken, mutton or beef. Then every Thursday there is biryani, which is distributed free,” the volunteer added.

Meanwhile, at her home, which also served as the very first KhanaGhar around 14 years ago, Parveen was resting with her family around. “By the grace of God, I have been able to train a small but fine and responsible team of volunteers. The set-up at KhanaGhar is such now that it runs on its own, whether I live or die,” said the lady, who started cooking food for the needy after coming across a story about a woman who had murdered her two children because she could not afford to feed them.

“I was then a journalist chasing stories. This story about a woman in police custody for doing the unthinkable deeply touched me. I met her and asked how she could kill her own flesh and blood and she told me that she couldn’t bear to see her children wail from hunger so she decided to silence them forever,” she said.

“I started cooking extra meals at home and giving away food in exchange for a meagre cost. Earlier, it was Rs2 per roti. Now it is Rs3. The idea was to not give away free food and to let the people keep their pride. We found people donating us flour or vegetables, cash, too. We also distribute free food among orphans and poor labourers. The KhanaGhar was later demolished when they were laying a new pipeline in Surjani. I am grateful to Tasneem Siddiqui sahib who provided me a new and proper place in Khuda ki Basti,” Parveen said.

Once she started her kitchen at Khuda ki Basti, she got involved in other social activities as well.

She said: “Working with communities gets you involved in further issues such as burial expenses in case of a death in a family or collecting money to pay for someone’s daughter’s dowry or maybe paying a child’s school fees. In Ramazan, we get busy distributing new clothes and shoes or rations.

“Of late, we have started adopting aged people, some of them suffering from empty nest syndrome. We provide them with meals, clothing, etc. Once this elderly lady had broken her prescription glasses. We got her new ones. It doesn’t take much money or effort, only a bit of caring,” she explained.

And who cares for Parveen while she is unwell. “There is God. Then I have my two daughters and my supportive and caring husband. My volunteers also keep visiting me with progress reports about KhanaGhar and our pick-up points,” she said as one of her oldest volunteers Shabana Naseem walked in and shook her head while overhearing some conversation.

“Parveen has been ignoring her health throughout these years. This lady, who runs a kitchen for thousands of people, is not fond of eating herself. When we go to get groceries early in the morning, those at Sabzi Mandi often invite her to have breakfast with them and she does join them many a time. What she craves is their roti with fried daal, chutney and raw onions,” the volunteer told Dawn as Parveen tried suppressing a smile that wouldn’t reach the right side of her face.

Published in Dawn, February 9th, 2016