Mehnaz is a ten year girl, who attends NHA center Shinkiari for the educational and other skills enhancement activities. The name of her father is Saif-ul- Maluk. She along with her family resides in Tumbah a nearby village of Shinkiari. She has two young brothers and three sisters. Her one sister is mentally disabled. Her father does the labor work for winning bread and butter for his family. Her family is very poor. She and her other brothers and sisters are living a life, which is devoid of basic facilities of life, in the depth of extreme poverty. They were leading a simple life in the proximity of her father and mother in their own house so they were happy in the real sense of meaning.

But unfortunately, in the bloodiest Earthquake of October 8th, 2005, there house was completely destroyed. The house which was built with the saving of their mother from the meager available income of their father. This event compelled them to remain under the sun for few days.

Everything in the house like furniture, kitchen utensils, and all other house necessities were destroyed under collapsed house debris. Mehnaz’s family became helpless and shelters less. Since they had no support whatsoever from any quarter, therefore the specter of survival of the family in this critical situation started to hunt her father. They had no place to hide their head under. With the start of rescue and relief activities, they got a tent to live in for the temporary basis. Mehnaz father is a courageous man, he never gave in. After the destruction of his house, he resumed his labor work, and was able to do some saving for the rainy days. With this saving and a house subsidy of RS 75000/, from the Government, he constructed a shelter for his family to secure them from extreme cold during the winters.

This brought some normalization and mental peace in the lives of Mehnaz’s family. But that was not the end of suffering for their family as there was a lot more suffering in store for this family. The shelter in which Mehnaz was residing with her family got burnt due to gas cylinder burst. Lives of all of them were saved but they once again lost their abode and all the home essentials along with cloths and blankets, which are always required in the winter season. Soon after the accident FWA team visited the place and shared their sympathies with mehnaz’s family and informed the district government to contribute with this family to mitigate the suffering of this family.

The books and uniform of Mehnaz were also burnt.Mehnaz is a bold courageous girl and instead of all these adverse happenings during the last two years or so, she is still optimistic about her future. She studies at grade 1st at NHA Shinkiari. She says,” I am very satisfied with my studies at the center Shinkiari where, I have also started to learn the skills of embroidery. I will continue help my father in earning for the family, when, I will grow up”.