A great many Pakistanis live and work in the Emirates, and most already send part of their salary home every month. Many also want to donate to Pakistan from UAE in a way that reaches families beyond their own relatives. Peace and Humanity Welfare Organization (PHWO) can be one route: a volunteer-based welfare group whose single office is in Larkana, Sindh, helping households all over Pakistan at no cost to them.
Please note that PHWO has no branch, agent or collector in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah or any other emirate. Anyone who approaches you in person for cash in its name does not represent it.
Why workers in the Gulf give through PHWO
If you are from Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa or Sindh, you already know how hard life is for daily-wage families back home. PHWO receives requests from people like them: a labourer’s widow in debt to the shopkeeper, a boy who needs a laptop for his diploma, a family whose house was damaged in a flood. Each request comes with a live photo, and volunteers verify it before anything is arranged. When a genuine need is found and a response is possible, PHWO arranges support, but no one is promised an outcome.
What your zakat and sadaqah go towards
PHWO keeps zakat in a separate fund and spends it only on people eligible under Shariah; none of it covers staff, rent or other running costs. Sadaqah is also kept separately and handed on fully to deserving people. Its eight programme areas, set out on Programmes, include education, health, women’s empowerment, digital and vocational skills, environment, community and poverty, and emergency relief.
Through Sponsor a case you can also pick one checked household to support, which many donors in the Gulf prefer because they can follow a single story.
How to donate to Pakistan from UAE accounts
There is no card payment page and no PayPal. The Donate page lists:
- International wire transfer from a UAE bank to PHWO’s Pakistani account. Some licensed exchange houses also send transfers into Pakistani bank accounts.
- A UBL bank transfer inside Pakistan if you, or a relative, holds a Pakistani bank account.
- Goods delivered to the Larkana office, useful if you are visiting home.
PHWO receives rupees only. Your dirhams are converted by the bank or exchange house, so compare their rate and fee first. Copy the account details only from the donate page. Afterwards, fill in the confirmation form; once the payment appears in PHWO’s records you will receive a numbered receipt by email.
The UAE is just one hour behind Pakistan, so Message PHWO in your PHWO account is easy to use during your lunch break or after your shift.
Zakat and Ramadan from the Emirates
For many Pakistanis in the UAE, Ramadan is when they settle their yearly zakat. Use the Zakat calculator to total savings, gold, silver and business stock; since savings may be in dirhams, convert them to one currency before you add everything up. Fitrana should reach people before the Eid prayer, and banks in both countries close for Eid, so send it early. When you confirm, state whether the amount is zakat or sadaqah.
Volunteering and fundraising while working abroad
PHWO needs fundraisers abroad as well as at home. In the UAE, you can tell co-workers, your building’s WhatsApp group or friends at the weekend about PHWO and send them the official donate link. Please do not collect money yourself or hold it for others. Legal aid is given by advocates practising in Pakistan only, though lawyers anywhere may help as fundraisers. Sign up at Volunteer and you will receive a certificate, a letter of appreciation and an experience letter.
Giving safely: checking any organisation
Public fundraising in the UAE is regulated. PHWO does not hold any UAE licence and does not collect there. You simply send your own money directly from your own account to Pakistan, which is a private transfer. If you have any doubt about the rules that apply to you, ask your bank.
Before trusting any appeal, check: does it ask you to pay an individual? Can you verify the organisation’s address? PHWO’s only address is House 704/C, Lahori Muhalla, Larkana. Its formal registration with the Pakistani social welfare authorities is under process.
Your family, your community, and giving beyond them
Workers in the Gulf often carry the weight of a whole extended family: parents’ medicines, a sister’s wedding, a brother’s fees. It is natural to feel that there is nothing left for anyone else. Islam treats spending on close relatives in need as charity too, and zakat can go to eligible relatives who are not your dependants; ask a scholar you trust about your own case.
If you do have something extra, even a small sum sent regularly helps. A monthly amount set aside after salary day can be combined into one transfer at Ramadan, which also keeps bank charges down. Some donors in Dubai and Sharjah pool money among friends from the same district and send one transfer together; if you do that, each person should confirm their own share so the receipts are correct.
PHWO also runs the Rishta Desk, a free matchmaking service for Pakistani and Muslim families worldwide β in Pakistan and abroad β which overseas workers in the Emirates can use themselves when searching for a match back home. Each profile is checked with a live selfie and reviewed by PHWO staff, and families make every decision.
Public services in United Arab Emirates you can also use
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, PakistanFind the Pakistan Embassy in Abu Dhabi and Consulate in Dubai
These are public or independent services, listed to help you. They are not part of PHWO.
Frequently asked questions
Can I send my zakat through an exchange house in Dubai?
Many exchange houses send transfers to Pakistani bank accounts. Copy PHWO's details from its donate page and confirm the transfer afterwards.
Does PHWO collect money in the UAE?
No. It has no office, agent or collection licence there. Only give through the accounts listed on its website.
I have a Pakistani mobile wallet. Can I use it?
Not at present. PHWO currently accepts only bank transfer to its UBL account in Pakistan and international wire transfer from abroad. A Pakistani bank account, yours or a relative's, can be used for the local transfer.
Can I bring goods when I travel home?
Yes. Useful goods such as ration, clothing, bedding and school supplies can be handed in at the Larkana office. Nothing expired or broken.
Is there a best time to call from the UAE?
Pakistan is one hour ahead, so normal UAE daytime hours work. Messages through the contact form are fine at any time.