Frequently Asked Questions

Our application for registration under the Voluntary Social Welfare Agencies (Registration and Control) Ordinance, 1961 is currently in process with the Directorate of Social Welfare, Government of Sindh. We have a written constitution, a defined governing body and named founding members. We do not claim registration we have not yet received, and the registration number will be published on this website as soon as the certificate is issued.

PHWO works for families across Pakistan. Requests for help, free legal aid, the Rishta Desk, volunteering and membership are open to people in every province, and to Pakistanis abroad, and donations are welcome from anywhere in the world. Our registered office is in Lahori Muhalla, Larkana, Sindh, where our registration was filed.

None yet. We do not publish project counts we cannot evidence; what we deliver is reported on our Transparency page as it happens. Every programme page on this website is marked accordingly. We would rather tell you that plainly than present projections as achievements. When work begins, it will be reported here with dates, locations and figures.

PHWO was founded by ten professionals, including advocates, doctors, an engineer, business owners and a freelancer. The organization is governed according to its constitution by a governing body drawn from its membership. Details are on the Governance & Leadership page.

No. Our constitution states that the organization is non-political and non-sectarian. This applies to how we select beneficiaries, how we recruit volunteers, and who we accept funding from.

Once our organizational bank account is open following registration, you will be able to give by bank transfer, IBAN, Raast, JazzCash, EasyPaisa, QR code, cheque or cash at our office. You can give now through the bank details and form on our Donate page, from Pakistan or from anywhere in the world. Every gift is recorded and receipted. The donate page will show the available methods as soon as they are live.

Bank transfers and mobile wallet payments in Pakistan do not notify a website automatically. Your payment reference and screenshot let us match your donation against our bank statement quickly and issue your receipt. It also means the totals we publish reflect money that genuinely arrived, not unverified pledges.

Yes. Once we have verified your payment against our bank records, a numbered receipt is generated and emailed to you automatically. You can download or print it at any time from the link in that email.

Yes. There is an option on the donation form to give anonymously, which means your name will not appear publicly. We still need an email address so that we can send your receipt and confirm the donation, but that address is not shared with anyone.

Yes. The donation form lets you select a cause, such as education, healthcare, digital skills or emergency relief. Restricted donations are spent on the cause you selected. If we cannot use your gift for that purpose, we will contact you rather than quietly redirect it.

PHWO does not currently hold tax-exempt status, and our receipts should not be treated as evidence of tax deductibility. If that status is obtained in future, we will say so on this website and on receipts.

An international bank transfer option is built into our donation system and will be enabled once the organization holds an account able to receive foreign remittances. If you are overseas and want to support us in the meantime, please contact us directly and we will explain exactly where things stand.

Yes, and it is recorded separately from the moment it arrives. Zakat funds are disbursed only to people eligible to receive Zakat under Shariah, and are never used for administrative costs, office expenses or salaries.

Use our Zakat calculator. It works out your net zakatable wealth, compares it against the current nisab, and calculates 2.5% where Zakat is due. The calculation happens entirely on your own device, so nothing about your wealth is sent to us or stored anywhere.

Our calculator uses the silver nisab by default, because it is the lower threshold and therefore brings more people within the obligation to give. Some scholars prefer the gold nisab. The calculator shows you which basis is being applied and the resulting figure, and you can follow the ruling you hold to.

No. It is a practical guide built on widely accepted principles. Scholars differ on several matters, including the treatment of pensions, shares and property held for rental income. For your own circumstances, please consult a scholar you trust.

Fill in the form on the Become a Volunteer page, telling us your skills, interests and availability. If there is a role that fits your skills and availability, we will be in touch. Volunteers are central to everything we do, and a serious offer of time is valued as highly as a donation.

No. Some roles need specific skills, such as medical camps or digital training, but a great deal of useful work needs only reliability and willingness. Tell us honestly what you can offer and how much time you have.

Under our constitution, a member must be 18 or above, reside within the area of operation, be of reputable character and sound mind, agree to abide by the constitution and support its aims, and agree to pay the prescribed membership fee. Employees of the organization cannot be members.

A volunteer gives time to our programmes. A member is part of the organization itself, with the rights and duties set out in the constitution, including a role in how PHWO is governed. You can be one, or both.

Use our complaints and feedback channel. You can report anonymously if you prefer. Concerns involving the safety of a child or the misuse of funds are treated as urgent. Nobody will be treated badly for raising a concern in good faith.