Nankana Sahib is the birthplace of Guru Nanak, and the Gurdwara Janam Asthan draws Sikh pilgrims from across the world every year. Around the sacred town lies a farming district of rice paddies, sugarcane and small villages, where Muslim, Christian and Sikh families live side by side. When money, health or a legal problem becomes too much, people here look for an NGO in Nankana Sahib that treats everyone the same.
Peace and Humanity Welfare Organization (PHWO) is a non-political, non-sectarian volunteer organisation serving all of Pakistan, and it never charges for its services. PHWO has no office, camp or agent in Nankana Sahib, Sangla Hill or Shahkot. Its only office is in Larkana, Sindh; families here reach PHWO online, through Message PHWO in a free PHWO account, or by email to info@phwo.org .
Nankana Sahib at a glance
Nankana Sahib became a district in 2005, taken out of Sheikhupura. The 2023 Census gives it 1,634,871 residents, with only about 20% in towns. Nankana Sahib tehsil is by far the largest, with over a million people and just 12% urban. The other two tehsils are Sangla Hill, a compact town with a famous rocky hill, and Shahkot. Punjabi is the mother tongue of about 97% of the district.
Most families live from rice and wheat farming, dairy and daily-wage labour, with many men commuting to Faisalabad, Sheikhupura or Lahore.
Common struggles in the district
- Small farms, big families: land divided among heirs gets smaller each generation.
- Brick kilns: the area has many kilns, and some families working there are bound by advance loans that are hard to repay.
- Healthcare: serious cases are referred to Lahore or Faisalabad, which is costly.
- Paperwork: families without complete CNICs, land records or birth certificates can find it hard to reach government schemes.
Financial help in Nankana Sahib
A family in Nankana, Sangla Hill or Shahkot can use Request help to describe what it needs: groceries, treatment, school or college dues, rent, clearing a debt such as a kiln advance, a laptop for a student, or help after a disaster. With the form, add a live photo of yourself and tell your story in your own words.
A volunteer first confirms the facts, then assesses the need. Help is arranged only if the need holds up and can be met. Nobody can promise the result or how long it will take, and it never costs anything to ask.
Free legal aid in Nankana Sahib
The district and sessions courts are at Nankana Sahib, with civil and family courts in Sangla Hill and Shahkot, and appeals to the Lahore High Court. People seek legal help here for family matters, inheritance, land disputes, and sometimes for disputes with kiln owners over wages and debts.
Tell PHWO’s volunteer advocates about your problem on the free legal aid page. You do not need an FIR. Custody cases and close hearings are read first. Representation depends on an advocate having the time, so nobody can promise it.
Public services people can use
Public help in the district starts with District Headquarters Hospital Nankana Sahib and the THQ hospitals at Sangla Hill and Shahkot. Rescue 1122 responds to crashes on the Faisalabad and Sheikhupura roads and to fires. Call 15 for the police, or 1043 if you are a woman facing abuse. Kafaalat payments are made through the tehsil BISP office, government Zakat through the District Zakat Committee Nankana Sahib, and the District Bar Association Nankana Sahib can refer you to a lawyer.
Sikh, Christian and Muslim families alike
PHWO does not ask about religion or sect when deciding which requests to take forward. A Christian kiln worker in Shahkot, a Sikh family in Nankana city and a Muslim farmer in a nearby village can all apply in exactly the same way, and each request is judged on need alone. If you are worried about being treated unfairly because of your faith, you can say so in your request.
Families of pilgrims and visitors who fall into difficulty while in the city are best helped by the local authorities. PHWO’s role is for residents of Pakistan who need longer-term support: a widow raising children in Sangla Hill, a disabled man in a Shahkot village who cannot work, or a family in Nankana city facing a large hospital bill. Each of them can apply online from home, or ask a trusted relative or neighbour to fill in the form on their behalf.
Donate or volunteer
Anyone, in Pakistan or abroad, who wants to support families in this district can use Donate to send cash or goods. Zakat and Sadaqah sent there are spent entirely on people who qualify. Work out your Zakat on the Zakat calculator; if you want to see your gift go to one confirmed Nankana family, use Sponsor a case.
Lawyers and fundraisers are what PHWO is shortest of. Lawyers practising in Nankana Sahib, Sangla Hill or Shahkot could change a great deal for kiln workers and poor families. Sign up through the volunteer page; a certificate, a letter of appreciation and an experience letter recognise your work.
Rishta Desk
For Sikh, Christian and Muslim families alike, the Rishta Desk is free. Profiles are checked with a live selfie and reviewed by PHWO staff. Each family makes its own choice, and no match can be promised.
Public services in Nankana Sahib you can also use
- District Headquarters Hospital Nankana SahibPublic hospital
- Rescue 1122Emergency service
- District Administration Nankana SahibDeputy Commissioner's office
- Zakat and Ushr Department PunjabDistrict Zakat Committee
- Lahore High CourtAppeals from Nankana Sahib courts
These are public or independent services, listed to help you. They are not part of PHWO.
Frequently asked questions
We work at a brick kiln near Shahkot and owe the owner an advance. Can PHWO help?
Put the advance in a help request, and ask about your rights as kiln workers through legal aid. Both are verified and assessed; nothing is guaranteed.
Is there a PHWO office in Nankana Sahib or Sangla Hill?
No. PHWO's only office is in Larkana, Sindh. Contact it by messaging PHWO from a free PHWO account, at info@phwo.org or through the website.
We are a Sikh family. Will our request be treated the same?
Yes. PHWO is non-sectarian and judges every request on need alone.
My father needs an operation in Lahore. What documents should we send?
The doctor's recommendation, the cost estimate and a live photo, with a short explanation of the situation.
Can I volunteer if I am a law student in Nankana Sahib?
Yes. Register on the volunteer page and say how you would like to help.
Our rice crop was poor and we took a loan from the arhti in Nankana. Can this be part of a request?
Yes. Explain how much you borrowed, what it was for and how much remains, and add any written record of the loan. The request is checked like all others, and support depends on the assessment.