Al-Zara Orphanage

Orphans Relief Fund and Charitable Trust (ORFACT)

Dar Al-Zahra for the care of orphans in the province of Basra 

Orfact has established orphan centres to help support orphans in gaining a good education and to encourage moral values within a warm atmosphere.  Our orphanage projects depend entirely on voluntary contributions from supporters, from around the world. Our current orphan projects are helping some of the worlds most disadvantaged and forgotten children.  We aim to provide opportunities for those forgotten children by making it possible for them to develop their potential and to learn skills that will enable them to face a better future.

The Dar al-Zahra orphanage was opened in Basra, the first of its kind in the whole of Iraq. The orphanage accepts all children who have lost their parents, or whose mother can no longer provide financial and emotional care for them. It has grown strength to strength, and now houses over 100 orphans, who are provided with food, clothing, and education. All children are housed in a safe, loving environment and given emotional stability to ensure they grow-up to be integrated, supportive members of their community.  

 

Meals
All orphans in the house are provided with three full meals throughout the day. All meals are home-cooked in the orphanage kitchen, and the orphans all sit together in the expansive dining area during meal times. The Foundation is keen to diversify the range of food available to provide a healthy diet, and every child is given litres of fresh milk, as well as several types of juices and fruits. During meal times, supervisors are in place who oversee the children and ensure all needs are being met. There is a strict system in place that ensures all aspects of food preparation and choice are to the highest standards, meeting health and safety regulations, and ensuring the food is clean and to the highest quality.

National Events
Orphans are encouraged to celebrate national events, often by visiting sacred sites. This teaches orphans the beauty of national pride and provides them with a sense of belonging. Their participation instils a sense of joy and affection. 

Art Workshop
Dar al-Zahra has a Art workshop studio to allow the children to hone their creativity and imagination. The studio teaches the children certain skills and encourages them to get inventive. The studio is also open to orphans throughout the day to spend leisure time there. Orphans have participated in many festivals and art exhibitions.

Library activities
The Orphanage includes a library that contains a huge diversity of reading material to raise the cultural level of the orphanage, and encourages students to read from a wide-ranging selection. Inside the library, the staffs hold short writing courses to raise the literacy levels of the students, beyond that of mainstream education. Again, this boosts their creativeness and sharpens their reading and writing skills. The children can also go to the library for recitations of the Quran. The goal of the founder of the Open Library is to support a complete intellectual awareness for orphans and therefore reduce cultural backwardness.

  

Excursions
The Foundation arranges trips to recreational areas close to the orphanage. Excursions range from visiting their natural surroundings i.e. forests and lakes, to sightseeing. Not only does this have educational benefits, but it also provides entertainment for children who may not otherwise had a chance to visit these places.

Holy Books
The Foundation is keen to always provide religious and moral education for its orphans. Recitation of the Holy books takes place daily to teach the children the importance of memorising the holy books such as Quran.