From Heart Patient to Harvest: Farzana's Journey Out of Food Insecurity in Pakistan

Farzana Bibi, a mother of four, is compounded by struggles as a heart patient and caregiver to her disabled child. Every day, she faces a question no parent should have to answer: how do I protect my family's health when I can't afford the food that it requires? 

The unfortunate reality is that she is not alone. Across Pakistan, nearly one in four households now struggles with moderate or severe food insecurity, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. Just a few years ago, it was closer to one in six, due to flooding from the annual monsoon season.  

For families like Farzana's, the numbers are not abstract. They are empty plates and impossible choices. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations reports that over 60% of Pakistanis cannot afford a healthy diet, and the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification analysis finds about 7.5 million people in crisis or worse. 

Children pay the highest price. Roughly 40% of children under five are stunted, their growth held back by hunger before their lives have really begun. 

Hunger is rarely just about food; it is also about work. Pakistan now has 5.9 million people unemployed, and about 2.1 million of them are women.  

Many of these women are caregivers who eat last and least. Without income of their own, they have little power to change their family's future. 

This is where livelihoods work matters. A meal feeds a family today, but a livelihood feeds it for years. 

Through Zakat Foundation of America's Livelihoods Program, Farzana found a way forward that fit her life, not the other way around. 

Our partners gave her a kitchen gardening kit and specialized technical guidance. They taught her water-efficient growing techniques that work with her heart condition, so she can grow nutritious vegetables without the physical strain of traditional farming. Her garden is now steps from her door. 

The change has been profound.   

Farzana now feeds her children fresh, organic, home-grown produce, and she has peace of mind about their health. She no longer buys expensive, chemically treated vegetables, and the monthly savings are significant. That money now goes toward her own medical care and toward better support for her disabled child. 

"You gave me a way to protect my health and my children's future without leaving my home," shares Farzana. 

Her story underscores that the most powerful form of help is the kind that restores a person's own strength. Our Livelihoods Program equips families with training, tools, and support so they can build stable, healthy, self-reliant lives.  

Zakat Foundation of America is dedicated to helping people in need in ways that empower communities and restore dignity. 

Your support can help a mother grow food, save money, and build a future. Your gift goes directly to empowering families through creating livelihoods.