Pakistan’s fashion designers step up to provide relief

Frieha Altaf, Nomi Ansari and Anoushey Ashraf lead the charge

When it comes to philanthropy and charity work, the people associated with the fashion industry are proving to be among the foremost doers.

Recently, Frieha Altaf launched Catwalk Cares, a project to help those devastated by the COVID-19 outbreak. Earlier, fashion designer Nomi Ansari and model Anoushey Ashraf took the lead in beginning what is called “ration relief” work. They have been working in close association with the Robin Hood Army (RHA), a not-for-profit organisation which has declared “war against hunger” and collects food wastes from restaurants and repackages them and serves them to the very poor.

Ansari recently hosted Sameer Beg, the “Head Robin” at the RHA, in his atelier in Karachi, where he took measurements for his “give-back gift” to Beg — a special Eid outfit. It was said to be another Catwalk Cares initiative.

Later, talking to media, Beg said, “In times of uncertainty, we see the community rise together. Nomi Ansari and Anoushey Ashraf were among the first to approach us and offer their help… Thanks to their generous donations of ration bags, we were able to serve over 900 impacted families at the beginning of the lockdown.”