Life for Relief and Development USA (LIFE)’s Global Orphans Party Gifts Joy and Individuality to 120 Orphans in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Words are magnificent in that they can communicate deep thoughts and share much of what we experience as humans. However, despite the complexity of our language, sometimes it feels as though our vocabulary falls short in fully capturing and conveying the true breadth of human emotions. 

One of these very emotions is the sadness of mourning something you never actually had. That nostalgia, for a thing you never even owned, or a moment you haven’t lived. For an orphan, it’s likely this is an emotion frequently felt; an ache for memories that haven’t even happened. 

For nearly 5 million orphans in Bangladesh, this feeling must be a prominent part of their existence. Growing up in one of the most densely populated countries in the world, navigating survival in a difficult climate, prone to natural disasters, with unsafe or inadequate living conditions, makes life especially challenging for vulnerable orphans.  

As for orphans in Bangladesh’s capital city, Dhaka, all these challenges are even more concentrated. With a population of approximately 25 million, the city’s population density is intense, as there are about 23,234 people per square kilometer.  

Further exacerbating conditions, a substantial part of these urban residents live in informal settlements or slums, which are extremely susceptible to flooding due to Dhaka’s low-lying location and limited drainage. This, in turn, frequently disrupts life and services, displacing households, damaging infrastructure, and interrupting schools and livelihoods. 

This combination creates a unique social climate where vulnerable children and orphans are frequently pushed to work early or face early marriage and drop out of school. This is a common case for the 3.4 million children living on the streets in Bangladesh, many of whom are orphans in Dhaka. These difficult living conditions, coupled with the lack of parental care, have a significant impact on the well-being of vulnerable children, as they show higher rates of malnutrition and unmet health needs.  

To grant some respite to orphans as they navigate life through these difficult circumstances, Life for Relief and Development USA (LIFE) arranged its Global Orphan Party with an Eid Gift Distribution on April 05, 2025, in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The program allowed 120 orphans to select their own dresses for Eid, enjoy playing at an indoor game center, and eat a delicious meal with their peers. By offering them not just material gifts but also the chance to experience individuality and choice, this thoughtful gesture fostered confidence and positively impacted their outlook and quality of life. 

LIFE’s Global Orphan Party and Eid Gift Distribution project for young orphans was a heartfelt initiative that brought joy and empowerment to 120 young lives. This approach created a sense of individuality and personal agency, something that would be hard to develop given the challenging living situations experienced by most orphans. Beneficiaries felt valued and respected, contributing to a sense of dignity and happiness along with feelings of self-worth and inclusion.  

For one orphan, Al-Amin Ahmed Tahin, the Global Orphan Party served as a unique opportunity to experience something he had always longed for: the option to choose. His eyes lit up when he was told to select whichever outfit he liked. Picking a vibrant blue shirt was his first step toward feeling valued and independent, growing a part of himself he never had access to before.  

For another orphan, Meherunnesa Nazra, survival in her orphanage meant learning to be quiet and invisible. LIFE’s Global Orphan Party provided a safe space where she could remember how to be a carefree child again. Blossoming as she played and giggled with her new friends, Meherunnesa reconnected with a special part of her she had learnt to forget.  

Your donations, along with LIFE’s initiative, provided these young orphans with so much more than material possessions. The special moments experienced at the Global Orphan Party nourished these vulnerable children with memories that will stay with them forever, with experiences they no longer must mourn.