Mohammad Mazahir was born in 1954 in District Dadu, Sindh, and completed his Master’s in Chemistry from the University of Karachi. Coming from a middle-class background and being socially conscious from a young age, he dedicated himself to helping the poor, often using his own resources. After moving to Karachi, he became involved in social welfare, especially in underprivileged areas like Orangi Town, Landhi, and Korangi.

Initially, his efforts focused on providing basic necessities to displaced families from East Pakistan and supporting widows and children. Over time, he realized that long-term change could only come through education. This led him to found Idara Al-Khair, starting with a small one-room school in Mustafa Colony, New Karachi—a slum with widespread poverty, crime, and no education facilities. What began with just two students has now grown to nearly 2,500 students.

Throughout his journey, Mazahir faced several challenges:

• Convincing families to send their children to school for free.

• Overcoming parental dependence on child labor for income.

• Recruiting and retaining qualified teachers with limited funds.

• Dealing with student dropouts due to economic pressures on families.

Despite these obstacles, his commitment and grassroots approach have transformed the lives of many underprivileged children through access to education.