On a bright spring afternoon, the campus of the Kashmir Orphan Relief Trust (KORT) filled with applause, laughter, and pride. The Annual Prize Distribution Ceremony, held on April 19th, 2025, was no ordinary event. Beneath the flutter of banners and the joy of music, hundreds of young lives stood in the spotlight – celebrated for their academic and extracurricular triumphs.
Among the distinguished guests were the Minister for Higher Education, Malik Zaffar Iqbal, alongside respected community leaders and philanthropists. Their presence underscored a truth long known to families across the region: KORT has become a cornerstone of hope, education, and resilience for orphaned children in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and beyond.
But behind the grandeur of prizes and accolades lies the heartbeat of KORT’s mission – stories of children whose lives have been reshaped by the institution’s compassion.
Among them is 13-year-old Ahmad Talal Banyan, whose journey captures both the fragility of loss and the strength of perseverance.
Ahmad was just a boy when he lost his father. The grief that followed was sharpened by uncertainty, until KORT opened its doors to him. It was here, within the embrace of dedicated teachers, mentors, and peers, that Ahmad found not just a home but a renewed sense of purpose.
“They gave me a family again,” he reflects quietly, his voice carrying the gratitude of someone who knows the weight of absence and the gift of belonging.
For Ahmad, that purpose crystallised in an ambition many might find daunting: to commit the entire Holy Qur’an to memory. Day after day, with the gentle guidance of his teachers and his own steadfast determination, he poured himself into study.
For two years, he worked with the focus of someone determined not to let sorrow define him. In 2025, Ahmad’s effort bore fruit – he emerged not only as a proud student of KORT, but as a Hafiz of the Qur’an.
His achievement was more than personal. It resonated with the wider celebration at the prize ceremony, symbolising what KORT itself strives to achieve: transforming loss into resilience, hardship into honour.
As dignitaries applauded the top performers in science, literature, and sport, Ahmad’s story stood quietly among them, proof that KORT’s impact reaches far beyond certificates and medals. It touches the soul, shaping futures with dignity and faith.
“KORT is not just a school,” one guest remarked. “It is a living promise to children who have lost everything—that they will not walk alone.”
As the day drew to a close, the applause still echoing, Ahmad offered his own reflection. He spoke of gratitude – for the teachers who guided him, for the supporters around the world who make KORT possible, and for the chance to turn his personal tragedy into a triumph of faith.
His story, like those of countless others nurtured by KORT, is both deeply personal and profoundly collective. Together, they form a tapestry of transformation: a reminder that in the face of grief, compassion can build a future; and in the shadow of loss, hope can shine brightest.
Find out more at: https://kort.org.uk
How to make a donation to Kashmir Orphan Relief Trust (KORT)
Lillah Account
20-49-11
43084736
SWIFT:BUKBGB22
IBAN:GB86 BUKB 20491143084736
Sadaqah Account
20-49-11
93309231
SWIFT:BUKBGB22
IBAN:GB79 BUKB 2049 1193 3092 31
Zakat Account
20-49-17
13444112
SWIFT:BUKBGB22
IBAN:GB56 BUKB 20491713444112
Hospital Account
20-49-17
50148857
swift:BUKBGB22
IBAN:GB86 BUKB 20491750148857
KORT’s Pakistan Bank details: Bank Address: Faysal Bank Limited, Opposite Quad E Azam Stadium, Mirpur, AJK-Pakistan
Pak Rupees – Zakat Account
Bank Name: FAYSAL BANK LIMITED
Account Name: Kashmir Orphan Relief Trust
Account No: 0116007900234455
IBAN:PK70FAYS0116007900234455
Swift Code: FAYSPKK0116
Branch Code: 0116
Pak Rupees- Sadaqah Account
Bank Name: FAYSAL BANK LIMITED
Account Name: Kashmir Orphan Relief Trust
Account No: 01160060003342
IBAN:PK65FAYS0001160060060003342
Swift Code: FAYSPKK0116
Branch Code: 0116
Pak Rupees – Hospital Account
Bank Name: FAYSAL BANK LIMITED
Account Name: Kashmir Orphan Relief Trust
Account No: 3467390000002217
IBAN:PK87FAYS3467390000002217
Swift Code: FAYSPKKA0116
Branch Code: 3467
