Ida Rieu Welfare Association..

History

Lady IDA Augusta Rieu, daughter of the Late John Adwards J.P. of Ireland was married to Mr. J. L. Rieu I.C.S. at Karachi on 12th December 1899 and was with her husband at Karachi and other 12 places in Sindh till 1917. On her husband's appointment as Commissioner-in-Sindh in May 1919 she returned to Sindh where she remained until her death on 1st may, 1921.

During her stay in Karachi and elsewhere she devoted her life to various activities for her social welfare, chiefly amongst the poor. She was the moving spirit in the Ladies Associations, Maternity Homes, Children's Nurseries, Widow's Homes and Industrial Work for the Crippled.

A poor welfare Association was her last scheme on which she was working before she passed away. She conceived the idea of amalgamating a school for Blind and Crippled with the poor asylum which did useful work in Karachi since 1872. The scheme was completed in her life time but was not carried out for want of funds. When she passed away a desire for suitable memorial was spontaneously expressed from all quarters in Sindh and it was decided to perpetuate her name by carrying out her scheme of a school for the blind and crippled combined with an industrial home for the poor, amalgamating the Poor Asylum with the consent of its member as a mark of appreciation felt throughout the province for her.

Thus, the 'IDA RIEU Poor Welfare Association' came into existence on 25th November, 1921 in Karachi with a view of imparting the education and training to the blind, deaf and mute children to make them useful citizens of our country.