Moon, a Lahore-based transgender activist has started a food delivery service.

In the past, Pakistan’s transgender community has been marginalized and discriminated against relentlessly. In 2018, Pakistan passed the historic Transgender Persons Protection of Rights Act, allowing members of the community to choose their gender and to have that identity recognized on official documents, including national IDs, passports and driver’s licenses.

The first passport was issued to Farzana Jan, President of the TransAction alliance in Pakistan. Jan’s gender is classified as X on official documentation, a new classification option only recently introduced in the country.

The country also saw its first transgender news anchor in Marvia Malik, who made her debut on the Kohenoor News channel in 2018.

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In a first for Pakistan’s media industry, a Lahore based private news channel has hired the country’s first transgender news anchor. Marvia Malik, a 21-year-old transgender from Lahore has instantly been turned into a celebrity as news of her employment spread on social media #marviamalik #marviamalikanchor #newsanchor #pakistan #transgenderpakistan

A post shared by Marvia Malik (@marvia_malik_official) on Mar 27, 2018 at 2:33pm PDT

Since then, she has become a public figure, even appearing on the ramp at the PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week last year.

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I have several modelling offers that I’m considering, but I want to do something for my community that I feel is way behind. So I want to strengthen my people. Everywhere we go, a transgender person is looked down upon. But there’s nothing we can’t do; we’re educated, have degrees, but no opportunities, no encouragement. This is what I want to change. Just as I created history in the fashion industry, I want to do the same in the media industry #marviamalik #marviamaliktransgendermodel #marviamalikanchornews #marviamalikpakistan

A post shared by Marvia Malik (@marvia_malik_official) on Mar 27, 2018 at 2:44pm PDT

These are only two examples of members of the transgender community in Pakistan who have made great strides. Pakistan’s transgender community is working tirelessly towards entering the mainstream workforce.

This is where the Lahore based transgender activist, Moon, comes in. Moon has just started her own food delivery service in the city by the name of Koonda Chaari, which in the transgender community translates to khaana peena.

Not only is the food made by members of the community, but their riders and marketing executives are also all transgendered individuals looking to make a clean, healthy living.

The initiative has been well received by the public, with many notable feminists and human rights activists taking note and commending Moon on taking strides towards helping members of her community find better opportunities.

This is a promotional tweet for our trans sister Moon who started home cooked food delivery along with other transwomen to deliver food in offices on monthly basis in Lahore, please check it out and support their startup. For orders call 03314587868 https://t.co/LoTdj2wO6e pls RT pic.twitter.com/ZdeA6UepFa

— Nighat Dad (@nighatdad) July 31, 2019

In Pakistan, a trans woman called Moon has started a food delivery service with other trans women for offices and homes. For a marginalized community that was never allowed to enter professions outside of begging and sex work, this is a real revolution. https://t.co/J5TgF1kjfY

— Bina Shah (@BinaShah) July 31, 2019

We hope this initiative gets all the praise and business it deserves, it truly is a commendable effort by members of Lahore’s transgender community. You can find Koonda Chaari on Facebook.

Let us know what you think about this initiative.

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Cover image via Koonda Chaari / Facebook