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ISSUE NO. 4, APRIL 2016

Registered Charity No: 1126808

PROGRAMMES UPDATE l CORPORATE NEWS l REGIONAL NEWS

Special Feature:Life in Idomeni - a Modern Day

Concentration Camp

PM Award for AKF Volunteer

Imam Qasim and Saif Ahmad at

10 Downing Street

Staff Spotlight with Saif Ahmad

Fundraising Success from AKF Manchester

Former Pub Converted to AKF Studio

#04 APR.

Editorial TeamEditor:Tasneem Abdur-Rashid

Contributors:Amina KhalidShifrah UddinAmaan QureshiKendra WilliamsAnna OvessonSharafath KhandokerAylish DalyElaine AntwiSimon StockerStefan CramerTakyiwa DansoSarah Jeffreys

Design:Mohammad Reazul IslamElsa Estrada

Publisher:Al-Khair Foundation ©

Registered Charity No: 1126808

03LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

04FROM THE EXECUTIVE OFFICEAKF at Bond Conference and ExhibitionPM Award for AKF Volunteer MOU Signing in JordanInternational Women’s Day with Samantha CameronPartners for Change – Religions and the 2030 AgendaChristian Muslim Forum Meeting

07SPECIAL FEATUREDIHAD Conference 2016Ignored by the World, Forgotten by Humanity

11UPCOMING EVENTS

12CAMPAIGNS UPDATEHelp Refugees: New Project in IdomeniIslam and the Environment’ WorkshopInternational Day of Zero Tolerance for FGMInternational Mother Language DayInternational Women’s Day

15PROGRAMME UPDATEAmbulance Handover in KenyaNepal Update Bangladesh Education ProjectESOL4Women ProjectRebuilding Nepal – Nine Months On Orphan Sponsorship Programme in PakistanPakistan Country Update

21FUNDRAISING UPDATEAKF at WestfieldMeena BazaarVolunteer Open Day

24FROM THE REGIONSSurvival Weekend in North Wales Leicester Warms Britain

Hope for Syria Fundraising Dinner in Manchester

AKF Converts Former Bradford Pub into TV StudioInspire Me in SheffieldLeicester Half Term Fun DayAKF Partners with Longsight Boxing Club

28STAFF SPOTLIGHTSaif Ahmad

30DEPARTMENT IN DEPTHCommunications Department Survey ResultsWho’s Who in Comms

33HR UPDATERecruitment, Induction and Insurance New Staff

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Dear Colleagues,

As always, it’s been an incredibly busy few months here at Al-Khair Foundation with awareness of our organisation reaching even greater heights following exclusive visits to Downing Street and awards from from the PM (page 05). We’ve also been participating in high-level conferences such as the annual BOND conference in London (page 04) where our AKF flag flew proudly next to parliament, and the annual DIHAD conference in Dubai, where major NGO players across the world came together to discuss innovation in the sector (page 07).

With Ramadan fast approaching and the EU refugee crisis slowly taking centre stage once again, we’ve re-started our refugee initiatives in Europe (page 12). The new project includes a mobile kitchen feeding 6,000 refugees daily in Idomeni, weekly volunteers being deployed, a mobile medical unit and a clean-up programme. To learn more about the situation on the ground in Idomeni, please do read Amina Khalid’s powerful first-hand account of what she experienced during her trip to Greece with Programme Officer Anna Ovesson (page 09).

However, the situation on the ground is extremely fluid and refugees are being turned away from Lesvos and sent back to Turkey. Politics and policies will naturally impact our programmes and our ability to deliver - but regardless of whether we run programmes in Idomeni or elsewhere, helping refugees will be a focal point for us throughout Ramadan and beyond.

Until next month,

Tasneem Abdur-RashidHead of Communications & PR

LETTER FROM THE

EDITOR There are 10,000 refugees stranded in Idomeni

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From the Executive Office

Chairman Imam Qasim with Othman Moqbel, CEO of the UK based NGO, Human Appeal.

The Bond conference and exhibition is an annual event that takes place in London. It has become one of the leading development events in Europe. Al-Khair Foundation took part in the event for the first time this year and was one of the event’s four primary sponsors with our flag flying high in Westminster. During the event, 1200 delegates from the sector discussed issues and trends that will shape our world and our work over the coming years. 2015 has been a historic year for the charity sector with several major, generation-defining events taking place – not least, the agreement of the Sustainable Development Goals in September and the COP21 climate deal in December. The keynote speakers and many of the breakout sessions during the Bond Conference provided a timely analysis of these developments, while also looking ahead to the World Humanitarian Summit which comes at a time of huge and unparalleled humanitarian need, with millions of people affected by conflict and disasters around the world.During the two days, we showcased our work at our stall, where the interest for who we are and what we do was high. IQRA TV interviewed key professionals and practitioners from the charity sector. These interviews will be broadcast on

the TV channel in the coming months. Chairman Imam Qasim and CEO Saif Ahmad also attended the CEO lunch, where development leaders came together to discuss different topics related to the development sector today.Al-Khair Foundation also contributed to the main discussions. On the first day of Bond, Imam Qasim shared his fundraising expertise in the breakout session called ‘Fundraising Without Borders’. This session focused on southern-based donors, social enterprise models and individual giving programmes and how NGOs are keeping up with these new trends. On the second day, Saif Ahmad was one of the main panellists in the closing keynote session, ‘Exploring the Changing Dynamics of International Development’, alongside Sam Worthington, CEO at InterAction; Salma Kahale, Executive Director at Dawlaty and Richard Gilbert, Stakeholder Engagement Director at Business Fights Poverty. The main focus of the session was to explore diversity, priorities and partnerships across the sector and beyond. Saif left the audience with insightful advice on how the NGO sector can move forward, “Remember the 3 Ps; Prayer, Perseverance and Patience.”Overall it was a successful event, and we are already looking forward to returning next year.

AKF AT BOND CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITIONBy Anna Ovesson

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From the Executive Office

During CEO Saif Ahmad’s trip to Jordan with AKF International Programme Director, Isa Jolil, an MOU was signed with Welfare Association, a prominent West Bank organisation that has been operating on the ground for over 45 years. The charity has been working to support some of the most marginalised Palestinian families and communities in Gaza, the West Bank

and in refugee camps in Lebanon.The MOU signifies the start of a partnership with the organisation in implementing our livelihood and education projects in Gaza and the West Bank.A second MOU was also signed in Jordan with UNRWA in order to increase collaboration between the two organisations.

Imam Qasim and Saif Ahmad joined Samantha Cameron at 10 Downing Street on the 8th March for a prestigious event in support of International Women’s Day hosted by ActionAid. The event brought together representatives from 10 humanitarian agencies to listen to a variety of speakers on women’s issues. The event also provided a great opportunity to raise awareness of AKF with other like-minded organisations.

Saif Ahmad emphasised the importance of tackling female empowerment with other organisations, as it enables us to “move towards our shared goal of a world free from oppression. “Both Imam Qasim and Saif Ahmad were delighted that AKF were invited to the event with Imam Qasim saying, “I was impressed by Samantha Cameron’s friendly reception, and her willingness to welcome us into her home.”

MOU SIGNING IN JORDAN

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY WITH SAMANTHA CAMERON

AKF volunteer, Mohammed Sheraz, received the prestigious ‘Point of Light’ award from the Prime Minister at Downing Street in recognition of his community work during the Boxing Day flooding.As part of our flood relief efforts, Mohammed led a team of 100 volunteers to aid in the clean-up operation. This also included supporting the residents of Rochdale with food and blankets and ensuring they had access to gas and electricity.

Upon receiving the award, Mohammed praised the efforts of the volunteers saying: “I am humbled to receive this award. I would like to thank all the volunteers that gave up their time during the recent floods – they came together at a time of difficulty to help residents and vulnerable people to ensure that they were safe.”Mohammed is now working with AKF to put together a flood relief strategy in order to prepare for any floods in the future.

PM AWARD FOR AKF VOLUNTEER

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On 17th-18th of February, CEO Saif Ahmad attended the international conference ‘Partners for Change – Religions and the 2030 Agenda’ hosted by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) in Berlin. The aim of the conference was to highlight and discuss the importance of religion for the 2030 Development Agenda: ‘as any development that takes the individual seriously must also take his or her world view seriously. And for most people, this world view is fundamentally shaped by their religion’. As part of the conference, German Minister Gerd Müller presented the first-ever strategy

on the role of religion and faith communities in German development policy. The event comprised of high-level panel discussions and expert forums with donors, international organisations and civil society organisations from countries such as the US, the UK, China and Sweden as well as representatives from the United Nations and the World Bank, who exchanged their ideas and raised crucial questions concerning the understanding of partnerships, development, religion and how to strengthen collaboration in regards to the 2030 Agenda.

Saif Ahmad with Nobel Laureate, Tawakkol Karman, the first Yemeni, Arab woman and second Muslim woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize for

incredible human rights activism (2011)

PARTNERS FOR CHANGE – RELIGIONS AND THE 2030 AGENDA

On the 20th March, Volunteer Coordinator Syed Hussain joined the Christian Muslim Forum for an interfaith meeting with leaders from various faith groups, including Christians and Jews. The meeting was held at the Muslim World League in Goodge Street, London with the aim of coming together to discuss ways in which different faiths can unite to support the EU refugee crisis.Syed highlighted the work of AKF in supporting the refugees and received positive feedback

from attendees, who pointed out that they had not heard from many charities committing to this type of work. The meeting provided a great platform to raise awareness of AKF projects and promote interfaith harmony and generated significant interest from multi-faith leaders in collaborating for future joint partnerships to help and support refugees.

CHRISTIAN MUSLIM FORUM MEETING

From the Executive Office

Exclusive Office

The Dubai International Humanitarian Aid & Development Conference & Exhibition (DIHAD) is an annual event held in Dubai across three days. This year was the 13th edition of the conference, which ran from 21st to 23rd March 2016. The event is a gathering of international non-governmental organisations, global foundations and private suppliers of humanitarian products/resources. It is a fantastic opportunity to establish partnerships and to discuss the latest technological and scientific humanitarian innovations with numerous parties from the entire humanitarian sector. This unique interaction has allowed AKF to contact some of the largest institutional funders in the world, as well as forge crucial new partnerships with other international non-governmental bodies.

Al-Khair Foundation has been the platinum sponsor for DIHAD for a number of years now, and this year was no exception! Sponsoring allows us to establish AKF’s profile in the Gulf States, so we can form new partnerships and obtain future funding from the region.

This year, as you walked into the exhibition, the first stand that was immediately in front you was AKF’s. Immediately to the left was the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre, and to the right was the Al Maktoum Foundation International Humanitarian City stand. This was the prime location of the exhibition and positioned AKF at the very centre of the event. The stand most certainly boosted the global image of AKF.

Furthermore, it was a great opportunity for the various departments of AKF to meet, interact and work alongside one another in a manner that previously would have been impossible. Not only that, the staff at the Head office in London were able to meet with the staff from our Field offices, namely Kenya and Malaysia.

The primary task of the AKF staff at DIHAD was to network with other organisations to find similarities and crossovers between our work — by thematic areas and countries. A part of the team would stand at the stall and engage with as many people as possible, discussing how AKF was founded, what

By Stefan Cramer

DIHAD CONFERENCE 2016

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thematic areas we focus on and where we work. By having these discussions alongside more formal meetings with the larger organisations and foundations, people who attended the exhibition and conference were educated in what AKF stands for and how we operate.

Concurrently, AKF staff also visited the other stands and actively engaged with the other organisations to establish initial contact. We met with many UN agencies such as World Food Programme and other NGOs including Medecins Sans Frontieres and Syria Relief. We also had the chance to meet with numerous private firms offering innovative products and services.

As a team, the staff spread the image of AKF to the various participants of the exhibition to increase AKF’s standing within the Gulf States and the humanitarian sector in general. Now that the initial contact has been made with the various institutional funders, INGOs and other humanitarian actors, it is down to the staff to develop these into fully fledged, fruitful partnerships.

It is the culmination of all these aspects that makes sponsoring an event like DIHAD so unique. In a condensed period of time, nearly all of the departments are able to engage with the entire spectrum of the humanitarian sector. The event is also supplemented with the

conference itself, where speakers are invited to make contributions in their respective fields on a variety of issues facing the humanitarian sector. Al-Khair Foundation’s Chairman Imam Qasim spoke on the subject of innovation within the humanitarian sector.

AKF’s name, image and programmes that we implement across the world were projected across the exhibition hall and conference room. Awareness of AKF is now growing and these events certainly assist to accelerate this process. This can only serve to benefit AKF in the near future.

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Imagine leaving your loved ones behind in a country ravaged by war, knowing deep down you’ll never see them again. This is what sisters Fatimah and Mouminah had to endure leaving their parents behind in Syria, as they made the difficult journey across Syria, Turkey and the Aegean Sea with their seven children in tow.

I spoke to Fatimah and Mouminah as they sat stranded at the Port of Piraeus in Athens. They had been sitting there for 10 days living in a make-shift camp having travelled for 45 days from Syria. The sisters, both in their late 20s, made the difficult journey across the Aegean Sea on their own with their children in a bid to join their husbands in Germany.

Although the same journey is experienced by thousands of refugees, it is without serious repercussions. Fatimah’s six year old son suffered a broken arm during the boat ride after taking a nasty tumble. He’s been receiving medical treatment, but the cold refugee camps are no place for an injured child to recover.

It wasn’t difficult to see how hazardous the journey along the Aegean Sea is, and as Programme Officer Anna and I started out our journey by touching down in the capital of Lesvos in Mytilene, our first sight was the crashing, violent waves of the sea. The same sea that’s transported thousands of refugees and claimed the lives of hundreds.

Even on a relatively mild day, I couldn’t help but think of the extent of the dangers that the refugees escape in order to risk this boat journey. Speaking to Mouminah, it was easy to understand how putting one’s family on nothing more than a plastic dinghy in the freezing sea was a lot safer than life in Syria.

The ongoing conflict in Syria resulted in the sisters’ home being blown up five years ago, and since then they’ve constantly moved around, seeking security and shelter wherever they can. But in a country torn apart by

war with bombings and shootings an everyday occurrence, safety and security are like a hazy illusion, forcing the family with no choice but to flee their homeland.

Although the refugees have different stories, they all experience the same horrific boat journey in nothing more than a basic rubber dinghy from the Turkish coast to Lesvos.

In Karatepe, one of the main refugee registration camps in Moria, refugees revealed the extent of the mental and physical strain of the journey. One lady, whose husband worked as a lawyer while she worked as a tailor in Aleppo, Syria made the difficult journey with all five of her children, including her youngest — a 6-month-old baby girl.

While crossing the sea from Turkey, their boat sank and they were stranded on the coastline for three days without food, water or shelter. In a desperate attempt to keep warm, they were forced to light fires. If they hadn’t gone through enough already, the fires they lit spread to some nearby trees, causing the branches and foliage to fall on top of them. They then tried their second attempt to cross the sea, which was successful, but it wasn’t short of traumatising. They gripped onto the boat for dear life, shouting prayers as they went.

Greece attracts a whole range of refugees and migrants, including people fleeing their homeland due to economic hardships. Whilst visiting Afghan Hill, an unofficial refugee camp in Moria, I spoke to a young Pakistani migrant, Gulzaman, who expressed the difficulties surrounding his journey, and how he had to sleep on rocks and in bushes while remaining hungry for several days at a time.

Gulzaman added how economical and financial desperation had forced him with no other choice but to leave his homeland: “I am desperate. I am here to make a living for my younger brothers and sisters. If I was able to

AKF Communications Officer, Amina Khalid, reports on the refugee crisis in Greece during her six day visit to Lesvos, Athens and Idomeni.

IGNORED BY THE WORLD,FORGOTTEN BY HUMANITY

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support them in Pakistan, I would never have come here. Only I know the situation of my family. We would go without food for days.”

With the threat of being sent back to their homeland, the Pakistani migrants in Afghan Hill were determined to have their voices heard and staged a protest: “We don’t want to go back. There is nothing left for us there. We only want to go forward.”

While Gulzaman and many other migrants and refugees praised the efforts of volunteers running refugee camps and how they are well catered for with hot meals and medical services, in other parts of Greece this is not always the case.

Idomeni, in the north of Greece, has become notorious as a toxic wasteland for the tens of thousands of refugees that are stranded at the Macedonian border hoping to continue their journey to their desired destinations. It was our last stop, and the one that resonated the most.

Having been well informed of Idomeni via social media and blog posts prior to our arrival, I thought I was well prepared as to what to expect. But nothing can ever prepare you for witnessing tens of thousands of men, women, children and elderly living day after day in mud containing human waste. Nothing prepares you for seeing an elderly man break down in front of a complete stranger sobbing uncontrollably. Nothing prepares you for discovering that a young mum lost one of her children en route to Greece. Nothing prepares you for seeing the hope slowly drain from the eyes of a refugee, as days turn to weeks since their arrival in Idomeni.

As I walked through the mud in Idomeni, navigating between plastic tents and dodging mounds of rubbish while covering my mouth to avoid the thick polluted air, I struggled to comprehend that in 2016, people are being forced to live like this. Unwanted, unloved and living without basic human rights, this is life for refugees in Idomeni — a modern day concentration camp complete with discrimination and razor wire.

If the strain of being stranded is not hard enough, imagine living with your whole family in a polluted wasteland without access to shower facilities, nutritious food or secure shelter? The hazardous living conditions are having a negative impact on the health of thousands of refugees with numerous diseases and mental health issues, such as hysteria and psychotic breaks on the rise.

Upon arriving in Idomeni, we were greeted by an elderly man who broke down in front of our team crying: “If I knew that I’d be living in conditions like this, I would have stayed in Syria and died there!”

Many refugees have not had a shower in over a month and the lack of wash and shower facilities is having a detrimental effect both on the physical and mental wellbeing of refugees. A mother of four told me how the conditions are having a negative impact on everyone’s wellbeing: “We’re going crazy here.” The desperation in Idomeni has even resulted in the refugees inflicting self-harm with one refugee setting himself on fire in an attempt to raise awareness of the inhumane living conditions.

As we left the horrors of Idomeni, I couldn’t help but think what must go through the mind of a mother as her children question her on when they’ll reach home? Be it Idomeni, Lesvos or Athen, this is not home, and as more time goes past and more evasive policies are put into place, it makes it difficult for the refugees to hold onto a small fragment of hope. Hope that they’ll reach that safe haven that they’ve been desperately yearning for. A place where they can live in safety and security without the presence of conflict that has torn whole families apart. The mother we spoke to in Karatepe said she didn’t want anything, but only that her children have a future — one where education, food and shelter are not a luxury, but rather a necessity: “I don’t want anything. All I need is a bright future for my children.”

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Over 10,000 refugees - men, women, children, babies and the elderly - are currently stranded in Idomeni, Northern Greece, after Macedonia closed its borders. These refugees are living in a polluted wasteland with little or no basic aid.

The toxic living conditions are having a negative impact on the health of thousands of vulnerable refugees, with numerous diseases and mental health issues on the rise. The only food refugees in Idomeni currently receive is rice and chickpeas, and they have no option but to eat this for days on end. This meal lacks nutrition and variety, which will affect their health in the long term.

Our ‘Help Refugees’ campaign seeks to address the poor living conditions of tens of thousands of refugees. We’ve set up a mobile kitchen and are providing 6,000 healthy, wholesome meals to refugees in Idomeni that are freshly prepared by our team daily.

We also have a specially fitted mobile health unit with a team of interpreters, doctors, midwives, nurses and paramedics. We are treating stranded refugees and providing

necessary support to the most vulnerable people, including expectant mothers and young children.

Our refugee campaign also extends on an environmental level. On the Greek Island of Lesvos, we are supporting a clean-up project to remove debris from the coastlines and sea caused by the thousands of refugees washing up on the shores. The clean-up project will allow the environment to become healthy again and support the local fishing dependent economy.

Since the launch of our ‘Help Refugees’ campaign, we’ve raised over £160,000 in donations from our TV channels: IQRA TV and IQRA Bangla. We’re also sending out volunteers on a weekly basis to Greece commencing this week, with Sister Tallat responsible for putting together the first batch of enthusiastic volunteers.

For more information and updates on ‘Help Refugees’, visit:

http://alkhair.org/help-refugees/

HELP REFUGEES CAMPAIGN:NEW PROJECTS IN INDOMENI, GREECE

DONATE NOW.FEED SOMEONE FOR 30 DAYS IN IDOMENI:(Based on 2 meals per day)

SINGLE (1) £30.002 PEOPLE £60.003 PEOPLE £90.004 PEOPLE £120.00FAMILY (5) £150.00

CampaignsUpdate

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CampaignsUpdate

International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) on the 6th February marks a crucial event in working to end a dangerous age-old procedure inflicted on women across the world. This deep-rooted cultural practice is a severe violation of the rights of girls and women and often leads to serious health complications, psychological traumas, and even death.

To stand up against FGM, we spoke to Mayameen Meftahi, a campaigner and advocate against FGM and other forms of violence and oppression against women. She explained misconceptions surrounding the topic and how we can eradicate this dangerous practice within our local and wider community.View the video here:

On the evening of 4th of March 2016, Shifrah Uddin delivered a workshop on ‘Islam and the environment’ for 11-17 year old girls at the Jannah Youth Club at the West London Islamic Centre. The talk explained how young Muslims can fulfil their duty as a Khalifah (steward) by protecting the environment through reusing, reducing waste and recycling. The talk answered the following questions: Why is protecting the environment important in Islam? What is climate change and how does is it lead to poverty and injustice? and what could we do about it?

The talk also emphasised how simple everyday actions fit into the bigger picture in reducing the impact of climate change and tackling global poverty. The talk also referenced

Al-Khair Foundation’s recent environmental and sustainable projects, such as the litre of light project and solar light distribution in Kenya, and the Islamic organic farming project in partnership with Global One. Furthermore, MADE’s Green up and Educational tool kits were referenced to inspire the youth club’s interest and involvement in future activities to tackle climate change and poverty.

After the talk, the activity commenced, where girls were shown how to upcycle old and torn plastic bags by creating braided bracelets out of them. Alhumdulilah, Al-Khair Foundation would like to thank the Jannah Youth Club for allowing us to host this talk and workshop, and we look forward to arranging future environmental workshops and initiatives.

‘ISLAM AND THE ENVIRONMENT’ WORKSHOP

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF ZERO TOLERANCE FOR FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyWfAaRDZXQ

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Update

Languages are the most powerful instruments of preserving and developing our heritage! The UN International Mother Language Day commemorates the dissemination of mother tongues in order to maintain cultural and linguistic identity and inspire worldwide tolerance and solidarity.This year’s theme focused on “Quality education, language(s) of instruction and learning outcomes”. At AKF, we celebrated the importance of mother tongues in early years, schooling and education by putting a spin on the classic children’s book, ‘The Very Hungry

Caterpillar’. We produced our very own version featuring 9 different languages.Multilingual staff from our Bounds Green office read extracts of the book in Bengali, Swedish, Arabic, Italian, not forgetting English, Urdu, and many more global languages! This was a great way to recognise the beauty in all languages and inspire bilingual and multilingual speakers to maintain and preserve their mother tongue.If you haven’t seen our video on Youtube, check out the link below:

Millions of women across the world face oppression and inequality daily. The UN International Women’s Day celebrates and credits the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women worldwide. It’s a global day which unites people of all walks to champion the rights of women and to promote gender equality. Since AKF advocates social justice and gender-balanced leadership, while valuing the contributions of men and women equally, we celebrated the day (the 8th of March) by releasing a short infomercial to support the pledge for parity. The video highlights how women living in poverty can be sustainably empowered to sufficiently provide for their families and work their way out of poverty. You can watch it here:

Furthermore, our projects and programmes have also helped women and girls to achieve their ambitions. For example, our ESOL4women Project will involve a succession of ESOL classes in Tower Hamlets, Brent and Croydon. The project aims to equip women from a wide a range of backgrounds with basic English language skills. The course lasts 6 weeks after which clients will gain certification.Part of our commitment to gender parity also

includes the implementation of a livelihood project aimed at women in Deoband DTP, India. We provide classes such as office skills, e-commerce, and data entry in Urdu, Hindi and English so that these students can learn how to set up low-cost websites for selling various products. Other vocational courses include fashion design, tailoring and beauty.Overall, AKF is working in line with the Sustainable Development Goals, which includes SDG5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women. We are continuing to ensure all our programmes are gender sensitive and our projects contribute towards empowering women and achieving gender equality.

INTERNATIONAL MOTHER LANGUAGE DAY

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY: 8TH MARCH 2016

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaVEhLOg9Qs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hK_8vV6vn7I

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Programmes Update

Al-Khair Foundation Kenya was proud to donate three of our three-wheeled ambulances to Lamu, Tana River and Garissa County. Our Chairman, Imam Qasim, and Country Director, Mohammed Tarik, officially handed over the ambulances to the three Governors in a ceremony with guests from both the public and private sectors on 20th December 2015 at Sir Ali Muslim Club, Nairobi. The ambulances will provide critical maternal health support, as well as instant emergency relief in hard-to-reach locations in Kenya. Kenya has a history of high maternal morbidity and mortality rates with the most recent estimates of 488 deaths per 100,000 births, well above the MDG target of 147 per 100,000 by 2015. For every woman who dies in childbirth in Kenya, it is estimated that another 20-30 women suffer serious injury or disability due to complications during pregnancy or delivery. These high rates have persisted due to poor

emergency response time, especially in the rural areas of Kenya (KNHCR). In some rural villages, such as Tana River, Garissa and Lamu, women suffer preventable maternal complications because they lack the means of transportation to hospital. Al-Khair Foundation Kenya has been at the forefront of developing ways of reducing pregnancy-related deaths in Kenya. Our ambulances are fully equipped to treat primary aid emergencies while efficiently transporting patients to our clinics and maternity facilities. We’ve refitted and distributed a total of six ambulances to improve access to health facilities in hard-to-reach locations of Kenya. The other two ambulances have been distributed to our two facilities of Dadaab Delivery Room and Kibera Maternity clinic with the last being donated to Lodwar, Al Momin Foundation.

As Nepal now enters the rehabilitation phase of its redevelopment, Al-Khair Foundation has begun the implementation of programmes across the central districts of Nepal. In late February 2016, AKF Nepal distributed essential educational supplies and equipment to a Madrasa in Bharatpur, Chitawan district. In Nepal, Muslim children’s access to education is often more difficult due to greater poverty within these communities and their status as a minority religion. A great degree of poverty has led such communities to suffer, often finding themselves unable to pay for school fees, lacking nutritional food, as well as lacking the appropriate clothes and stationery items. In light of these issues, AKF decided to provide a Madrasa with items such as food packages that contained rice, lentils, beans, sunflower oil and

chicken. There was enough food for 3 meals every day for each student over one month. Moreover, stationery sets were provided for each student that contained the essential items such as pens, pencils, books, dictionaries etc. To ensure the general health of the students, a washing machine and vacuum cleaner was also provided to the Madrasa. Finally, to encourage the children to be more active and to participate in team sports, various sports items were provided, enabling them to play cricket, football and badminton. Overall, 100 students and seven teachers benefitted from this programme. This is just the start of Al-Khair Foundation’s operation in Nepal, which, in sha Allah, will be a stepping stone for greater developmental programmes in the near future.

AMBULANCE HANDOVER IN KENYA

NEPAL UPDATE MARCH 2016

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Our partner, Hefazothe Islam UK, are implementing an education project at the Boruna Madrasah in Bangladesh. Boruna Madrasah is a large and famous Islamic educational institute in Moulovibazar, Bangladesh. More than one thousand students are studying at this institute. Of these, five hundred students are very poor and/or orphans. The institute provides free food, accommodation, educational support and treatment to the brilliant, poor and orphan students. This project will provide education for 100 students, accommodation for 500 students, food for 500 students and to arrange a Muslim congregation at Boruna Madrasah. This project will benefit the most vulnerable people in the community of Boruna. We will give them the opportunity to learn, whilst giving them food and shelter.

Al-Khair Foundation is working with Shahbag Jamea Madania Quasimul Ulum to construct a Mosque/ community centre in Panchori, Chittagong, Bangladesh. The area, where the mosque will be built, is a very remote area in Bangladesh, where the majority of people live in very poor conditions. There is no land to cultivate, all they can do is grow and sell fruit, which is their only source of income. The

population have to pray outside most of the time, and in the rainy and winter seasons, they are not even able to pray outside. The aim of this project is to construct a mosque, which will give the population a safe and decent place to pray, provide vocational training and health services. The outcomes will be that the beneficiaries will be able to practise their religion, be trained in a skill which increases employability, and their health status will also be improved. Additionally, we are continuing with the WASH Education and Training for the Mosques and Madrasahs project. This is a joint project with Global One, which involves working with all nine local partners in Bangladesh, where we are taking a faith-based approach towards providing WASH education and best practise. At the same time, we will be improving sanitation facilities in their mosques and madrassas. Al- Khalil have already started implementing the programme. The other eight partners will be fundraising for the infrastructure component, whilst committing to the educational component. We are planning to hire two programme officers in Bangladesh that will provide us support with this project.

Since 2009, government funding of ESOL classes have been cut by 35%. Drastic cuts have devastating effects on vulnerable members of the community particularly women, who are more susceptible to poverty due to the gender pay gap and caring responsibilities. This trend is more apparent in BME women who can be further limited by their lack of English Language proficiency.To address this need, over the next month AKF is launching a succession of ESOL classes in Tower Hamlets, Brent and Croydon. The project aims to equip women from a wide range of backgrounds with basic English

language skills. The course lasts 6 weeks and at the end clients will gain certification. Our first accredited ESOL class took place at the London Muslim Centre on Tuesday 23rd February. Already oversubscribed, the classes in East London are proving to be very popular. Not only do the clients get to learn English in a fun and interactive way, many of them cited it as a place where they could connect with other women in the community. The second class is set to launch on Tuesday 8th March in Brent and mid-late March, in Croydon.

BANGLADESH EDUCATION PROJECT

ESOL4WOMEN PROJECT

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AKF Programme Officer, Stefan Cramer, provides an eye-witness account into the ever-apparent devastation of the 2015 earthquake in Nepal nine months on.

I arrived in Kathmandu, Nepal, not really knowing what to expect. I had heard and read so much about this nation, but first-hand experiences can always surprise. The reality could be different, or indeed, it could be the same. After arriving at Kathmandu International Airport, we drove to the hotel in the centre of Kathmandu. As we proceeded through the bumpy and narrow roads, an omnipresent image revealed itself: the sheer amount of damage the earthquake had caused, and the fact it still exists. Damaged half-built apartment towers with large cracks snaking up the side and the remnants of other houses, now just a pile of rubble. These are now living testaments to the 2015 earthquake, the legacy that Nepal and the international community must now attempt to overcome. As we drove further, the streets were lined with small fires, people huddled around the flames to keep warm and to cook food. Poverty still persists, exacerbated further by the devastation last year.The earthquake is an ever-present factor and is still pre-eminent in everyday life of the Nepalese. What has made this worse is the fuel crisis that has gripped the country since September 2015. Wherever you go in Kathmandu, lines of vehicles waiting for fuel are simply unbelievable, stretching and winding as far as the eye can see. Not only that, almost all of the population has been hit with power outages and experience long periods without any electricity, hot water or heating. As Nepal is now well into the winter season, these have had, and are still having, dramatic effects on the population only increasing their vulnerability. These latest shortages in absolutely crucial resources have only made Nepalese life even more difficult. Furthermore, the recovery and development of the country have been compromised due to this – with supplies waiting in limbo, unable to cross the border.The April and May earthquake and the subsequent series of almost continuous aftershocks culminated in the destruction and damaging of houses, infrastructure and national monuments, even in the centre of Kathmandu. Once out of Kathmandu and into the surrounding areas, the extent of the damage becomes far more apparent. Neglected by the Nepalese government and the international community at large, Lalitpur District lies close to Kathmandu, yet almost a world apart. These areas, namely Bungmati and Harisidhi, have been largely neglected

by the government and aid organisations that have instead focused their attentions and aid efforts on Kathmandu. When walking through these areas, the extent of the damage remains apparent. Collapsed houses, now totally uninhabitable, are littered across the landscape with isolated pockets of people beginning to reconstruct their homes. National, religious and historic monuments were not impervious to the destruction, with a temple laying in the heart of the central square completely gone and no remnants or trace of its existence. Yet, amidst all this devastation, the people smile and say “Namaste”, even in such a dire situation as this, the people are hospitable and friendly.With the consequences of the Nepal earthquake looming everywhere, Nepal’s recovery is yet to fully materialise and be implemented anywhere near the extent it needs to from the terrible events of last year. Like many natural disasters, it struck at a precarious time. The earthquake exacerbated pre-eminent and underlying issues: the innate poverty that has shaped, and continues to shape, Nepalese society; the heavily reliance on foreign aid; political tensions within, and from without, and its vulnerability to natural disasters. Nepalese society has been moulded by a kaleidoscope of different cultures, religions and ethnicities that have created what is an utterly astonishing country, but one where political wrangling, protests and general unrest are prominent features of Nepal. Despite these prevalent issues, there is great hope for the future.

However, despite the many challenges and setbacks, Nepal continues to experience the heavy presence of INGOs and NGOs in Kathmandu operating across Nepal who have eased the suffering of the most vulnerable in Nepalese society. There is now a general consensus that a degree of normality can slowly be reintroduced to Nepal. The government has recently announced an ambitious National Reconstruction plan, with other international institutions developing their own programmes in line with the government’s overall strategy. Now that the Rehabilitation phase has begun in Nepal, the future is looking increasingly bright for the Nepalese. There is a glimmer of hope for these people, and the International organisations, working alongside and with the government, and perhaps more importantly, the Nepalese people themselves, can bring this hope and make it a reality. The vision of a fully recovered Nepal can only be realised with the coordination, collaboration and cooperation between these different parties. Nepal depends on it now more than ever.

REBUILDING NEPAL – NINE MONTHS ON

Programmes Update

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We can easily forget that around the globe many children miss out on educational opportunities, making it difficult for them to pursue their dreams and better their lives. Sadly, the main reason is simply because they are born into a poverty-stricken home. Is not every child a valued member of our community? Shouldn’t every child be encouraged to achieve their full potential? Of course they are, and of course, they should.This is why, in 2013, we launched an Orphan Sponsorship programme in partnership with the M Nazir Trust. The M Nazir Trust was set up in 2009 to support orphan girls in Chakwal, Pakistan. Mr. Liaqat Ali, son of Haji Mohammad Nazir, provided the initial capital, land and development for this orphanage, and dedicated this trust to his late father. At the start of the very next year, the design and building of the school had begun and was completed in February 2011. The school was officially opened on the 1st March 2011.

AKF declared its mission for this programme to be ‘to provide education to orphan girls, thus improving their quality of life’. Our aim is to allow each child to develop the skills that they need to take their place in the wider community and gain the confidence that they need to make appropriate and productive life choices. Our partner, M Nazir Trust, places learning at the heart of everything that it does, alongside recognition that every child matters. High-quality pastoral care and exciting work towards a healthy status ensure that all girls are safe and well cared for.

The success of this sponsorship programme in Chakwal has led to its expansion to other poverty-stricken areas of the world. For example, in Gaza, violence is a daily backdrop for the children. Many have lost their fathers and without them, they and their mothers are left vulnerable. Alhumdulilah, since 2014, AKF has facilitated the financial support of hundreds of orphaned children in Gaza.

Three years on from the launch of our Orphan sponsorship programme in Chakwal, we are delighted to say that our gracious donors have continually supported their girls in terms of healthcare, basic education, clothing and food. Their consistent and faithful support of these girls has allowed them to thrive into happy, well-rounded young women. To show this, here is a letter that one of the girls in the orphanage has written about their experience on the programme.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM AL-KHAIR FOUNDATION’S ORPHAN SPONSORSHIP PROGRAMME 2015 IN PAKISTAN.

Programmes Update

By Shifrah Uddin

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With the significant growth in projects in Pakistan over the last year, Imran Nisar from our Croydon office was appointed Country Head for Pakistan last November. He aims to continue working toward Imam Qasim’s vision and maximise the capacity of projects in order to deliver aid to disadvantaged individuals in each province across the country.Currently, operations are run from our HQ in Lahore. However, with the recent establishment of an office in the capital – Islamabad, this will serve as Pakistan HQ in due course. Currently, administration, finance, HR and programmes department operate in Lahore, but eventually these departments will all move to Islamabad with the Lahore office transitioning into a smaller department dealing with procurement. Our presence is slowly growing across Pakistan where we have many field offices operating across the country: Kot Addu, Muzafaghar and Rajanpur in Southern Punjab; Tharparkar in Sindh; Mansera in KPK; and Baluchistan. We will soon be opening a branch in Karachi to cover that city and its suburbs.After focusing relief efforts in mainly flood and earthquake areas since 2010, we aim to increase operations and expand our presence across Pakistan in areas where there is a great need.

WASHA lack of clean water is a huge problem across Pakistan, as nearly 50% of all illnesses are caused by unhygienic, dirty water throughout the country. By focusing and addressing water related problems in Pakistan, AKF hopes to address the influx of medical problems related to a lack of clean water.

The main focus of AKF in Pakistan is now WASH. Currently in Karachi and in the suburbs of Karachi, there is a huge water problem whereby heavily populated government water is often only available through the taps on average every fifteen days and for only two hours a day. Clean water is only available through mobile tankers at a very high cost. The price charged is outside the ability of poor inhabitants of the suburbs of Karachi to pay. AKF is now surveying the city to discover the most water-deprived areas to extend our existing WASH programme to the greater Karachi area.

Water Filtration PlantsAlready, we have 35 water filtration plants operating in Punjab and Sindh, and we hope to carry on installing hand pumps in families’ homes at a rate of around 200 a month.

Water WellsOur plan to install over 1000 water wells before Ramadhan in the rural desert area of Tharparkar and areas around Mansera is underway with 600 wells already installed.

HealthThis shortage of medical care in rural areas of Pakistan often means that the most vulnerable are often deprived of medical attention as they are reluctant to see a doctor due to travel and financial constraints. This often causes minor ailments to develop into more serious issues, which require costly surgery.

PAKISTAN COUNTRY UPDATE

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Our mobile clinics and dispensaries will extend out to reach other much-needed areas in Pakistan where local medical care is absent. Through our facilities, we will provide the appropriate medical care with medical personnel and also dispense medicine.

Medical Centres and Clinics Within our mobile medical clinics and dispensaries that we run, we also aim to extend the facilities to provide further specialised care, for example, maternal units providing pre- and post-natal services for mothers. Our mobile clinics and dispensaries will also reach out to other much-needed areas in Pakistan where local medical care is absent.

Eye ClinicsDue to the high demand for treatment of eyes reported in our medical camps – up to 70%, we will also extend our medical facilities to treat eye problems through our upcoming mobile eye clinics and perform surgery when required.

ShelterFollowing on from our commitment to WASH and health in Pakistan, we also hope to continue providing long-term shelter projects for the most deprived and vulnerable in the aftermath of floods and earthquakes. This includes housing earthquake and flood victims, particularly the elderly, orphans, widows and disabled.

Retirement HomesRetirement homes are another area that AKF Pakistan has identified as a great need. Traditional family values where the elderly would typically be cared for by immediate family are diminishing in some areas thus, the elderly require a safe and secure haven where they can live with dignity and enjoy a range of recreational activities, such as classes, gym facilities etc. Within these facilities, the elderly will receive all the appropriate care and medical facilities they require.

OrphanagesOur focus to support the most vulnerable in society also extends to our orphanage project. We’re in the process of extending our orphanage in Jatoi, which currently houses 300 children, to home up to 500 children. In our Millennium Village, we also plan to construct a new orphanage for 300 children.We also plan to modernise our orphanages to integrate the children into modern life. Facilities such as sports grounds and IT labs will be incorporated into the orphanages. As the children grow into adults, they will be provided vocational training, such as plumbing, electrics, handicraft and stitching to help them earn a livelihood and lead fulfilling lives away from poverty. Motivation speakers and mentors will be regularly brought in to foster ambition in the children and inspire them to become active members of the community and leaders of tomorrow.

Seasonal & ReligiousPlans are also underway to cater to the religious needs of the population with reconstruction underway to restore 10% of the mosques that were

destroyed during the flooding. To date, 300 of the 1500 mosques that we plan to restore have been successfully reconstructed, and by the end of the year, we hope to have another 100 mosques restored.

RamadhanFor Ramadhan, we aim to reach out to a lot more people and supply iftaar dinners, Eid gift packs, food and hygiene packs.

QurbaniOur Qurbani project in Pakistan is the biggest for AKF, and in addition to supplying meat to families across the country, we also provide cooked meals with the Qurbani meat for disadvantaged communities.Within our Millennium Village, we also have livestock, and within the next two years, we will have enough animals to be self-sufficient for our seasonal Qurbani projects.

LivelihoodOther activities being undertaken emphasise the importance of long-term and sustainable projects to eradicate poverty. Our livelihood projects not only empower the poor and deprived but provide people the tools they need to work their way out of poverty. AKF has four football stitching factories where both men and women are employed in flexible and ethical working conditions and trained to make footballs which are sold directly to a sports company with which AKF have a contract. These livelihood projects are crucial in empowering women as they provide them with opportunities that they would otherwise not have, improving their standard of living and allowing them to educate their children by sending them to school. All proceeds from the sales are passed directly back to workers on a piece rate basis. In this year alone, AKF hopes to set up another 10 football stitching factories across Pakistan.

In relation to our handicraft centre, AKF plans to recruit the best workers for our upcoming manufacturing project where we plan to produce garments and provide workers with well-paid employment.

AKF is increasing its operations in Pakistan to be able to deliver larger projects more effectively. This is crucial not only because Pakistan is the largest location in which we work, but also due to logistics, community relations and cultural factors. Due to this, we are creating teams to cover new areas, including the suburbs of Lahore, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Faisalabad and within provinces of Baluchistan, Sindh, and KPK.

The success of our projects in Pakistan is not solely due to donations, but also our hardworking and dedicated teams of over 200 staff who deliver projects to the maximum capacity and are often on call 24/7 in the case of emergencies.

Our field teams often work in hostile and dangerous environments, risking their lives to serve vulnerable and poverty-stricken communities. As AKF Pakistan expands its projects, our field teams are entering dangerous territories in Baluchistan and certain parts of Sindh where kidnapping and killing are prevalent. During our earthquake response, our field teams were at risk from potential landslides, unstable infrastructure etc. We will keep everyone in AKF posted on further developments in Pakistan in future issues of AKF Insight.

Programmes Update

Exclusive Office

On Friday 25th March 2016, AKF had the opportunity to raise awareness of ‘Lets Warm Britain’ at Westfield London, White City. Two newly recruited staff members alongside three volunteers engaged the public at the busy London shopping centre by handing out AKF gift bags containing various merchandise and leaflets about our ‘Save Madaya’ campaign and our ‘£3 a Month’ direct debit initiative. The gift bags were well-received with members of the public consistently approaching our stall and asking for further details about the organisation and specifics about our projects. AKF members took this opportunity to promote the organisation and get people to sign up and volunteer with us. Zainab, a 23 year old university student of Palestinian descent, showed a great interest to get involved in our ‘Schools for Gaza’ project. One of the key objectives on the day was to promote our winter campaign for the homeless ‘Lets Warm Britain’. AKF members explained

the work they did in relation to this project, including giving food and sleeping bags to several homeless shelters around London which was lauded by the public. An excess of 400 gift bags were handed out in the five hours we were there. An interesting method employed by Team AKF to engage people included handing out AKF Balloons to young children. The volunteers really enjoyed handing these out and seeing the children smile. The positive response from the public at Westfield and the efforts of AKF members led to great interest and over £200 in donations. Special thanks has to go to Westfield London who provided this opportunity free of charge. They themselves acknowledged the great work we did on the day and invited us to come back to do similar stalls in the future. The awareness stand was a great success and something we hope to replicate in other London shopping centres.

AKF AT WESTFIELD

FundraisingUpdate

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On the 17th March, AKF volunteer, Moonisah Bajwa organised a family ‘Meena Bazaar’ in support of Al-Khair Foundation’s winter campaign ‘Lets Warm Britain’. It was a memorable day with huge crowds of people and a myriad of stalls held at the Memon Centre in Balham. There was an assortment of vendors present, each selling something unique. The wide selection of items on offer including abayas, toys and food items impressed the attendees who were delighted by the variety and prices of items on offer.

One of the best stalls was a play area with a children’s ball pit. Parents enjoyed watching their children play and have lots of fun. Even after the bustle had died down, families remained seated, chatting away with each other. There was the distinct feeling that the event bought the community together. Each person revelled in the satisfaction of seeing a long lost face.

One of the comments from the people who attended was the satisfaction of having everything under one roof. Some of the other activities that were present included a children’s face painting stall which everyone enjoyed. One of things AKF also benefited from was having their own dedicated stall at the centre of the bazaar. AKF staff and volunteers distributed gift bags containing merchandise and literature

relating to some of the projects we are currently undertaking. These included the ‘Save Madaya’ campaign which people seemed incredibly interested in. A total of £1,407 raised.

Furthermore, the whole event was advertised on IQRA TV and through word of mouth to the local community. The majority of people who attended were aware of what Al-Khair Foundation stood for, and had a sense of general appreciation for the immense work that we’ve been involved with. Many people mentioned how they had followed the projects and the TV channels for many years, and it was nice to see AKF partaking in local events.

This event, to an extent, was a way to give back to the community, to show the faces of AKF and to introduce its culture of unity and traditional family values to young children. Special thanks has to go to Moonisah Bajwa and her family who worked tirelessly to organise and host the event. They achieved something that other organisations would toil endlessly over, but through her ingenuity and connections in the community, she managed to pull of an incredible event. The AKF team would like to extend their sincerest thanks to her and her family. We look forward to organising similar events in other communities in London.

MEENA BAZAAR

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On the 26th March, the Volunteer Development Department at Al-Khair Foundation held a Volunteer Open Day at its Bounds Green Office. With a good turnout, new volunteers and existing staff took part in a variety of activities focused on building an interest in AKF and its projects. Volunteers and AKF Staff discussed their own experiences and posited ideas in regards to the issues they care most about. A diverse range of people from different ethnicities, careers paths and ages attended the event coupled with a multitude of different activities resulted in everyone leaving with a positive attitude. “It was a great day, and it was even better meeting the team,” said Eric, a civil engineer who had just joined the AKF Volunteering Team.

Many of the attendees, including Madiya, a doctor based in London, mentioned the benefits of such days as a way to cement the relationships between new and existing volunteers.Staff also handed out certificates to past volunteers to thank them for their commitment to AKF over the years. Naila, a tour guide working in the heart of London, mentioned: ‘”Days like this make volunteering worthwhile”, expressing how volunteering doesn’t always have to be hard work, but rather the feeling of being in a team — a sentiment she continually preached to new upcoming volunteers. Through such an agreeable day, the Volunteer Development Department looks forward to working with its new recruits with plans to hold further open days in the coming future.

VOLUNTEER OPEN DAY

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Fromthe Regions

AKF Manchester organised a memorable survival weekend in North Wales from the 25th to 27th March in their very own private forest in Ruthin.

The event, which raised funds for our UK flood relief appeal, attracted 16 male and female participants, ranging from 12 to 50 years. The weekend consisted of a range of fun and exciting survival activities, including fire lighting, purifying water, building shelters and cooking outdoors. All the activities were accompanied by interactive lectures, and by the end of the weekend the participants were survival savvy and awarded a Level 2 certificate in Disaster Readiness.

The highlights of the weekend were prayer times when everyone would gather in congregational prayers standing side up side in the serene forest, and meal times, which proved a great time to bond with fellow participants and share everything they’d learned from the practicals and lectures.

Mohammed Shiraz, a participant of the fundraiser, commended the weekend as an unforgettable experience, allowing him to appreciate basic necessities, such as food, water and shelter that we all tend to take for granted; “My weekend in North Wales learning survival skills gave me an experience I will never forget — the basic things of food, water and shelter that we take for granted.”

Another participant, Ali Cernali, added that the weekend allowed her to think about those in poverty stricken areas: “A weekend to remember, and to remember the needy and disaster-prone communities.”

The survival weekend not only proved to be a thrilling experience through the exciting survival skills practicals, but it also proved an opportunity to reflect and appreciate everyday essentials that get taken for granted. Essentials that are often considered luxuries in other parts of the world. The total amount raised was just over £4,000.

SURVIVAL WEEKEND IN NORTH WALES

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Fromthe Regions

Last month, Al-Khair Foundation Leicester, as part of #LetsWarmBritain, travelled down to London to distribute winter essentials to homeless people across London.

Al-Khair Foundation Leicester, together with Help the Homeless, provided 50 sleeping bags, blankets, gloves, scarves and thermal socks to the disadvantaged

living on the streets of London.

The decision to distribute winter essentials in London by the Leicester office was purely down to the high concentration of rough sleepers in the region. Last year, it was reported that 27% of the country’s homeless population reside in London.

On the 20th February, AKF Manchester hosted its first ever fundraising dinner at Nawaab Restaurant, raising a staggering total of £53,000 in pledges all in aid of the starving population in Syria.

Over 300 people attended the event, including local businesses, youth organisations, community leaders and people from across North England. Syrian refugee families who have been relocated to Rochdale were invited to the evening courtesy of Al-Khair Foundation and were provided free tickets and transport.

Entertainment for the night included nasheeds by notable nasheed artist Omar Esa and heartfelt and inspirational talks by Qari Bilal, which left the audience in tears.

The whole evening was hosted by Faraz Yousufzai from SilkRoad and ended with an emotional prayer from Qari Bilal for all those suffering around the world.

Other talks from the event included a speech from Reverend Ian Bullock of Rochdale who, prior to this event, had very minimum interaction with the Muslim community. But after witnessing first-hand the generosity and goodwill of the community at the event, he intends to launch some community led multi-faith projects in Rochdale.

The refugees that attended the event were extremely grateful and appreciative of the work that Al-Khair Foundation are doing to aid the people of Syria.

LEICESTER WARMS BRITAIN

HOPE FOR SYRIA FUNDRAISING DINNER

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Inspire Me was Sheffield’s first Muslim women’s conference bringing together active sisters from the Muslim community in Sheffield, spanning from PhD students and reverts to madrassa head teachers, and local activists. The aim of the event was to empower women and discuss and raise awareness of relevant topics within the community, such as marriage, youth, racism, parenting etc. The talks consisted of fun and engaging titles, such as Men Are From Mars, Making Families Work, Race.

Racism. Islam, Be You Be Beautiful, and lastly P.S. I Love You.150 people attended the conference, and it provided attendees the perfect chance to speak and reach out to inspirational speakers, be empowered through their talks and view them as role models within the community. Although the conference was not a fundraiser, food and desserts were sold on behalf of AKF with the profits going towards our Syrian appeal.

INSPIRE ME

The former Craven Heifer pub in Manchester Road, Bradford, is now the regional headquarters of the Al-Khair Foundation. In March last year, AKF acquired the old Craven Heifer building, set in a prominent location in Manchester Road, Bradford. After undertaking

significant renovation work to the building, we’ve now received formal permission to convert the site into an office and recording studio, where we plan to make and broadcast programmes for our popular TV channels, IQRA TV and IQRA BANGLA.

AKF CONVERTS FORMER BRADFORD PUB INTO NEW REGIONAL HEADQUARTERS AND TV STUDIO

Fromthe Regions

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To beat half term boredom blues, AKF Leicester hosted a family fun day on the 20th February in support for our #LetsWarmBritain winter campaign. There was a great selection of activities and stalls to keep children busy, including candy floss, chocolate fountain, face painting, bouncy castle, a climbing wall and even turtles! Leicester City Football Club Community Trust were also present on the day and

ran football tournaments, coaching, penalty shoot-outs and inflatables with trophies for all the winners. The food stalls proved a real hit with the Memon Akni stall generating the most money on the day.The event attracted a great turnout of around 500 people, raising a total of £2,439.90, all of which will go towards supporting the homeless for #LetsWarmBritain.

AKF Manchester has recently partnered with Longsight Boxing Club, an Amateur Boxing Association, in an effort to increase our presence in local community projects. By providing financial backing to the boxing club, AKF will help cover the costs of training and equipment for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds who have no means to cover these expenses.The sponsorship will also provide the club with the appropriate finances to cover rent, bills and insurance. All 100 participants, ranging from 6 to 54 years of age and from various faiths and backgrounds, will benefit greatly from our sponsorship. Through this partnership, we will have the opportunity to encourage well-being among young people in Manchester and improve their self-confidence and social skills. Other benefits from partnering with Longsight include regular mentions

of AKF on their social media channels and mainstream media during media coverage. Our logo will also be featured on all marketing materials and merchandise. Longsight will also organise an annual boxing fundraising event to raise funds for a project of our choice. The partnership will also offer us the opportunity to recruit volunteers, as all the 16+ students from the club will be signed up to assist AKF and participate in mosque collections and two bucket collections organised by Longsight. The volunteers will also aid AKF Manchester in any upcoming events or activities. This partnership with Longsight Boxing Club will allow AKF to have a positive impact on the lives of young people in Manchester. Not only will we be helping them to keep fit, but by sponsoring this project, we’ll also provide them with the means to realise their potential and grow up to be productive members of society.

LEICESTER HALF TERM FUN DAY

AKF PARTNERS WITH LONGSIGHT BOXING CLUB

Fromthe Regions

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StaffSpotl ight

SAIF AHMAD

1. Tell us about your journey to becoming the CEO of AKF

My journey started when I entered the charity sector, which was 30 years ago when I worked as an accountant for the Catholic Institute for International Relations. This position was a real learning curve about the whole NGO sector. I then moved to a few other positions in local and central government before setting up my own charity, Faith in London, in the aftermath of 9/11. I left my secure job in order to promote a Muslim-Christian coalition and tackle issues such as unemployment and underachievement in education within primarily BME communities in London.

I then started out my role as the CEO of Muslim Aid after being headhunted. By the grace of Allah’s mercy, the charity went from generating under £7 million in donations to £44 million within three years. One of my key achievements with Muslim Aid was spearheading a coalition with a large Christian entity in Sri Lanka to help alleviate the suffering of civilians caught between LTTE and government clashes in Sri Lanka and help evacuate 20,000 civilians to safety. The UK Prime Minister recognised our achievement, and it was subsequently mentioned in the Head of State Summit at the UN General Assembly in New York.

I then moved on to assist various charities, including Al-Khair Foundation whereby Imam Qasim got a taste for my work when I constructed the first ever business plan back in 2009. I always respected the work that Imam Qasim was committed to and continually followed the progress of the charity. In early 2015, I was approached by Imam Qasim to take on the role of CEO.

2. What was the defining moment in your life that made you decide to take the direction you did?

9/11. As I watched the planes hitting the Twin Towers at 3pm on TV, shock waves travelled in my heart, knowing very well that the repercussions of this tragedy would still affect my children, grandchildren and the whole of the Muslim community 20-30 years on.

I felt that my love for the Prophet Muhammed PBUH, who came as a mercy to mankind, needed someone like me to dedicate my life to lifting the image of Islam that has sadly been tarnished. Since then, I’ve used my life to promote the positive message of Islam and remove negative stereotypes by engaging in community and humanitarian work.

The humanitarian and NGO sector is a great way to unlock barriers. When AKF responds to global emergencies, such as aiding and supporting the predominantly Christian population of Haiti after the 2010 earthquake, this shows the magnanimity of Islam’s commitment to humanity.

3. What is your vision for AKF?

I want to see AKF as the number one charity in the world! I want to transform this Muslim NGO into a leading humanitarian organisation that responds to human needs as they manifest in their many forms: hunger, poor health etc. I’m at an age of retirement now where I’m not looking for a career, but rather looking to pursue my passion. I’m proud to serve and support Imam Qasim’s dream!

4. What is the best thing about your job?

Seeing enthusiastic bright young people committed to making a

Saif Ahmad joined AKF in early 2015 and with 30 years of experience in the NGO sector and a successful career under his belt, he has big plans for AKF! He spoke to us about his journey to becoming CEO, the best thing about the job, working with his wife and his Mr Bean impression!

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difference. When I see colleagues working and not worried about the time, but rather focusing on the tasks and challenges ahead and finishing them nevertheless, this reassures me that there is hope for the future!

5. What has been your most memorable country visit?

When I visited Bosnia in 2004 following on from three and a half year conflict. During this time, I saw the devastation of life, both psychologically and physically, and I was able to assist some families who had lost their main breadwinners. One child, Ramo Delic, was around five years old during the time of the conflict and had managed to flee to safety with his mother and sister while his father was executed after fleeing Srebrenica.

During my visit, Ramu was around 13, but he looked nine years old due to malnourishment. I happened to visit their home, and after discovering that their fridge was totally empty and that the family had not eaten meat for around a month, I took Ramu to a small supermarket where I bought enough food to fill a car boot. Young Ramu was fixated by a jar of peanut butter, but he was unable to reach it, so I bought it down from the shelf. The happiness in his eyes as he held the jar was unforgettable.

6. What about since joining AKF?

Meeting young orphans during my visit to Kenya was very memorable.

7. What social issues do you feel most passionate about?

Justice and empowerment of women. One of the things that saddens me the most is that women have been historically oppressed by all groups of people, and Muslims are no exception. I want to make it history so it doesn’t repeat itself again.

8. Tell us one thing that many people may not know about you?I used to pull funny faces to tease people!

9. What are your greatest achievement to date?Bringing a smile to the young boy Ramo. Giving the confidence to my driver in Bangladesh while I was at Muslim Aid and giving him the tools to stand on his own two feet. Nurturing and mentoring a bus conductor to become a CEO for a thriving housing authority.

10. What’s the once piece of advice that you live by?

Commit to one objective or cause that you struggle for, and never lose sight of it.

11. Having a large family with 6 children, what would you say is the key to maintaining a successful home-balance life?

My work and home life have never been balanced. My wife holds the fort, and she’s the anchor of the family. Unfortunately, this is where I fall short. However, I have been working to bring more balance between the two.

12. Your wife, Dr Husna, CEO of Global One is very much involved in the NGO sector as well. How have you found working with your spouse in the sector and what’s been the funniest moment?

One of the funniest moment was when she started out in the NGO sector and how I would reassure her when she felt nervous about public speaking that that the audience are nothing, and they’ll take anything!

Now, when I see her speaking in public so confidently and comfortably, it makes me happy!

13. What is your favourite joke to tell?

I enjoy doing an impression of Mr Bean from the movie ‘Bean’: “Hello, I am Dr Bean. Apparently.”

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Departmentin depth

Last month we asked you to give us your honest and anonymous feedback on our performance as a department. As a relatively new department, and one that serves the needs of our internal AKF clients, it was important for us to know how we’re doing so that we can continue to improve our performance. The results are in – and they’re fascinating!

Firstly, a huge thank you to everyone who took the time to complete our departmental questionnaire. Your feedback has been invaluable. In total, there were 16 respondents – although this remains a small sample, it gives us some vital insight into our impact: where we’re doing things right, where we need to improve, and how we can better work to further our common humanitarian objectives at Al-Khair Foundation.

The results are summarised as follows:

The survey showed that the majority of people were correctly aware of our work and that we are located in Bounds Green. As for those who didn’t realise – it makes us wonder how many AKF staff read the emails sent out by Tasneem, the head of department, to all staff!

Among all our roles, the least recognised were our responsibilities towards helping out in donor feedback, donor mailshots, e-mails and SMS messages, events support and report creation. These are all areas where we hope to continually improve, and are looking to develop further in the months ahead.

Al-Khair Foundation has four established social media platforms: • Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/alkhairfoundation/• Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/akflondon/• Twitter – https://twitter.com/akf_social• YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/AlkhairFoundationIn addition, we have our more recently established Snapchat which documents our activities as they’re happening – you can follow our Snapchat at @akflondon.

Most respondents were aware of our Facebook and Twitter feeds, however less knew about our Instagram and YouTube channel – with even fewer staff followers and subscribers.

As we aim to grow our charity’s standing, impact and global reach, social media is increasingly important in our interconnected world. Other NGO’s thrive off robust social media footprints, and it’s important we support and promote our content the best we can. This can start from a simple click of a button – be it a like, follow or subscribe.

COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT SURVEY RESULTS

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With 56.3% of respondents having used AKF Hashtags (for example #Schools4Gaza or #LetsWarmBritain) in the past, we’re happy to see this progress. There is room for improvement yet, however – and if you’re not already following us on the channels listed above, we urge you to spare a minute to take a look at our social media and help us reach more people together – starting with our own teams.

The Comms team consists of Tasneem, Reaz, Elsa, Simon, Amaan, Amina and Shifrah. The majority of respondents recognised this fact – but it was interesting to see that some of the respondents didn’t realise that Tasneem is in the department - when she was the one who sent the feedback survey out to everyone!

To help you all get to know us better, we’ve put together a short profile of who we are and what we do on page 11 & 12.

The majority of respondents (62.5%) are in touch with the communications team every month. 50% of those surveyed communicate with us on a weekly basis, with 18.7% of staff in touch multiple times in a given week.

When asked the question “What do you think of the standard of photography, design and content in AKF materials?” the responses we received varied, but a majority of 56% stated our materials were of a good-to-high standard – with comments such as a “high level of creativity”, “fantastic” and “clean and simple”. A further 38% responded that they were ‘okay’ with room for improvement – something we shall take on board. 6% responded they don’t know.

The majority of respondents stated we fulfil requests within stated deadlines and generally to a good or high quality of work – with a noticeable improvement in quality since the formation of our department. However, 18.8% stated they have noticed little major difference between early and more recent work, and 6.3% deemed the quality of our work unsatisfactory. We are keen to rectify this – so please get in touch with detailed feedback to we can address this.

Our content feedback was noticeably mixed. The single largest bloc of definitive respondents (25%) stated that we currently reach a good balance in our communications (with a further 25% undecided). Aside from this, the second and third largest requests were at 18.8% wishing we had more stats and facts and 12.5% thinking we need to focus on the quality of photography. A mixed response gives us food for thought and we will be looking at these results to see how we can improve.

COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT SURVEY RESULTSContinued ...

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On the topic of branding, the majority of respondents said they wish to see some change going forward. 62.5% of respondents wished to see some sort of change in the AKF logo – with only 18.8% standing behind the current design.

“Balance without compromise” had a similar response – although the single largest bloc of respondents (31.3%) stated they like the current strap-line, 43.8% advocated for some sort of change – with this rising to 62.6% if we include the views of those with additional points.

Additional feedback and suggestions included:• Update website frequently with regional offices given more emphasis• Closer integration with teams on the field• Better utilisation of WhatsApp• More pieces on individual staff achievements and work in AKF Insight• Maintain updated blogs• Utilise community radio stations more

Taken as a whole, your feedback was quite positive. However, this does not leave any room for complacency – key areas of improvement have been identified and new suggestions taken on board. All suggestions and responses will be taken into consideration towards the continual improvement of our department, as we are always striving for better – and we thank you for your feedback.

For those who expressed an interest in spending a day in our department, please get in touch with us so we can arrange this.

COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT SURVEY RESULTSContinued ...

For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Tasneem and I’m the Head of the Communications Department.

I joined AKF in April 2015 - initially just for three days a week - but it wasn’t long before I got sucked in to the mayhem and excitement that is AKF and in June 2015, I became a full-time staff member. I guess you could say I’m always drawn to a challenge!

I feel really fortunate to have finally found my way to the NGO sector, after years of dabbling in various aspects of Comms. I’ve worked in media and magazines as an editor, I’ve worked in internationally renowned PR agencies and

I’ve worked in the corporate communications department of Government organisations. I’ve also been lucky enough to have published a bestselling novel while I lived in Dubai. After working in corporate and media for so many years, I’m really enjoying being a part of the NGO sector and doing something that actually makes a difference - rather than just lining the pockets of the rich.

Right now I’m gearing up to handover my role while I go for maternity leave in May. I’m looking forward to taking some time out to spend with my toddler and the new baby but I’m a bit worried about what I’ll return to in a few months! Inshallah khair!

I’m the Media & Communications Officer based in East Croydon. This covers, amongst other things, collating and proof reading of the monthly newsletter. I’m also regularly creating editorial for such things as the new booklet for DIHAD, submissions for awards, as well as the text for our Annual Report.After many years in media sales, I did a Master

degree in Business Management (MBA) from Open University and am presently studying for a Google digital marketing qualification. In my spare time, I am a ceramicist, producing sculptures in porcelain, and I also help look after my 94 year old mother.

Tasneem Rashid

Simon Stocker

WHO’S IN THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT?

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I am a recent BSc Business Management graduate from the University of Nottingham, where I specialised in marketing. At university, I held the role of Isoc Publicity Officer and worked as a self-taught graphic designer. After graduation, I completed my Digital marketing and Campaigns internship at MADE.I have always wished to work in a creative role for a global humanitarian charity that produces positive and sustainable change. I am therefore thankful to have joined AKF as a Communications Officer.I now work with the Communications team to produce

promotional material, marketing campaigns, and UN day promotions. I also manage AKF’s Digital marketing; implementing Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and Google AdWords strategies, managing website media items and website analysis using Google analytics. I also contribute to event planning, and am responsible for promotional items and London office requests for leaflets, reports and banners.In my spare time, I enjoy reading, writing, art, photography and travelling. I also have a strong interest in Psychology and the MBTI cognitive functions.

I‘ve been with Al-Khair Foundation since the busy Ramadan Months of June/July 2015, and my current role is that of Communications and Public Relations Officer – my job is to help the Comms team in making sure our AKF communications are on point: aiding in AKF feedback and donor reports, helping with copy-writing, media communications and PR initiatives among other things. I’m West Midlands born and bred and a University of Manchester graduate, where I obtained a BsocSci(Hons) degree in Politics and International Relations – leading to an increasingly committed drive towards easing the

suffering of the disadvantaged across the world. I’ve maintained an engaged interest in international affairs and politics from a young age, and I enjoy staying up to date on film (especially anything Marvel & DC), music, football (or specifically, the greatest team in British history Manchester United) and technology/science news. My favourite quote is: “Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand... Imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.” – Albert Einstein

I’ve been working for AKF as a Graphic Designer for the last three years and have a Business degree from the University of East London and a Diploma in Graphics and Interactive Media from ARENA. At AKF, my main job responsibilities include designing marketing and communication materials, such as exhibition and displays boards, corporate communication materials, website artwork, social media graphics etc. Graphic designing combines art and technology to communicate ideas through layout and images, and it is this combination that I thoroughly enjoy. Having a

background in business, I can also point out key areas of focus in producing more effective sales and marketing products.Before joining the AKF team, I worked as a freelance graphic designer for a few NGOs and even used to work for a community newspaper the last five years.In my spare time, I really enjoy playing and watching football and chess although, with a young family, I rarely get any time nowadays! I also enjoy spending time with my family and love play-fighting with my two children — a five-month-old baby and five-year-old boy.

I have a degree in Fine Arts from La Laguna University, Spain and specialise in graphic design and illustration. I joined AKF in May 2015 and currently work as a freelance graphic designer and illustrator based in Spain. My work consists of hours of meticulous work and are an expression of my passion and dedication.

My previous roles included being an art director for an editorial company for over six years in London.

Throughout my career I’ve won many awards, including ISME 2004. Poster Winner; Bronze Medal in ‘Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards’ of Michigan 2015 with ‘Go Away Bad Mood’, and I’m currently a finalist for the Hiii Illustration 2015 International Competition.

In my spare time, I enjoy hiking, travelling, reading, cooking and sharing good food with friends.

I joined AKF as a Communications Officer in order to pursue my passion of working in the charity sector and give a voice to thousands of unheard voices around the world.I currently manage our social media platforms, populate our website, produce promotional materials, develop marketing and social media campaigns and link AKF with UN days through blog posts and videos. After graduating with a BA in English Language and

Communications with Creative Writing, I worked for an engineering society, coordinating their award-winning national awareness day and spearheading and developing an online project aimed to encourage more girls into engineering. In my spare time, I enjoy baking, travelling and writing for my lifestyle blog. I also regularly get involved in local community projects, having coordinated my own youth project for teenage girls.

Amina Khalid

Shifrah Uddin

Amaan Qureshi

Reazul Islam

Elsa Estrada

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HRUpdate

Following on from a recent recruitment campaign in The Guardian, Bond, Charity Jobs and the Al Khair Foundation websites, we are now interviewing candidates who applied for Fundraising Officer, UK Based Programme Manager, PA to CEO, Volunteer Development Officer and Director of Fundraising and UK Based Programmes positions.To ensure the best start, new hires will soon be able to attend an induction on their first day with their Line Manager, plus a Welcome day with HR. As part of this process, we have signed up with an organisation called Delta Net International to provide an eLearning platform for the delivery of e-learning modules covering Health & Safety, Equality and Diversity, Data Protection, Information Security, Performance Management and other modules geared at satisfying our statutory obligations. All staff are required to participate in this training. Where needed, this training will be supported by facilitated workshops.With the increase in overseas travel, we have sought a quote from our broker for business travel and personal accident insurance. Business Travel is for 40 staff and Personal Accident is for 135 staff and covers Al Khair Foundation, Channel I UK Ltd and International Television Channel. Staff travellers will be issued with an AIG card with our membership details and the helpline

number to call in case of a travel emergency. In addition, all staff are eligible for a cash benefit should they have an accident or receive a serious injury at work. The cover also helps to ensure an employee’s family is provided in case the accident is fatal. To increase our participation in fundraising events and ensure compliance, staff that come into contact with children or vulnerable adults in the course of their work may be required to obtain a DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) Certificate if based in England or a PVG (Protecting Vulnerable Groups) Certificate if based in Scotland. Managers are currently providing names of staff in their departments that may require a certificate. If you think you require one, then please ensure to let your manager know.The new IQRA organisational structure is now live with staff getting used to their roles and responsibilities. Salaries have been reviewed and employment contracts and consultancy agreements have been issued. The recruitment campaign has already begun, starting with an Administration Officer for each studio. Furthermore, the Iqra Urdu Post-Production Team has had some recent recruitment success with the appointments of a Senior Graphic Designer and Video Editor.Our policies, procedures and compliance work is ongoing so please watch this space for an update next month.

Got something interesting you’d like to share with your colleagues? Want to be featured in the next

issue of AKF Insight? Email us on:

Mehvish Shaik - Video Editor (IQRA Urdu)

Idris Bharucha - Administrator ( Al-Khair Foundation: Bolton Branch)

Aneeka Sohrah - Fundraising Officer (Al-Khair Foundation: Glasgow Branch)

Zahida Jabeen - Teacher (Al-Khair Foundation Primary School)

Shamilia Arain - Teacher ( Al-Khair Foundation Primary School)

Niranjana Singaperumal (Volunteer Development Officer)

Sharafath Khandoker (Volunteer Development Officer)

Sunil Pun (Volunteer Development Officer)

Uzair Ahmed (Volunteer Development Officer)

Venice Williams (Office Co-ordinator)

Sarah Jefferys (PA TO CEO)

Assia Hussain (Office Administrator/Cleaner)

Mohammed Qari Balal (Interim Programmes Officer)

Nagarajan Sivathanu (Senior Graphics Designer - IQRA Urdu)

Raju Ali (Transmission Controller - IQRA Bangla)

Gulab Mostofa (Assistant Graphic Designer)

NEW STAFF This month, please join us in welcoming the following staff to the Al-Khair Foundation family and give them as much support as possible as they settle in.

THIS MONTH THE HR TEAM HAVE BEEN FOCUSING THEIR EFFORTS ON RECRUITMENT, INDUCTION AND INSURANCE