“Aghosh, my home and my life”
Message As human beings when we see a little boy or girl desperately in need of help the natural reaction is to go out and give them a helping hand however in reality this is not taking place as it should be. The reality of the world or of our individual state as humans is preventing us from showing commitment to such children. Our commitment is often only for ourselves, our family, friends and community. We frequently question as to why we should aid those who speak a language which is foreign to us, who come from different cultural backgrounds, who have no direct connection to us or our way of living yet if we take a closer look we are not so different.
in particular vulnerable children who may easily be taken away and fall into the wrong hands.
Helping or assisting an orphan child is a natural instinct and so soon after the Kashmir earthquake in 2005 Minhaj Welfare Foundation initiated a pilot project entitled ‘Aghosh’. Initially this project catered for the welfare of 50 orphan children who were directly affected by this earthquake but since then the project has been expanded and is now working towards providing essential facilities for 500 orphans.
• 115 medical dispensaries
We have reached many milestones in the past 5 years even though the current climate has acted as an obstacle for us to carry out a more productive outcome. Nevertheless we are confident that with your help and support we will soon be able to complete the Aghosh Orphan Care Home Project. Being part of a global village we all have an added responsibility to look after the people around us,
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Ever since its establishment 21 years ago MWF’s core objective is to provide welfare to the poor and needy; struggling to enrich them with education, skills and the courage to earn for themselves along with their families. The same ethos still remains within the framework of MWF and in a short period of time it has established: • More than 580 primary schools • 40 IT Colleges • A chartered and recognised university
• Emergency relief and assistance to thousands of unfortunate people
Since the launch of ‘Aghosh’ 5 years ago and after the idea of converting the building into a multipurpose orphanage thousands of people have flocked to support this unique project. The key factor which remains vital to the success of this project is that this support continues so that together we can ensure a safer future for the orphans. Founder: Dr Muhammad Tahir ul Qadri Minhaj Welfare Foundation Worldwide Humanitarian Development
ABOUT US: HISTORY Minhaj Welfare Foundation is a registered charity which has actively implemented its projects in Kashmir, Afghanistan, Palestine, India, Bosnia, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Somalia, Kenya, Nigeria and numerous other countries. The charity began operating in Pakistan in the year 1989 and ever since has worked closely on projects in under developed regions of the world. MWF Pakistan was founded by Dr Muhammad Tahir ul Qadri in 1989. He rallied the Pakistani nation throughout the country to start local projects by providing aid to children, widowed women and the impoverished within the society. MWF’s initial aim was to provide support in three major areas focusing at Education, Health Care and General Welfare. Within years MWF’s activities have expanded into a variety of relief activities especially in Pakistan including education, water & sanitation and health care. You can find further details of MWF’s projects on www.mwfuk.org.
Charitable Framework of MWF: • To advance in Humanitarian projects focusing at three key elements of welfare; Education, Health Care and General Welfare. • To develop short term projects and reform them into long term sustainable projects for the destitute. • To advance in education amongst the deprived in society focusing at Orphans in particular. MWF has established a unique project in Aghosh, an orphan care home and by doing so gaining an excellent reputation for delivering and implementing projects. We hope that you will continue supporting this unique project.
MWF is one of the largest INGO’s in Pakistan with over 600 education institutes
www.mwfuk.org
AGHOSH: Progress since 2009 The Aghosh project is an orphanage based in Lahore, Pakistan which will provide care for 500 children. The majority of the children have lost both of their parents in natural disasters but some have a parent who is alive yet they are unable to provide even the basic essentials a child would need to survive.
Progress of work
The pilot project of Aghosh has already been established in Lahore. It caters for 50 children, providing them with secure boarding, quality education, medical facilities, recreational facilities and educational trips.
The cost and duration of the project
Progress on the construction of the Aghosh Project Aghosh is a five story building (basement plus four floors) currently under construction at the New Campus, Baghdad Town, Township, Lahore on more than 90,000 Sq feet (20 Kanal) piece of land.
Progress of work
1. Phase 1: 85% is complete. 1. Phase 1: 85% is complete. 2. Phase 2: 25% completed. 2. Phase 2: 25% completed.
Basement and Ground Floor (Phase 1 – 18th December 2008 till 18th June 2010)
Type of Work Cost - Rs Civil work
Rs 119,999,786
Electrical work
Rs 12,103,903
Total
Rs 132,103,716
Phase 1. i. Basement
30051 Sq ft
ii. Ground Floor
30051 Sq ft
First, Second, Third & Fourth Floors (Phase 2 – 5 December 2009 till 4 June 2011)
Type of Work Cost - Rs
Phase 2.
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Civil Work
Rs 117,500,571
iii. First floor
30051 Sq ft
Electrical work
Rs 7,888,657
iv. Second Floor
30051 Sq ft
Total
Rs 125,389,228
v. Third Floor
30051 Sq ft
vi. Upper Floor
3010 Sq ft
Total
153265 Sq Ft
AGHOSH A PLACE OF PROSPERITY To create a safe, loving & nurturing environment for the children REAL LIFE STORIES Umer Aziz is one of Aghosh former students; he is currently studying theology at the renowned Minhaj University. He tells his story of how he came into the pilot project of Aghosh. “After the disaster of 2005, theft and looting was widespread. One evening a thief came to my father and demanded money from him, my father gave him the money, the thief was not satisfied he killed him. We are a big family, I have 4 brothers and sisters, and my mother was not the same after my father was murdered. My relatives told us about the Aghosh project in Pakistan, me, my brothers and sisters got entry into Aghosh. I successfully completed my schooling. My dream is to eventually go to the famous Al Azhar University in Cairo. Aghosh provided me with an opportunity, I never felt lonely and deprived of love. I will never be able to pay back Aghosh for all its support”.
2006, our father died from a heart attack. Mom was never the same, she was the vice principal of a secondary school, she really missed dad. Two years later mom passed away, all of a sudden our lives were turned upside down. We did not know what to do; no one was there to look after us. We were very fortunate to have had relatives who cared and took us to Aghosh. It has been two years since we have been here and it is like our own home. We enjoy playing football and taking part in other activities after school. When we grow older we want to become doctors, this dream has only be made possible because of Aghosh.”
I will never be able to pay back Aghosh for all its support
The story of Numan and Rizwan, twin brothers who are currently part of the Pilot Project of Aghsoh. Mohammad Numan Iqbal and Rizwan Iqbal are identical twins from Lahore. Both brothers share their story in how they were bought to Aghosh. “Our father was a very respectful member of the community; we lived a very good life. In the year
www.mwfuk.org
AGHOSH THE FUTURE FOR OUR CHILDREN... • To give orphans and street kids a home. • To create a safe, loving and nurturing environment for the children. • To give children a healthy diet and a good education. • To send children back into the community as healthy, educated and well-accustomed adults so they can play their part in the future of their own nation. • To apply an ethos of good morals and etiquettes into the individual and collective lives of the orphans. • To provide a prosperous future through higher education, training and prospective employment.
Aghosh - a place for better Education
AGHOSH A BETTER FUTURE FOR OUR CHILDREN
Through the Minhaj Educational Society there are currently 150,000 students, all of whom are in different areas of education. The core objective of MES is to provide both spiritual and secular education which will ideally affirm a solid future for the children.
What is AGHOSH? 1. The hostel will have space for 500 children with modern facilities including a common room, an excellent canteen, recreation facilities and new toilets. 2. The children will be enrolled in a 1000 student capacity school, facilitated with modern classrooms, science laboratories, lecture theatres and sport facilities. 3. Safety for all children is vital thus the Aghosh complex will have fire alarms and other safety measures in place in order to ensure that the children are protected at all times.
Aghosh will be providing education from Primary Level up to University 5
Minhaj Welfare Foundation ranks education as an important tool to international development. It is the harsh reality of the world that we live in but we must acknowledge that the lack of education and pursuit of knowledge has led to many conflicts, bloodshed as well as allowing general ignorance to prevail. Education plays an important role in the development of not just a child but an entire nation as these children today are the future of tomorrow and it is with good education that their future can be prosperous. It is for this very reason that within ‘Aghosh’ it has been made paramount to advance underprivileged, vulnerable children into a brighter and prosperous future.
Stages of education: • Primary and Secondary Education through the Minhaj Model School. • Enrolment into the specialised IT colleges within Minhaj Colleges. • Excellent facilities of computers and access to the worldwide web. • The children study the core subjects English, Maths, Science and Urdu alongside Religious education. • Opportunity to gain a recognised degree at the Minhaj University thus enabling better prospects for jobs.
A view of the Aghosh Orphan Care Home: The latest building work taking place. Work has commenced on the third and fourth floor of the new Aghosh building. www.mwfuk.org
COMMENTS OF THOSE WHO HAVE VISITED THE COMPLEX
Celebrities, political figures and many others who have visited the Aghosh Project and had an insight into the new complex that will cater fro 500 Orphans. Everyone has given very positive feedback.
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AGHOSH: ESTABLISHED AND IN WORKING PROCESS Aghosh is a multi complex building with state of the art rooms, excellent play areas, onsite medical staff, canteen and full time carers for the children. The 5 multi storey building is coming towards its second phase of building work. It is projected to be complete by June 2011. MWF hopes with the generous donation of its donors, that it can officially open the doors of Aghosh for the 500 children to start their new home. Our aim is to build hundreds of Aghosh buildings in cities and towns of Pakistan, ensuring those children who lack behind in education, become number one in their class. A country in which the illiteracy level is sky high, MWF’s primary goal is to improve the education and upbringing of impoverished children who have lost their parents. It wants to ensure that tomorrow, these same children who walked through the doors
of Aghosh will be able to stand on their own two feet and become ambassadors of their country. As mentioned previously, MWF is grateful for the donations and contributions made towards the new complex. A lot of work since has been completed by MWF, we are hopeful with your continuous support; we can hasten in completing this building. Benefits of supporting this project • We believe in 100% going towards the cause and in this 100% goes to this unique project. • The child who will reside in Aghosh will get the best care: home, food, school and medicine. • You can visit it yourself and see the work with your own eyes • You get the latest update.
IMPORTANT Administrative expenses of the charity are kept to an absolute minimum. The Head Office for UK & Europe is in Nelson. UK and operations in MWF Pakistan are co-ordinated with the team in Nelson. There are also branches/representatives in over 80 countries around the world.
www.mwfuk.org
AN EVENING OF INSPIRATION: NASHEED EVENT FOR THE CHILDREN OF AGHOSH It was an evening full of inspiration and entertainment. The event celebrated the success music and art has had in the sub continent. What was more exciting and something which is not seen often was that the crowd who had filled the auditorium in the space of ten minutes were electrifying. This was the first time that the performers were together on stage inside Nelson’s newly built Ace Centre. The event was sponsored by the local council which enabled us to give the tickets for the event for free. The following guests performed on the night: Shaykh Ahmed Tijani ben Omar (USA) Milad Raza Qadri (Scotland) Romana Qureshi (UK)
Thousands of people of different ages turned out to support the Aghosh project.
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Hamza Robertson (Manchester) Ashiq e Rasool (UK) Husnain Hanif (Nelson) Abdul Jabbar (Nelson)
A short documentary showing the work carried out by MWF was played to the audience. The audience applauded in order to show appreciation for the work carried out by MWF and to acknowledge its efforts in improving the lives of the less privileged. The event highlighted the ongoing project of Aghosh which led to many people donating generously towards the project especially after they were able to see the quick progress of the work via the documentary. Minhaj Welfare Foundation made this an evening to remember and a successful family event. Credit however must go greatly to all the performers who performed continuously for four hours ensuring that the audience were captivated throughout the event. Similar successful events were arranged in Bradford, Nottingham, Keighley and High Wycombe.
PLEASE DONATE £2000 FOR ONE UNIT SPONSOR AN ORPHAN FROM £25 PER MONTH BANK DETAILS
www.mwfuk.org/donate
HSBC BANK
info@mwfuk.org
SORT CODE: 40 15 17
01282 723456
ACCOUNT NUMBER: 21651803
12 CARR RD, NELSON, LANCASHIRE, BB9 7JS (UK)
www.mwfuk.org
“making the most of every moment for every moment will be all too few”
www.mwfuk.org | info@mwfuk.org | 01282 723456 | 12 CARR RD, NELSON, LANCASHIRE, BB9 7JS (UK)