Thaakat Foundation 2012 Annual Report

Thaakat Foundation

2012 Annual Report

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Our mission is to promote charitable giving

among students and young professionals in the local and

national community and beyond

…to drive a movement of creative altruism, unparalleled

giving, and preservation of diversity and culture

...to create and maintain a diverse community that learns

through multiple perspectives

...to bring hands on volunteerism to our local communities

and hope to our global society.

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Board of Directors 4

Letter from the Executive Director 5

Financial Report 6-9

Global Impact 11

Dreams for Kachra Kundi 12-14

Pakistan Flood Relief 15-16

Project Re-Born Africa 17

Local Impact 19

Student Chapter Highlights 21-22

Swab Mob Campaign: A Golden Match 23

Hurricane Sandy Relief: In Memory of Vishwaja Muppa 24

Local Volunteerism & Outreach 25-26

Fundraisers 27-29

Break the Silence 30-31

What to Expect in 2013 32

Thank You to Our Supporters! 33

Table of Contents

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Board of Directors

Uzma Bawany Founder/Executive Director

Mahreen Younus Co-Founder/Treasurer

Ammara Bokhari Co-Founder/Director of Global Projects

Denish Ghayal Co-Founder/Creative Director

Amreena Khan Co-Founder/ Sponsorship Management

Nudrat Zoha Social Media Manager and Donor Management

Sarah Khan Growth and Development Lead

Puja Patel Outreach & Diversity Chair

Omar Salim Director of Community Outreach

Mohammed Ali Investment Manager

Sehrish Khan Thaakat Insider

Hira Khan Keeper of the Blog

Saad Bawany Annual Tournament Captain

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Letter from the Executive Director

2012 commenced with so many “New Beginnings” for our board, chapters, as well as our local and global

projects. In our fourth official operating year we had supporters behind us full force and we dove right in with a

renewed sense of energy.

Our school site located in the small village of Kachra Kundi, right outside of Karachi, Pakistan launched with much

excitement in June of 2012, bringing more meaning to paper than just a piece of trash. The children who worked

inside of the garbage dump alongside hazardous waste, dangerous gases, crime, and infection had the

opportunity to be students. For the first time in many of their lives, they put pencil to paper and saw the paper as

a tool for learning rather than litter.

In a country where the national literacy rate ranks in the last dozen of 120 countries in the world, the classrooms

at our school were booming with attendance and especially that of eager young girls. As I entered the classrooms,

echoes of equality rang through the room as EQUALITY was the lesson of the day. It didn’t matter what religion,

what gender or background- the kids were all Pakistani and they sang to this tune with all the more fervor and

pride as they knew a guest was quietly watching.

In Blama Perri- a small village in Sierra Leone, West Africa, the final touches on our maternity center were being meticulously constructed in 2012. In this village, our eight room maternity center presents the first ever outhouse the community has seen. This will bring life, not only in the form of beautiful babies but through building; the building of a professional community, opportunity, economy, technology and a way to better health and hope. Completion of the center is scheduled for early 2013. As we pondered on campaigns for the year that were important to us, we quickly decided to take on an initiative

that was unique. We wanted to speak up where others had shied away. This year we have launched a campaign

titled ”Break the Silence”. Violent incidences of domestic violence are on the rise not just in our country but

around the world. In parts of the world where women struggle for equality, rights and a voice—abuse has

become a “best kept secret.” We want this campaign to inspire individuals to give these women a voice, to rise

with them and to speak up against what is so wrong. We want these women to have a chance at a “New

Beginning”.

We can define new beginnings in many ways: a fresh- start, reinventions, endings that have led to beginnings,

beginnings that are inspired from change, second chances, inventions, and chapters. I like to refer to them as

opportunity; the opportunity to find the truth behind what could be, all thanks to the wonderful support

provided by all of you.

A sincere thank you for your generosity and encouragement.

Uzma Bawany

Executive Director, Thaakat Foundation

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*NOTE: All Operating Expenses are fully covered by sponsors, corporate contributions, and internally

raised funds; 100% of your donated proceeds are reserved for charitable projects.

Financial Report

Thaakat Foundation

FY 2011 FY 2012DONATION SOURCES DONATION SOURCES

General Donations 14,825$ General Donations 38,588$

University Chapter Fundraising Events 7,321$ University Chapter Fundraising Events 12,132$

Sponsors & Grants 6,165$ Sponsorships 1,845$

Local Fundraising Events 20,115$ Corporate Contributions 17,034$

Total Donations Sourced 48,426$ Total Donations Sourced 69,599$

2010 Retained Funds 10,363$ 2011 Retained Funds 3,656$

TOTAL AVAILABLE FUNDS 58,789$ TOTAL AVAILABLE FUNDS 73,255$

DONATION USES DONATION USES

Japan Disaster Relief 3,971$ Hurricane Sandy Relief 2,300$

Pakistan Flood Relief 6,000$ Pakistan Flood Relief 2,000$

Raising the Roofs - Africa 3,000$ Local Projects 900$

Local Volunteer Projects & Donations 688$ Local Volunteer Projects & Donations 1,550$

Edesia Plumpy'Nut 11,000$ Dreams for Kachra Kundi 32,740$

Dreams for Kachra Kundi 11,000$ Project Re-Born Africa 1,450$

Project Re-Born Africa 5,000$

Rebuild Joplin -Ozarks Food Harvest 3,000$

Community Sustained Farmland 1,000$

Thaakat Baskets 858$

TOTAL DONATIONS APPLIED 45,517$ TOTAL DONATIONS APPLIED 40,940$

OPERATING EXPENSES OPERATING EXPENSES

Rental Expense (Covered by Sponsors) 7,897$ Rental Expense (Covered by Sponsors) 13,297$

PR Fees and Overhead 8,171$ PR Fees and Overhead 3,468$

TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES 9,616$ TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES 16,765$

2012 Project Funds 3,656$ 2013 Project Funds 15,550$

Company Prepared Financial Statements

What Makes Thaakat Unique?

100% transparency. Every dollar you donate

goes directly to the intended recipients.

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Fiscal Year 2012 vs. Fiscal Year 2011

2012 was a robust year for Thaakat Foundation as total donations have increased by 45% from $48,426 in

2011 to $69,599 in 2012. With retained funds of $3,656 from 2011, Thaakat had a total of $73,255 in

available funds to put forth to new and continued projects for the year. Much of the growth was due to an

increase in general donations given Thaakat’s increased proliferation throughout the United States at

various Universities. Coupled with Thaakat’s extended reach, general donations have been further

augmented via Thaakat’s website, onsite donations at events, religious holidays of giving, and numerous

viral campaigns throughout the year. As Universities continue to gain traction, more and more events have

led to an increase in donations by approximately 65% for 2012 and are anticipated to grow thru 2013.

While operation expenses saw an increase from $9,616 for 2011 to $16,765 for 2012, this is related to the

costs associated to larger fundraising and events. Expenses include cost associated with fees such as venue

rentals, food, venue management and hosting, etc. It should be noted that all operating expenses for local

fundraising events and local volunteer events were covered through corporate contributions, sponsorships,

and internally raised funds.

Donations were applied to fewer projects in 2012; however, this was due to a greater focus on dedication

and focus to our adopted projects, specifically our global project, Dreams for Kachra Kundi. In fact,

approximately 80% of the total donations applied in 2012 were used to build a school in Kachra Kundi. The

project has been a great success and Thaakat expects to continue funding for the continued construction

and upkeep of the school. A portion of the remaining funds were also used for other notable projects such

as the Hurricane Sandy relief, Pakistan flood relief, and Project Re-Born Africa. Local projects accounted for

the smallest portion of donations used, however, they are more interaction based and require less funding.

The remaining funds at the end of the year are reserved for project budgets into 2013. In 2013, our global

projects will see expansion on site as well the adoption of a new project. Our local efforts this year will be

focused in volunteerism, bone marrow registration awareness and awareness and prevention of violence

against women.

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$38,588

$12,132

$1,845

$17,034

Sources of Financial Support 2012

General Donations

University Chapter Fundraising Events

Sponsorships

Corporate Contributions

Sources of Financial Support There are four main funding sources that provide for Thaakat Foundation’s operating funds: Grants, Donation Matching, General Donations* and Chapter Fundraisers. Total sourced donations for fiscal year 2012 were $69,599. *General Donations account for approximately 60% of our financial support; this total includes funds raised during our two annual fundraising events.

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Donation Recipients During 2012, Thaakat’s recipients were in six main categories: Project Re-Born Africa, Dreams for Kachra Kundi, Local Volunteering, Local Projects, Pakistan Flood Relief and Hurricane Sandy Relief. Total fund distributions for fiscal year 2012 were $40,940

$2,300

$2,000

$900

$1,550

$32,740

$1,450

Donation Recipients 2012

Hurricane Sandy Relief

Pakistan Flood Relief

Local Projects

Local Volunteer Projects & Donations

Dreams for Kachra Kundi

Project Re-Born Africa

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Global Impact

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Thaakat Foundation's global division addresses issues of

environmental sustainability, community development, and

education around the globe. Your support has traveled a

long way in helping alleviate global poverty.

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Dreams for Kachra Kundi

#letthedreambe

2012 was a big year for Thaakat's global division. We launched our very first school in one of the poorest

villages in Pakistan called Kachra Kundi. This is how we came to launch our Dream Campaign and saw before

our very own eyes, dreams of these children come true:

Kachra Kundi is a large garbage dump site in Pakistan, located 50 miles away from the city of Karachi, and home

to thousands who earn their livelihood from collecting waste and selling it to recycling centers. Thaakat visited

the area twice and immediately knew it had to help upon hearing of the dreams little children had to go to

school. Residents of this community have been deprived of basic necessities such as electricity and clean water,

and access to education.

We partnered with Idara Al-Khair with a mission to help this community. Idara Al-Khair is an organization which

began building schools in Kachra Kundi eight years ago, and today is host to three campuses in the area, of

which Thaakat is part of "Campus III". Thus came about the name of our school- Al-Khair Campus III, serving

primary and secondary school children. It is located in a remote area that previously had no access to

an educational facility. Construction of Al-Khair Campus III began in January 2012 and completed six months

later in June. The school officially opened to over 300 students that month and excitement was widespread

throughout the community.

We serve a community that is ever expanding. There are several children in Kachra Kundi who still do not have access to education. Our goal is to continue expansion of our school in order to accommodate the growing population.

Click here for video footage of Kachra Kundi

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The opening of Al-Khair Campus III has been very well received by the residents of Kachra Kundi. Families

excitedly began sending their children to school in the summer of 2012 as news spread across town that

there was now an opportunity to receive an education- a much needed change for these kids who come

from a lifestyle of picking through garbage to help their families earn a living.

Here is a story of a wonderful young student: eleven year old Eid Mohammad. Eid belongs to a very poor

and deprived family who live in a hut in Kachra Kundi. He, along with his three brothers and two sisters, is

now attending the school with 312 other students. Eid's dream is to become a teacher.

His parents work in Kachra Kundi and earn 300 rupees per day (3 USD), dependent on additional income

from their children who work as well. This is the reason he hadn't received an education before. Eid

eventually convinced his family that an education for himself and his siblings was vital and is now en route

to bettering his future as he and his siblings pursue their dreams through these classrooms.

In December 2012, Thaakat launched an expansion project for the school to build six additional classrooms

to accommodate the high student enrollment. Thanks to the generous support of our donors, we expect to

complete this project by February 2013 as we hire more teachers for the growing student body for this

mighty little campus in Kachra Kundi.

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This year, we wanted to give a hands-on opportunity to dedicated students and young professionals who were anxious in the prospect of helping others. #lethedreambe'... Thaakat’s name has been tied with this hash tag over the course of 2012. You may be wondering what it’s about so here is the 411: Our nine classrooms at Kachra Kundi were complete by the start of 2012 but we needed funding to cover the desks, water supply, chalkboards, books, and teacher salaries to launch a successful school year. In came a team of individuals that launched a marketing campaign called #lethedreambe’. They simply wanted people to help them make the dreams of these students come to reality. This last year, they were able to help us raise approximately $16,000 for the project! Here’s the inside scoop from the Creative Director of the #lethedreambe' campaign, Faizan Zaidi (FZ), and the Project Manager, Aarish Mustafa (AM):

Q: What was your inspiration behind the project? AM: “If helping change the fortunes of a community living in a garbage disposal was not reason enough, my upbringing provided more. I had the privilege of attending a highly regarded and expensive private school (Foundation Public School) when I lived in Karachi. Had it not been for my mom teaching at the same school, my family most likely could not have afforded the cost of sending me there, and neither could the vast majority of the population.”

Q: What advice do you have for others wishing to start a new initiative? FZ: “If you believe in something, just go out and do it. While doing so, you will often have this instinct that you won’t succeed but you have to just keep going and pushing yourself. The first step is the hardest. Believe in yourself and the sky is the limit.”

Hundreds of friends, family members,

supporters and even strangers took it

upon themselves to help spread the

word of our #lethedreambe’ campaign.

Together we were able to launch a

successful school year and start the

expansion of 6 more classrooms!

#lethedreambe’

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Food packages included:

Flour

Oil

Sugar

Lentils

Rice

Salt

Red Chili

Bath Soap

Pakistan Flood Relief

Continuing our disaster relief efforts for the

severe floods in Pakistan, Thaakat Foundation

responded in October of 2012 for the third

consecutive year to help displaced flood victims.

Syed Sana Ullah has led a team of volunteers on

several flood relief missions over the past three

years to various villages across Pakistan,

providing support to those in need.

This year, 135 food packages and 330+

containers of mineral water were distributed to

130+ families in Ghotki, a village located nearly

300 miles north of Karachi in the Sindh area of

Pakistan.

Three Years of Flood Relief in Pakistan's Villages

GHOTKI

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Project Re-Born Africa

In 2011, we helped build five child rescue centers in the small village of Blama Perri in Sierra Leone, West Africa. This village is mainly inhabited by widows and children, ravaged by 11 years of civil war in the country. The nearest hospital, nearly three miles away, is reachable only by motorcycle due to terrible inroads. Even under these circumstances, a woman who is nine months pregnant cannot travel on the back of a bike. The lack of a proper birthing center for Blama Perri has caused babies to be born under malnourished conditions with severe infections, while mothers rest on rugged dirt floors. Thaakat undertook the mission of building a brand new maternity center on site for the villagers and residents in neighboring areas. The maternity center will officially open in the beginning of 2013 and we hope to offer general healthcare assistance at the facility as well. There was also a great need for clean water in the village. Thanks to our donors, we were able to provide the community with a fresh water well for their daily needs. Blama Perri's previous water supply was very unhealthy- containing rust and iron, making many residents sick. The new water system brings fresh, clean and safe drinking water to Blama Perri.

SIERRA LEONE

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Local Impact

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Thaakat leads a series of community-based volunteer activities,

awareness campaigns, and fundraising events nationwide. Our local

division focuses on promotion of volunteerism and responsiveness to

issues facing our local communities.

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Volunteering is not simply about doing it because it should be

done; it’s about coming together to want to help others. It is a simple way

to make a difference.

It can even help you discover personal interests that you never imagined

you would have and make friends that you never would have otherwise

crossed paths with in life. It is an integral part of Thaakat Foundation’s

mission.

Along with the below events hosted by our National Board, our university

chapters across the country work with shelters, hospitals, centers,

schools, and institutions in their local communities. From coat-drives to

hunger campaigns, we are so proud of our chapters for carrying through

with the mission!

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Our Chapters raised more than $12,000 in donations just this year alone!

Thaakat Rutgers New Brunswick:

Held multiple events throughout the

year to raise awareness for the

"Break the Silence" violence against

women campaign and fundraising

events for our global projects.

Thaakat TCNJ: Launched at The

College of New Jersey held an eye

health camp for Nepalese refugees in

New Jersey. The team also hosts a

yearly diwali event at a local senior

citizens home.

Thaakat Rutgers Newark: Visited

‘Garden of Hope’ at the New York

Asian Womens Center, supported

global projects with events

throughout the year.

Thaakat Atlanta: Launched at

Oglethorpe University, the

board's Vice President, Caryn

Dreibelbis, was featured in “College

Fight for a Cause Night”; the team

also won an Outstanding

Achievement award from the

Dean of the University in their first

year as a student chapter on

campus!

Thaakat UIC: Launched at the

University of Illinois at Chicago,

they held a "Spring Break Bash"

that raised $1,000+ for our global

projects! They also continue to

serve up wonderful volunteer

events in the Chicago Metro area.

Special thank you to Board

Assistant Shaby Navaid.

Illini Thaakat: Launched at the

University of Illinois at Urbana-

Champaign, a very successful PR

and awareness project was held

around the SWAB MOB campaign,

bringing in 150+ registrants in two

days.

Thaakat Bradley: Launched at

Bradley University in Illinois,

hosted a successful date auction in

support of our projects.

Thaakat Benedictine: Launched at

Benedictine University in Illinois,

held a "Hoops for Change" event

to raise money for global projects.

Thaakat Stony Brook: Launched

at Stony Brook University in New

York, led the campaign for ‘Sandy

Disaster Relief’ in memory of team

member Vishwaja Muppa.

Want more info on a Chapter? Follow their fan pages on Facebook!

Student Chapter’s Highlights

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“We held a winter coat drive and a local thrift store near the university

donated 75 coats to us; that was a great moment. Also during our bone

marrow registration drives, we had the opportunity to work with another

organization on campus, really showed us how successful we can be when we

do things together with the same goal in mind!”

-Founding President, Thaakat UIC, Rebecca Afzar University of Illinois at Chicago

“My proudest moment of 2012 was when Thaakat Atlanta was awarded the

Dean’s Award for Outstanding Achievement by a Student Organization at

Oglethorpe University. The Dean of Students proudly presented us with a

certificate and gave a speech of our accomplishments of the year. The

Thaakat Atlanta team’s recognition on campus was truly a memorable

moment for all of us.”

-Founding President, Thaakat Oglethorpe University, Ayesha Lodhia

Proudest Moments from Chapter Presidents

“I remember a conversation with a volunteer who said that she loved how

different Thaakat was from other organizations and how impressed she was

with us being able to branch out and reach so many people. It made me

proud to see that other people appreciated our mission.”

-Founding President, Thaakat TCNJ, Shivangi Modi The College of New Jersey

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The Swab Mob

mob During the Spring of 2011, Thaakat Foundation initiated a campaign to enlist

the public in the National Marrow Donor Program’s Marrow Registry,

otherwise known as the ‘Be the Match’ Registry that connects patients in

need of a bone marrow transplant. To date, our campaign has added nearly

1,300 individuals to the registry!

Our very first drive of this campaign was at Chicago’s DePaul University on a

gloomy afternoon late April 2011. Mother nature’s impact on the weather

was compounded by a relatively low turnout, however; months went by and

our campaign grew exponentially until one day when a brief phone call

catalyzed our success.

An individual from that small drive at DePaul had come up as a potential

match for a patient in need! That individual was Azka Asif. [ See Azka to the

left]

Azka selflessly complied with the Registry’s requests for further resting to

make sure she was indeed a match for this patient. Months later, Azka was

notified that she was the PERFECT match. Nearly 13 months after she initially

registered, Azka followed through with the donation process, smiling the

entire way through. Her countless moments of selflessness have given a

patient and family hope for the future.

Azka has since become a crucial part of the Thaakat team, bolstering our

efforts wherever we go.

What would you do if given the opportunity to save a life?

To date, Thaakat’s campaign has added nearly

1,300 individuals to the National Registry!

“It was such a great feeling to know that from just that small little procedure, I had

possibly saved someone’s life. It is amazing how small things can make a big difference. I

never expected that a year after signing up for the Bone Marrow Registry, I would actually

be donating. I hope to continue to help those in need in any way that I can.”

-Azka Asif

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Vishwaja Muppa, a member of Thaakat Stony Brook’s public relations committee, died early on the morning of October 30th. Twenty-one year old Vishwaja was a casualty in a car accident in Port Jefferson Station.

Power outages attributed to Hurricane Sandy left the intersection of Route 347 and Route 112 pitch-black at 1:30 a.m. that Tuesday morning, and a Suffolk police car broadsided Vishwaja’s vehicle. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Three other students in the car were injured, one of whom is in critical condition at SBU hospital.

Set to graduate with a Master’s degree in biology this spring, Vishwaja aspired to be a doctor. Vishwaja’s friend and classmate Jaspreet Benipal describes her as “kind-hearted, selfless, always ready to help a friend in need,” in a Facebook message. “She was just an amazing person [who] would always drop what she was doing, and go out of her way to help me…She always knew how to brighten my day.”

To honor her life, Thaakat and the Muppa family initiated the Sandy Relief campaign. During the initial

stages of the campaign, Thaakat had sent food donations to the Salvation Army of Plainfield, New Jersey to

help with Sandy Relief as Plainfield was heavily impacted by the hurricane. Many families lost their homes,

weeks of electricity, food, and clothing to name a few. Residents of Plainfield were not able to report to

work for weeks, and are have been affected by the loss of several weeks pay. On December 22, 2012,

Thaakat, with the help of many caring supporters, was able to gather $2,000 for the Plainfield Salvation

Army. Major Verna LaSalle, Corps Officer, was grateful of the funds gathered. Before Thaakat stepped in to

help with Sandy Relief, LaSalle had informed us that they helped over 450 families and 1,000 children

recover from the devastation of Hurricane Sandy.

The Salvation Army of Plainfield has reached out to meet residents' different needs. They have provided

food, clothing, toys, house-hold supplies, and Christmas trees to families and children. However, there is

still need for more aid and volunteers. Major LaSalle was extremely thankful to the Muppa family for

honoring Vishwaja’s life by making positive impact on the life of others. The funds gathered by Thaakat will

allow the Salvation Army to continue in their mission to aid the victims of the hurricane and help build a

better community in the town of Plainfield.

Our chapters showed a great deal of support for our Sandy Relief efforts. They all helped raise funds in their

own different ways. Some highlight events included a basketball tournament held by Rutgers New

Brunswick, a "Henna Night" fundraiser organized by our Atlanta chapter and a bake sale at Stony Brook

University in Long Island, New York.

Hurricane Sandy Relief In Memory of Vishwaja Muppa

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Fall 2012: Volunteering at Kiddie Camp Keep Well (Edison, New Jersey) On Saturday, October 13th, 2012, Thaakat volunteers spent an afternoon at Kiddie Keep Well Camp in Edison, NJ where they played games with kids and participated in arts and crafts activities with seniors. A special shout-out to Anthony’s Coal-Fired Pizza for providing lunch! A few words from Talyah Basit, a Thaakat volunteer at the event:

“It was a wonderful experience, volunteering with such

nice people! The children were excited to be playing

outside on such a lovely day [and] listening to them talk

was an enlightening experience in [and of]

itself.But socializing with the seniors proved to be the

most insightful segment… What I remember best is

[another senior's] persistent refusal to partake in the

pumpkin activities. He used to decorate them with his

wife [who passed away] and it was too painful for him

to continue without her… To be young and full of the

promise of tomorrow is a gift, but one that we do not all realize or fully appreciate. Thaakat gave us

the opportunity to communicate with others, to hopefully brighten their days as they enlightened ours.”

Kiddie Keep Well Camp, established in 1924, provides a pretty amazing residential camping experience for low-income children and activities for seniors. There are tons for the kids to do: swimming, storytelling, nature activities, sports; you name it. In 1983, Kiddie Keep Well began offering a similar experience for seniors, which includes five days of health and wellness, support activities, and fun and games.

Local Volunteerism & Outreach

Spring 2012: Volunteering at New York Asian Women’s Center (Queens, New York) Every spring we volunteer at the New York Asian Women’s Center to bring a change of pace to the women and children there. It is here that we’ve adopted a “Peace Garden” where we plant herbs, vegetables, and flowers that the women and children can tend to during the year and incorporate into their everyday meals in the kitchen! This year, the children were ever more anxious to see us. One young girl even dressed up in a sparkling gown sharing that she only puts it on for special guests. The event is so important for us and we are thankful for the opportunity to work with them. It is at events like these that we are brought to the realization that domestic violence is so prevalent and thriving, even in our very own neighborhoods, and we must support the courageous women who have the will to leave their situations. Our generous sponsor Abir Salim at REMIII also donated beautiful jewelry pieces for all of the women.

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Winter 2012: Volunteering at at Hamdard Center (Chicago, Illinois)

Our annual volunteer event “Good2Gether” with the

seniors at Hamdard Center in Chicago has become such

a wonderful tradition to look forward to. The

attendance has grown from a few seniors and

volunteers when we first began visiting to nearly 50

seniors and dozens of volunteers who come together

to enjoy each other’s company.

The morning opened with holiday crafts and games, a

favorite being musical chairs! Lunch was served as our

Thaakat volunteers sang carols and engaged in

conversation with the seniors. It is such a great feeling to visit with them and talk about life over

generations and cultures. There is such a wealth of knowledge and cheer that is to be gained from these

annual gatherings. Thank you to Hamdard Center for allowing us to come back every year.

“Sometimes we get so wrapped up

in life’s situations. Thank you for

visiting us and helping us to forget

the hard times for a day.”

-Senior at Kiddie Keep Well Camp

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Fundraisers

“Dinner for Dreams” (Chicago, Illinois)

Thaakat held its Annual Charity Benefit Dinner in Chicago called “Dinner for

Dreams” in August of 2012 to fundraise for the “Dreams for Kachra Kundi”

project. The evening’s program expanded to not only include delicious food

among delightful company, but also the renowned comedian and master of

performance, Abbas Ratani.

It was an evening full of food and laughter among friends and family as Abbas

approached guests, table after table, allowing himself to get to know the

crowd personally. The evening concluded with a silent auction from countless

sponsors ranging from high-profile sports teams including the Chicago Bears

and Chicago Bulls, to exquisite designer clothing from Sana Durvesh Khan. The

auction alone raised over $2,000!

With nearly 200 guests in attendance that night, our collective efforts raised

just over $7,500 for our school in Kachra Kundi, Pakistan. These funds were

used to fuel the children’s eager souls that were ready to learn, and provided

the resources necessary to begin the next phase of the project: the school

expansion by five additional classrooms.

In collective efforts, we raised just over

$7,500 for our school in Kachra Kundi!

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“A Mid-Autumn Night’s Dream” (Woodbridge, New Jersey)

The autumn season brought in a new wave of fundraising spirit as the winds blew eastward from Chicago to New Jersey. The

Thaakat team on the east coast hosted a fundraising gala on October 4, 2012 to benefit the “Dreams for Kachra Kundi”

project. A wide community of young professionals were in attendance, giving them an opportunity to mix and mingle while

benefiting a great cause.

The dinner was organized by a special group of Thaakat’s young professionals called the “Dream Team”, who volunteered

their time alongside the National Board and other volunteers, to host an incredible night of fun with a live DJ, raffle prizes,

musical performances, comedy, and a silent auction. The night included everything from a chartbuster artist from Japan to

the laughter-inducing jokes of Saad Haroon, and the most mouthwatering dessert tables we’ve ever laid our eyes on. Prized

auction items included photography sessions to even a pair of signed boxing gloves by none other than famed English boxer

Amir Khan! A spectacular night of dreams to remember, indeed.

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Ballin’ 4 Books 3rd Annual Charity Basketball Tournament (Oakbrook, Illinois)

“Ballin’ 4 Books” was Thaakat Foundations 3rd annual charity basketball tournament in 2012, which raised funds for

the “Dreams for Kachra Kundi” project. The tournament commenced on November 17th at the Oak Brook Park

District.

Each year, teams begin preparation to undergo what is considered to be two days of grueling competition, showing

up early mornings, half-awake and leaving in the evening wide-eyed and exhausted. To keep spirits high, many fans

arrived with signs not only to shore up their favorite teams, but to also support the Kachra Kundi campaign. To get

further involvement from the crowd, a nail biting free throw contest was held with a twist this time; everyone got a

second chance. There were plenty of other activities to participate in such as the raffle prizes, picture booth, bags,

and more.

Many of the board members and volunteers (affectionately known as Thaakateers) tended to score keeping, serving

food and drinks, taking pictures, and anything else needed to make this yet another one of Thaakat’s successful event.

At the end of the day (or two), Team Shabab walked away as champions. Nonetheless, no team truly acknowledged

defeat as each dribble of the ball on the court represented a bounce closer to literacy.

All proceeds that were generated were from registration fees of $250, food sales, Thaakat accessories, and of course

our beloved sponsors. So where did all the money go? For the purchase of books and school related expenses for

students who have been unfairly destined to a life ubiquitous poverty. But the fight doesn’t end here. As long as

there is a need, Thaakat will continue to hold their ever improving tournaments every year for as long as it takes.

Now that’s Ballin’!

30

The United Nations defines violence against

women as "any act of gender-based violence

that results in, or is likely to result in,

physical, sexual or mental harm or suffering

to women, including threats of such acts,

coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty,

whether occurring in public or in private life."

This year we launched an initiative called ‘Break the Silence’. the goal of this

campaign is to bring awareness to the rising crisis of violence against women. In

many countries where there is a lack of literacy, equal rights, and punishment, this

has become known as the "unreported epidemic", "the best kept secret" and a "cry

for justice".

Zarina Ramzan was happily married with an infant. The attractive 18-year-old had

caught the eye of her neighbor, Nazar Hussain. When she rebuffed his advances, he

reacted by throwing acid on her face on July 7, 2002. Her eyelids, nose and lower lip

were badly mutilated. Today, after undergoing 11 surgeries she is barely able to

regain her basic senses.

Thousands of women like Zarina experience similarly horrific cases every year by

acid and kerosene stoves. One organization has counted 8,000 victims in the last 15

years. Although acid is restricted for sale on the street-side markets, one can easily

get a hold of it for just a few dollars by the gallon and it has become one of the

cheapest ways to attack women. This horrible deed can be done over something as

silly as a bad meal, a disagreement over chores or even- for looking beautiful.

Unfortunately, the punishment is often not fitting of the crime. Please help us as we

go full force with the initiative in 2013. Help us by speaking up. Help us to let these

women know that they are not alone.

Will You Speak Up?

31

1 I

N 3

WO

ME

N G

LO

BA

LL

Y W

ILL

EX

PE

RIE

NC

E A

BU

SE

IN

TH

EIR

LIF

ET

IME

,

OF

TE

N A

T T

HE

HA

ND

S O

F A

PA

RT

NE

R.

Violence against women is widespread

and a large cause of morbidity and

mortality among women.

80% OF HUMAN

TRAFICCING VICTIMS ARE

WOMEN.

[STATISTICS

FROM

AROUND

THE

WORLD]

"VIOLENCE IS A BIGGER

THREAT TO THE HEALTH OF

WOMEN AGES 15-49 THAN

CANCER, MALARIA AND

TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS

COMBINED."

-RESCUE.ORG

"Perpetrators of violence against women are

rarely held accountable for their acts. Women who are victims of gender-related violence often have little recourse because many state agencies

are themselves guilty of gender bias and discriminatory practices."

-Amnesty International

● ● ●

“I'm 23 years old. The same age as the

girl in India who was gang raped

recently, and the first thing I thought

when I read the story was- that could

have been me.

It hurts knowing that women all around

the world are being physically and

emotionally abused, and this issue is not

going away. This cause is so important

for everyone to take part in because it’s

something we can all relate to. Everyone

has mothers, aunts, wives, girlfriends – no

one wants to see them get hurt. It’s not

easy speaking up but abused women

need to know that there ARE people

who care and want to help them. We

have to speak up to end violence

against women so our strength can give

another woman the push to raise her

voice, and who knows? - That may be

enough to cause a chain reaction that

will one day break the silence.”

-Supporter at Thaakat, Anam

Dhorajiwala

● ● ●

32

In 2012 we launched more than a half dozen issues of the Thaakat

Insider, craftily wrote 82 new posts on our blog, gained 100

wonderful fans on Instagram and celebrated 2,000 followers on

our Facebook fan page. We love social media because it allows us

to keep in touch with all of our supporters & volunteers. Constantly

innovating the way we present information to all of you, look out

for new initiatives and projects on your favorite social medium! A

Sincere Thank You to Sehrish Khan (our Thaakat Insider) and Hira

Khan (our Keeper of the Blog) for helping to keep things fresh!

We are going full force with our ‘Break the Silence’

movement in 2013, hoping it helps our society become more

comfortable in addressing the issue of violence against

women. Two-thirds of the world’s working hours are worked

on by women. Let’s empower them.

In 2012, we adopted two communities. One, a hazardous

garbage dump with lots of little promises in Kachra Kundi,

Karachi, Pakistan and the other, a dry basin of hope called

Blama Perri in Sierra Leone, West Africa. In 2013, we’ll be

expanding our nine classroom school in Kachra Kundi to 15

classrooms and will be opening our doors to mothers-to-be at

our maternity center in Sierra Leone.

Our University Chapters work so hard on a daily basis to

juggle school, work, internships, exams---and Thaakat! From

bone marrow registration drives to exciting fundraisers and

volunteering events, look out for news on how they bring lots

of GOOD on campuses nationwide.

15,000 cans of diet soda were

consumed at New York Fashion

Week. Our blog had about

62,000 views in 2012. If these

were cans of diet soda, they’d

power four Fashion Weeks.

What to Expect in 2013

33

Corporate Contributors

AT&T

Bank of America

BMO Harris

Draft fcb

Gelber Foundation

Google

Exxon Mobile

JP Morgan Chase Bank

Northwest Community Bank

Pfizer Inc.

UBS

A Big Thank You To Our Amazing Sponsors

Aada Boutique

Adara Photography and Makeup

AMR Catering

Anthony’s Coal-Fired Pizza

APPNA

AVCS

AYAN productions

Benedictine Rotaract

Brunswick Boxing & Fitness

Chicago Bulls

CL Lodge and Suites

Cole Taylor Bank

ComedySportz

CPX Sports

Dave and Busters

Dunkin Donuts

Enterprise Rent A Car- Syed Zaidi

Erum Ahmed

Improv Comedy Clubs

Inara's Closet

InterContinental Limosines

Italian Express

Kamal Law Firm

Krispy Krunchy Chicken - Chicago

Laaj Studios

Nada Rashid

Nida Abbasi

NJS Global Logistics Corp

Patrick Rivers

Per Desi Grocers

Perdesi Grocers

Platinum Weddings and Events

Profound Asthetics

Qalam Productions

Raj Photo Video

Thank You!

$1,000+

Alber Ahmed

APPNA

Faraz Hamedani

Laila Jaffry

Masooma Zakir Rana

Omer Ahmed & Danya Saleh

Pakistani Students Association- Rutgers University

Ruhail Moffat

Sandeep Mehta

Aftab Rizvi

Thaakat Atlanta

Thaakat Rutgers New Brunswick

Thaakat Univerisyt of Illinois-Chicago

Thaakat University of Illinois Urbana-Champange

Urooj Yawer

Wahaj Tariq

Waqar Khokar

$500+

Abir Salim

Arif and Hamida Makda

Fahad Haroon and Family

Farooq Gandhi

Faryal Parvez

Imran & Danielle Ali

Maliha Qureshy

Mehwish Issa

Salim Bawany Family

Sanjay and Dhanya Patel

Sarah Khan

Syed and Waheeda Anwar

Tasleem & Shayan Gaziani

Usman & Amira Amjad

$300+

Aarish Mustafa

Abdul Ahad Rangoonwala

Amena Ahmed & Sadat Shaikh

Aisha Memon

Ayaz Ahmed

Ayub and Sabreena

Azam Family

Bokhari Family

Faraz and Zara Ahmed

Ms. Sameeha Qureshi and her 2nd

Grade Classroom

Nighat Sayeed

Shazia Hasan

Sufyian Moten

Syed and Sofia Salim

Zeenat Mannan

REMIII

Reza's

Saad Haroon

Sana Durvesh Khan

Sarah Khan

Shirt Company

Silk Road

Skydeck Chicago

SPEX

Spyder Technology

Studio 615

Silk Road

Skydeck Chicago

SPEX

Spyder Technology

Studio 615

Sweet Bread Factory

Westmont Motors

Zainab D

Zanies Comedy Club

ZSTAR Network

Media Sponsors and Charity Partners APPNA Charities Americana Generation Ginger Hamdard Center Idara Al Khair The More Than Tomorrow Foundation NYAWC Salvation Army of Plainfield NJ Trinity United Methodist Church Urdu Times 2012 Annual Event Leads Saad Bawany Ruhail Moffat Azka Asif Eraj Din Mehwish Issa Mujtaba Rashid

34

Thaakat Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization.

www.thaakat.wordpress.com