OSCAR-WINNING PATRON ANNOUNCED FOR CARE PAKISTAN:
Dr Mohammad Jawad as CARE Patron
- CARE: Largest Educational NGO in Pakistan
- Has 225 schools providing free education for 160,000 students
- Dr Mohammed Jawad, subject of Oscar-winning documentary as Patron
- CARE UK Chapter welcomes New Board Members
- Founder Seema Aziz named Philanthropist of the Year by Hello! Pakistan
- CARE opens new Chapter in Singapore
CARE Pakistan, the country’s largest educational NGO, was founded in 1988 by Seema Aziz. CARE has since grown to 225 schools, providing free quality education for over 160,000 students. CARE Pakistan’s UK chapter has started 2013 with several exciting announcements, including Oscar award-winning Dr Mohammed Jawad as Patron and a new dynamic Board of Directors.
Dr Mohammad Jawad is a leading cosmetic surgeon and pioneer in ground-breaking work with burns victims the world over. The subject of Saving Face – an Oscar award-winning documentary chronicling his work in his native Pakistan – he works to treat survivors of radically disfiguring acid attacks, the majority of whom are women.
A tireless humanitarian, in the wake of the devastating Pakistan earthquake in 2005, Dr Jawad led a surgical team to offer combined expertise from the UK to look after victims of the disaster. A dedicated advocate of women’s rights, he is also a trustee of the Katie Piper Foundation, and performed the pioneering reconstructive surgery on Piper after her acid attack.
“I am proud to support this important cause – education is the single most important key to building a happy, healthy and prosperous nation. I am particularly proud of CARE’s initiatives to support young women and girls, as evident in their 50-50 enrolment initiative,” says Dr Jawad.
On his new role as Patron of CARE Pakistan’s UK chapter, Dr Jawad comments, “It is through the efforts of wonderful charities such as CARE that we are slowly making headway in supporting those who are less privileged and changing Pakistan through education.”
Furthermore, CARE Pakistan’s UK Chapter has recently expanded its board to include new members – details can be found in the notes to editors overleaf.
The UK Chapter has also been taken on as the official charity partner of Curzon PR, a boutique strategic communications and public affairs consultancy that works across the areas of arts and culture, business and policy and philanthropic initiatives. Every year, Curzon selects a non-profit organisation as its charity partner.
As official charity partner, CARE Pakistan will receive a pro bono 12-month public relations campaign, aiding CARE Pakistan in their mission to educate one million children.
In other news:
With the support of the Singapore Pakistani Association (SPA), CARE have opened a chapter in Singapore, working with new board member Scott Bales, and Sidrah Ahmed, Investment Manager at EDB Investments.
CARE’s UK Chapter will be hosting a number of events throughout the year to raise awareness of the charity and increase fundraising efforts (see overleaf).
CARE Founder Seema Aziz was recently awarded the title of Philanthropist of the Year for her tireless efforts by Hello! Pakistan. For her recent article on the plight of education in Pakistan, visit www.easterneye.eu/news.html?groupId=15&newsId=1308 .
CARE Pakistan UK Chapter – Events Schedule 2013:
Saturday 27 April
Mustang Productions Launch – Charity Partnership with Sadia Siddiqui
The Taj Crown Plaza Hotel, London
Mustang Productions is celebrating its launch by hosting a Ghazal and musical evening, hosted by TV presenter, model and entrepreneur Sadia Siddiqui. Proceeds of the evening’s raffle will go towards CARE.
Saturday 4 May
Charity Cricket Tournament
Lords Cricket Ground, London
Long seen as the home and spiritual headquarters of the game, the Lords Cricket Ground provides the idyllic setting for a friendly charity cricket tournament in aid of CARE Pakistan. The event will take place between 17:00-22:00, with six teams composed of CARE trustees, ambassadors and supporters. Catering will be generously supplied by Zayna restaurant.
Friday 31 May – Sunday 2 June
National Three Peaks Challenge
England, Scotland and Wales
The Three Peaks Challenge involves climbing the three highest peaks in England, Wales and Scotland within a certain time period. Each peak can take up to five hours and includes Scafell Pike (978m) in England, Snowdon (1085m) in Wales and Ben Nevis (1344m) in Scotland. Individual volunteers will be attempting the challenge with the aid of TravelPak, with all fundraising proceeds donated to CARE.
June
Nanga Parbat Base Camp Trek
Pakistan
Located in the Gilgit‐Balistan region of Pakistan, CARE is embarking on its first trek to Nanga Parbat (‘Naked Mountain’), the ninth highest peak in the world at 8125m. Managed by TravelPak, the 10-day trek will start in Islamabad, following the route of the Karakoram Highway, through the Province of Khyber Pakhtunkwa, along the Indus River and up towards the Western anchor of the Himalaya range. All proceeds will go towards CARE.
Sunday 7 July
Annual CARE Summer Soiree
Location TBA
After the success of CARE’s summer soiree last year, the team at CARE are going to be hosting another summer party. Children’s entertainment, raffles and sumptuous food are sure to be on offer, along with CARE crafts, CARE Ambassadors and all those involved with the charity, making this an unmissable event.
Saturday 15 September
CARE Football Tournament
Powerleague, Barnet
An all-day family football event that will see eight teams, five-a-side go head-to-head, with only one winner. A simultaneous children’s coaching session will also be held for children up to 10 years of age, making this the perfect day out to catch the end of summer.
Notes for Editors
About CARE
CARE Pakistan is a charitable initiative based in Pakistan, with chapters in London, UK, Houston, USA and a recent addition in Singapore. Its main mission is to educate underprivileged children in rural Pakistan who would otherwise have no access to schooling. With the education of each child costing one pound per month, their current goal is to get one million children off the streets. Established in 1988 by Seema Aziz in the wake of devastating floods in the Sheikhupura district of Punjab, CARE has since grown to 225 schools, providing free quality education for over 160,000 students. They also provide guidance for higher education, technical training, job placements and entrepreneur programs. For more information, visit www.carepakistan.org.uk
Seema Aziz (Founder)
Seema Aziz founded CARE Pakistan, the largest educational NGO in Pakistan, in 1988 to educate children who would not otherwise have been able to go to school. Aziz began her retail career in 1985 when she co-founded Bareeze, one of Pakistan’s leading high-end fashion retailers, with her brother Hamid Zaman. Bareeze quickly became the first Pakistani textile producer to export high-quality fabrics to international markets, including India, the UAE, UK and Malaysia. Born in Lahore, Aziz studied at the University of Punjab, where she received her Bachelor of Sciences, followed by an LLB (Bachelor of Laws) from the same institute. Aziz then went on to complete an Executive Education Programme at Harvard Business School. Married with three children, since 2011 she has served as Chairperson of TUSDEC (Technology Upgradation and Skill Development Company) and is on the governing body of TEVTA (Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority), as well as sitting on the Boards for the Pakistan Fashion Design Council; Punjab Board of Investment and Trade, Mobilink Foundation and the Punjab Education Foundation. Seema Aziz has been featured in several international publications, including Philip Aureswald’s book The Coming Prosperity, the MIT journal Innovations, Forbes and the Telegraph as well as Pakistan-focused publications such as The Herald, Blue Chip, Libas and The News. Aziz was recently named Philanthropist of the Year by Hello! Pakistan and has written on the subject of children’s education in the likes of Eastern Eye.
Dr Mohammad Jawad (Patron)
Dr Mohammad Jawad is the founder and Lead Surgeon at Nip n Tuck, where he currently practices. With over 20 years of experience in the field, his work is recognised internationally and he is a dedicated womens’ rights advocate and humanitarian. The subject of Oscar award-winning documentary, Saving Face, Dr Jawad travelled to Pakistan to treat survivors of radically disfiguring acid attacks. He has been acknowledged by Buckingham Palace for his contribution to the world of philanthropy. He also holds a number of positions at world renowned universities such as Honorary Clinical Senior Lecturer at University of London and Guest Lecturer at Stanford University Medical School’s new programme of Global Humanitarian Medicine. Mr Jawad is also a member of the Global Ambassador’s Council of the Executive Committee of the Global Partnership for Women and Girls (GP4WG).
Azhar Azhar (New Board Member)
Born in Pakistan and raised in London, Azhar Azhar studied architecture at University College London. A Registered Chartered Architect, he has practiced architecture internationally for over 21 years, with extensive experience in the UK, Europe, Asia, Middle East and Africa. Azhar was appointed as a director of Conran and Partners in 2010 – part of Conran Holdings – founded by Sir Terence Conran. Azhar believes in creating exciting design solutions which deliver intelligent projects with integrity and passion, integrating social, economic and environmental aspects, and creating an inspirational sustainable future.
Scott Bales (New Board Member)
As Chief Mobile Officer for Moven, the world’s first ever cardless bank, Australian Scott Bales currently runs the Asia Pacific office of User Strategy in Singapore. With over 10 years of international experience in innovation, thought leadership, implementation planning and strategy, he is a sought after consultant and speaker. Bales has worked with various governments in the Asia Pacific and Africa, taking on key advisory roles for countrywide infrastructure and mobile commerce projects. He was instrumental in developing the mobile money and financial inclusion for markets in Malaysia, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Pakistan, Singapore, Cambodia, Indonesia and the Philippines. He is a founding member of Next Bank, and, in addition to CARE Pakistan, holds advisory positions at Fastacash, Our Better World, One Cent Movement, HUB Singapore and Apps 4 Good.
Mehreen Rizvi-Khursheed (New Board Member)
Rizvi-Khursheed was born in Pakistan, and grew up between her country of birth, Saudi Arabia and Switzerland. Educated in London at the American College and the London School of Economics, she later took a short course at Sotheby’s that led to an internship in their Islamic department in 1992. This introduction to the world of auctioneering led her to a decade-long career in their Modern Indian Paintings Department. Rizvi-Khursheed left Sotheby’s in 2003 for Bonhams, where she was instrumental in Modern Arab, Iranian, Indian and Pakistani art sales as head of the Middle East and South Asian Modern and Contemporary Art department. She is also a founding member of the South Asian Acquisition Committee (SAAC) at Tate Modern, UK.
Fazan Tahir (New Board Member)
The owner of KFC-franchised restaurants in North and East London as well as Essex, with approximately 400 employees under his directorship, Fazan Tahir sits on the KFC Franchise Board as well as the KFC Brand and Advertising Board for both the UK and Ireland. Tahir is also a Franchisee Representative for KFC Operations for the UK and Ireland and holds a position on the KFC Franchisee World Board representing the UK. In addition to his heavy involvement within the KFC Franchise community he is also Chairman of the Conservative Entrepreneurs Board for London and South England.
Zoya Shabir Siddiqui (CARE Cubs Co-ordinator, New Board Member)
Zoya Shabir Siddiqui holds Bachelor’s degrees in both Economics and French from Bryn Mawr College, Pennsylvania, USA. She also has a Master’s degree in French Literature from University College London with a focus on post-colonial North Africa. Her role as board member focuses on Trusts and Foundations. Siddiqui also developed the CARE Cubs initiative and manages that project. Previously, she has been involved with various international organizations that tackle issues of sustainable development. She has worked with both the United Nations Environment Program in New York as well as Women for Women UK, where she was a founding member of the Junior Leadership Committee.
Executive Team:
Mehvish Khan (Chief Executive, CARE UK Chapter)
With a BSC Honours in Social Sciences from the University of London, Mehvish Khan has dedicated the past 13 years to the charity sector. Initially joining Commission for Racial Equality, she worked as a volunteer events co-ordinator in 2000, and then became event co-ordinator for Marie Curie Cancer Care. In 2002, Khan joined KIDS a charity for disabled children and their families across the UK. Moving on to become Head of the UK Chapter of the Friends of The Citizens Foundation (FTCF), under The Citizens Foundation (TCF) – a Pakistani charity which also aims to advance education for under-privileged children in Pakistan – Khan oversaw marketing, public relations, structure, fundraising, events, high net worth donors, corporates and trusts and accounts. During her four-year tenure, Khan increased the charity’s annual donation intake from £60,000 pounds to just under £1 million per annum when she left in 2008. Under her direction, the FTCF became the first Pakistani charity to create events that involved people outside the traditional Pakistani Diaspora including projects at the Royal Geographical Society with Michael Palin as well as Rory Bremner. She was the recipient of the Excellence in her Field and Contribution to Pakistan Award for her work in the charity sector, presented to her by then-president General Pervez Musharraf.
Samra Soliman (CARE Head of Development)
Born in London, Samra Soliman is of British Pakistani descent. Graduating from South Bank University in Business IT, in 1996, she has held numerous roles within the social care industry. Working with children and young adults with learning disabilities, Soliman managed a project that supported the development of new skills and training required to gain meaningful employment. Highly motivated in this area she helped raise awareness of people with learning disabilities and working with local communities to overcome discrimination and isolation of people with disabilities. Her transition to charity work eventuated from several years of volunteering for other charities involved in educating children in Pakistan, alongside Mehvish Khan, an old university friend. Driven by her passion to help people find their voice and achieve their goals, her involvement with CARE Pakistan is the perfect opportunity for Soliman to collaborate in raising awareness and funds for the charity in exciting new ways.
