2011

Thaakat Foundation Annual Report

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 bring hands on volunteerism in our communities and hope to our global society.

Strength
Courage
Altruism

Vitality
Development

Thaakat
Charity

Social

Consciousness

Unity

Table of Contents
Letter from the Board of Directors Board of Directors Financial Report Local Division A Year of Giving Back Volunteering The Swab Mob Why Marrow? Thaakat University Chapters Global Division Expanding Horizons & Building Partnerships Hope for Japan Pakistan Flood Relief Raise the Roofs for Africa Project Re-Born Africa Edesia Plumpynut Africa Dreams for Kachra Kundi What to Expect in 2012 A Few Highlights Thank You 4 5 69 10 12 15 16 17 18 19 20 22 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29

Letter from the Board of Directors

2011 was an incredibly ambitious year of growth for Thaakat Foundation, now going four years strong! We launched new projects locally and for the first time in Africa, fundraised for viable causes to provide relief in Japan and Joplin, Missouri, continued relief efforts in Pakistan where we also launched a new project, all while forming bonding partnerships with organizations and leaders who helped us reach new heights. Disasters struck across the globe, leaving many vulnerable lives in catastrophic conditions. As a small organization, we scrambled to see how we could help more people. We strived to reflect the reality that Thaakat is in fact boundless. With hopes to grow our mission towards alleviating poverty, we were soon blessed with new opportunities. Over the course of the year, fourteen supporting chapters of Thaakat sprouted at universities and colleges across the country. Each chapter brought out their passion to help others with an attention to detail and robust creativity, setting them apart as a brand new organization on campus. With all these additional helping hands, not only were we able to support multiple people and projects around the globe but we were also able to adopt entire communities! This was the beginning of something hopeful for those in the humble village of Blama Perri, Sierra Leone who had access for the first time, to a real home. With your help the residents of Blama Perri now have the first outhouses the village has ever seen! They will soon have an onsite maternity center available for their tiniest guests, a project which is currently under construction! For the first time, children in Blama Perri are seeing a vision for their futures and an outpouring of requests to attend school have been echoing through the town. During the last week of December 2011, our Executive Director Uzma Bawany was fortunate enough to visit our project site for Dreams for Kachra Kundi in Pakistan. There are no words to describe my experience for it is something that can only be felt. As we entered the shantytowns bordering the hills of waste, cow manure, and burning garbage, my heart dropped to see these children trying to fight the worst kind of poverty. The smoke and pollution was so strong that even the few moments spent there were difficult to spare. As I walked into the classrooms of Idara Al Khair, the organization managing the school, a strong sense of hope emerged. Children with zero access to the outside world were sitting there writing in English. Their little hands passionately wrote as their smiles conquered any sense of agony. Uzma recalls. In this last year with your help, not only have we been able to bring beauty to those in poverty but we have been able to bring rise to charity of a different sort. Through our local volunteer projects, we have continued to bring liveliness and joy to those at shelters, nursing homes, and learning centers and have been able to bring almost 700 new registrations to the National Bone Marrow Registry. Giving is an attitude. It is positively contagious. It is a constant dedication that becomes an everyday part of life. For every smile that you give and every dollar that is received, there is someone, somewhere who will pass that source of encouragement onto someone else. Thank you to all of those who continue to support us, donate to our projects, and volunteer their time with our efforts. It is all of you who have helped us rise above the notion that we were limited in our powers to help others. For that, we wholeheartedly thank you. Peace and Love, Board of Directors, Thaakat Foundation

Uzma Bawany Ali Executive Director

Ammara Bokhari Global Ambassador

Mahreen Younus Treasurer

Sarah Khan Growth & Expansion

Omar Salim Local Division Chair

Denish Ghayal Creative Director

Puja Patel Diversity Council Chair

Nudrat Zoha Sponsorship Management

Amreena Khan Public Relations

Mohammed Ali Investment Management

Financial Report
Fiscal year 2011 was definitely a year of growth for Thaakat Foundation as we supported eight local and global projects. We increased our financial support to these campaigns by approximately 27% compared to the previous year. Thaakat Foundations contributions came from three major areas: Grants & Sponsorships, Local Fundraising Events, and General Donations. As Thaakat continues to expand in its Chicago home base and nationally, we hope to see this growth trend continue through 2012.

Where Donations Came From in 2011

$14,825.38 $20,115.22

General Donations University Chapter Fundraising Events Sponsors & Grants Local Fundraising Events

$7,320.64 $6,165.00

Monies Raised: $48,426

Note: All operating expenses for local fundraising events and local volunteer events were covered through grants, sponsorships and internally raised funds. Additional contributions were allocated strictly to each of our local and global campaigns.

How Your Support Helped in 2011

$1,000.00 $3,000.00 $6,000.00 $5,000.00 $857.92 $3,971.00 Japan Disaster Relief Pakistan Flood Relief Raising the Roofs - Africa Local Volunteer Projects & Donations $3,000.00 PR, Fees & Overhead Edesia Plumpy'Nut $687.74 $1,189.57 Dreams for Kachra Kundi Project Re-Born Rebuild Joplin- Ozarks Food Harvest (Joplin, MO) $11,000.00 Community Sustained Farmland Thaakat Baskets

$11,000.00

Monies Raised: $48,426 Monies Used: $46,706

Of the total donations raised, 96% of the money went directly towards our charitable projects and helping our causes with only 4% related to operating costs. All operating expenses including local fundraising events and local volunteer events were covered through grants, sponsorships, and internally raised funds.

Donation Comparision : 2011 vs. 2010

25,000 20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000 General Donations University Chapter Fundraising Events Sponsors and Grants Local Fundraising Events 2011 2010

Amidst current economic conditions, Thaakat Foundation experienced robust growth of approximately 27% for FY 2011 when compared to FY 2010. Total donations were sourced from four specific categories such as Local Fundraising Events (47.4%), General Donations (41.5%), University Chapter Fundraising Events (15.1%), Sponsors and Grants (12.7%), which totaled $48,426 for FY 2011 compared to $38,030 for FY 2010. Local Fundraising Events and General Donations were responsible for approximately 90% of total donations for FY 2011, however, Thaakats focus on expansion of its new chapters and acquiring new sponsors and grants led to over 100% growth in each respective category from the prior year.

Thaakat Foundation Growth in 2011 (%)

120% 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% General Donations University Sponsors and Local Chapter Grants Fundraising Fundraising Events Events

% Growth

Specifically, Sponsors and Grants, which accounted for 13% of total donations in FY 2011, experienced the most significant growth of approximately 116% from the prior year. This was followed by 109% growth from University Chapters Fundraising Events, which accounted for 15% of total donations for the year. Looking forward, Thaakat anticipates an increase in donation contribution from both categories as it continues to focus on expansion of its chapters on a national level and generating sponsors and grants through its current platform and the aforementioned expansion. Thaakat understands that the quality of its events and market exposure has improved year over year, not only through attendee feedback but also with the increase in attendance to events. This can be observed through an increase in General Donations by 12%, from $13,180 in FY 2010 to $14,825 for FY 2011 and an increase in Local Fundraising Events by 9% from $18,500 for FY 2010 to $20,115 for FY 2011.

Local Division
2011 ushered in a new era of volunteerism. Our ever expanding Thaakat family spread our reach of service across six states. Through a philosophy rooted in cooperation and a collective goal, our teams led countless initiatives throughout the year, reminding us all that in order to bring about change

all we need is a little motivation.

Our local division is focused on promotion, awareness, and volunteerism in our local communities. Thaakat Foundation leads a series of community-based volunteer activities throughout the year nationwide.

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Volunteering
Disaster Relief Giving Back
Providing Hope

Creating Memories

Social Activism
Fundraising

Building Friendships

Uniting Communities
Team Efforts
Sharing a Smile

Fun Events

Encouraging Discourse

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A Year of Giving Back

02-2011: Will You Marrow Me | Hamdard Center (Addison, IL) Urging our community to take part in a bone marrow drive effort, we partnered with Hamdard Center Chicago, College of DuPage Muslim Student Association, University of Illinois Pakistani Student Association, and several other organizations across the Chicago-land area in hopes of fulfilling dreams for someone in need. We were inspired by the action taken by young South Asians who have taken it upon themselves to arrange bone marrow drives across the country for those in need of a transplant. Due to under representation of South Asians in the match registry, many ill children and adults waiting to find their match are left in a terminal state without hope.

04-2011: Swab for Hope | Chicago and New York Tri-State Feeling that one registration drive was not enough to impact the under representation of South Asians on the Be the Match Marrow Registry, we set out to organize our own national registration effort. The unfortunate situation is that most of the patients hoping for a response dont make it. Partnering with five schools in the Chicago metro and New York tri state area, our teams added nearly 200 individuals to the registry and educated countless others about this dire need.

05-2011: Rebuild Joplin Initiative & Relief Drive | Chicago, IL In the wake of the disaster that pummeled the welcoming town of Joplin, Missouri we realized we needed to rise to action. Mobilizing our team in the Chicago-land area, we collected relief supplies including clothing, toilet paper, shoes, soap, and bottled water- all on an incredible two day timeline, delivering it right into the heart of the devastation. Coupled with this we also supported our Rebuild Joplin initiative by donating $3,000 to the Ozarks Food Harvest in Southern Missouri.

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Food for Thought

Thaakat Foundation was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to talk with Denise Gibson, Director of Development and Communications at Ozarks Food Harvest (OFH). In response to the tornado devastation in Joplin, Missouri in May 2011, Ozarks Food Harvest has secured many truckloads of food items and supplies that continue to be delivered to the affected areas. Founded in 1983, OFH is the only food bank in southwest Missouri, serving more than 300 nonprofit hunger relief organizations across 28 Ozarks counties. Below weve shared Denises perspective of the emergency area at the time the tornado hit: As soon as the tornado hit we started making calls, we wanted to call on the safety of those who were in Joplin, Missouri. We couldnt get through and we couldnt get our trucks on the road because the search and rescue teams had closed everything off. About 7,000 homes were destroyed and other shelters and institutions in the area were in shambles. The amount of devastation it caused was truly a surreal picture unless you were there to live it and see it. In the first four weeks, we sent 44 truckloads of food, about 1 million dollars in food and supplies to different points of distribution. We had one woman who had been living in a tent with her children in the backyard. Instead of having to travel day in and day out to a church where they might be able to eat, she was able to get to one of our nearby distribution centers so that she could take food back to her tent and could have family dinners. We were able to provide her with the only feeling of normalcy she had at that point. Hospital windows were blown out, the tornado shook huge concrete buildings off of their foundation, I can remember the crisp image of baby pools flipped upside down on rooftops. They need machinery out there to haul things away and bulldozers to help clean off the rocks and dirt that hold bad memories. There are so many great people helping and volunteering and for that the city of Joplin is thankful.

An Insiders Perspective on Joplins Recovery & Ozarks Food Harvest

Thaakat Food Baskets: Helping the Locals in Need!

Thaakat Foundation launched a local project during the fall season of 2011 to help families in need within their very own local communities. It started during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, as the team felt inspired to help families who were in need of food in the Chicago-land area. The Thaakat Food Basket included non-perishable items that can feed a family of four to six people for up to one month. With a verified list of families that are in need of food, the team assembled and hand delivered each basket to a home- a heartwarming experience indeed.

100% of net proceeds from each basket sold went towards our Edesia Plumpynut campaign, helping 13 malnourished victims in famine-struck Africa.

08 & 09/2011: Thaakat Food Baskets | Chicago, IL Initiated to help struggling families in our local communities during the month of Ramadan, our teams set out to supply them with a basketful with non-perishable food and other useful household supplies to last throughout the month. Nearly two dozen families have been assisted to date in an initiative we hope to continue every year.

11/2011: Swab Mob Fall 2011 | Nationwide Renaming our spring marrow registration campaign, we set out to make this round bigger and better. Teaming up with nine institutions and Thaakat chapters across four states, our teams registered nearly 300 more individuals in hopes of finding a match for entrepreneur Amit Gupta. The beautiful thing about this campaign was that in an effort to help Amit, we were potentially helping a sick baby, a dying mother, or someone else across the globe also truly in need of a transplant. The more minorities we have register for the drive, the more chances that folks in need will be able to find a match.

10/2011 Diwali | Cedar Oaks Rehab Center (Trenton, NJ) The College of New Jersey Thaakat Board took their service to the seniors at Cedar Oaks Rehab Center. Contributing their time and friendships, they held an afternoon complete with singing, dancing, antakshari (singing game), and a lot of renewed hope for these folks who thought they might be spending this special day alone.

11/2011: Gardening with NYAWC | NYAWC (New York, NY) Every year, the Rutgers Newark NJ Thaakat Board returns to NYAWC, the largest Pan-Asian domestic violence and human trafficking agency in the country, to replenish the Peace Garden they have adopted with the center. This garden not only provides some color and beauty to the center but provides the women with fresh vegetables, herbs and a hobby to take part in through their daily lives. NYAWC provides a safe haven through multilingual support programs and shelter services, raising public awareness about violence against women, advocate for the rights of survivors, and act as an agent of social change. 14

07/2011 and 11/2011: Hoops for Hunger & Thaakat Hoopfest | Oak Brook, IL & New Jersey, NJ This year we held our 2nd annual charity basketball tournament in Chicago and we also held our first ever tournament in New Jersey. While we brought together 16 teams competing to be crowned champion, this event brought together dozens of volunteers. Our tournaments supported our Rebuild Joplin initiative and Fight for Famine campaign with Plumpynut for Somalia. More than 50 volunteers and dozens of sponsors came together to make these a reality.

1 2/2011: Feed the Spirit | Hamdard Center (Chicago, IL) Upholding our annual Hamdard event tradition, nearly 25 members of Thaakat organized an afternoon full of creativity, laughter, conversations, and good food. Our board and students from our chapters at Benedictine University, Loyola University Chicago, UIC, NIU, and Northwestern came together for a holiday event to help spread some cheer to the seniors at Hamdard Center. Doing fun arts and crafts activities, the team helped the seniors make snowflakes and decorated cut outs of traced hands. The young members engaged in conversation with the seniors, learning about their lives as they recalled their favorite memories from childhood. To keep the holidays in spirit, we also gathered around to do some good old caroling and sang famous holiday songs as the seniors and Hamdard staff happily joined in.

12/2011: Christmas Day with Seniors | Brighton Gardens Assisted Living (Edison, NJ) Our Jersey teams visited Brighton Gardens Assisted Living during Christmas. Although many of our volunteers had a busy schedule with their school semesters coming to an end, they still managed to come together and volunteer. Visiting on Christmas day, many of the seniors were without any family to celebrate with. The seniors were kept smiling throughout the activities including bingo, heartwarming conversations, and holiday caroling. The teams emphasized the idea that just simply conversing with someone, especially elders can make them feel appreciated.

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The Swab Mob

In 2011, we launched a major partnership with Be The Match- The National Bone Marrow Registry. Not only did we feel for those who patiently waited for a match, but we were hit hard with the realization that the chances of a South Asian patient finding a match are 20,000 to 1.

The initiative was launched by our Swab Mob Captain, Omar Salim, to try to get more minorities registered on the National Bone Marrow Registry, raising awareness for a dire issue in our communities. Entrepreneur Amit Gupta should not be known for being diagnosed with Acute Leukemia. While the battles waged by patients like him suffering from debilitating diseases including cancer are inspiring enough, Amits story is different. His need for a marrow transplant ignited an international movement of adding South-Asians to the Be the Match Registry. In terms of finding a match, patients are more likely to find a match in their own ethnic community. Heres the thing, South Asians are one of the most underrepresented groups on the registry. Just because Amit is South-Asian, his chances of finding a match sank. How horrible is that? Its that exact reason that we need to invest time in educating our communities about the need to get registered. Understanding this dire need, Thaakat Foundation responded. Inspired by the work of Amit Guptas team, we began our own national registration campaign- the Swab Mob. In conjunction with several universities across the country, our teams passionately reached out to their communities, hoping to correct misconceptions about the program and inspire others to enlist. Thanks to the enthusiasm and hard work of our student leaders we have registered nearly almost seven hundred individuals who are committed to making a difference for a stranger in need. Join this life saving mission at http://join.marrow.org/thaakat.

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Why Marrow?
An inspirational story of a journey to a golden match
Initiative Helps Find Bone Marrow Match
In spring of 2011, The Pakistani Student Association (PSA) at DePaul University and held a bone marrow registration drive in partnership with Thaakat Foundation. The result? A potential match was found for a recipient! Below is an interview with Aarish Mustafa (pictured left), President of PSA at DePaul University, who organized the registration drive during his junior year. Why did your team organize the drive back in the spring? We wanted to be a part of this great cause. It is something you can make a huge impact with in very little time, and we were able to put it together within a couple of days. To be honest, it was our first time organizing a drive like this. The location was secluded, and we did not nearly have the traffic we wanted but we stuck with it, and now we may be able to give someone a second chance at life. What's it like knowing that the hard work and effort of your team has potentially saved the life of another? There is no better feeling than knowing that we have potentially saved a life. I can't imagine the patient's level of excitement when they find out they have matched with someone. I hope everyone gets to experience how I felt today. What advice would you give to someone thinking about holding a drive? Thaakat and Be The Match Foundation made the process very simple for us. The flyers were emailed to us and members of both the organizations made themselves available throughout. PSA members worked together in 1-2 hours shifts, and it was enjoyable for everyone. You'd be surprised what an impact reserving a room, and putting up some flyers can make. Its easy sailing once that first step is taken. Anything else that you would like to share? We want to thank Thaakat and Be the Match Foundations for giving us the opportunity to be a part of this noble cause. We wish the patient the best of health and a quick recovery! I hope this little contribution of our team will inspire others and ultimately save more lives. Signing up on the registry takes no more than 2 minutes. When you sign up, you are on the registry until your 61 st birthday. Signing up doesnt mean that you will be the match for someone; you may get a call the very next month, 10 years later, or even never. You just have to understand the commitment involved. The great part is that should you be a match, the procedure has been simplified to offer a few different options, one of them being a donation system that requires just a few hours from you and no surgery.

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Since launching the Swab Mob, Thaakat Foundation and supporting school organizations have registered almost 700 people on the National Bone Marrow Registry!

Thaakat Foundation Chapters

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2011 started off with Thaakat chapters only being in a few parts of the country. We started with Rutgers chapters in New Jersey and expanded through the South and Midwest. During the summer of 2011 we were able to expand our chapter-ship where we now have 15 officially registered chapters throughout the country! Thaakat chapters can be found from New York to Chicago to Atlanta and all the way down to Texas! We are proud to see these college students develop into the leaders of tomorrow. Seeing these students taking initiatives, setting high goals and going for them head-first is very inspiring. Lets hear about what inspires some of our chapter leaders:

I wanted to start a chapter of Thaakat to create something for students where they can help out the community and have somewhere fun to meet people and socialize. To me Thaakat means a great way to give and make a difference. -Maha Ali Khan, Founding President, Thaakat: University of Houston

Starting a chapter of Thaakat in South Florida meant broadening the horizons of goodness to the youth of South Florida. It's a great cause that reaches out to so many corners in this world, and I felt as if Florida had a lot to offer and be a part in Thaakats journey of changing the world for the better. -Muneera Imam, Founding President, Thaakat: South Florida

I wanted to do something in life where I could help people in need and Thaakat is the perfect organization for helping others. I realized that all the little things we do together can create big differences in peoples lives across the world. It changed my heart and I started my own chapter in Atlanta to be a part of the Thaakat team and have fun while helping out a good cause! Definitely the best decision of my life! -Ayesha Lodhia, Founding President, Thaakat: Oglethorpe University

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Global Division
2011 was a year of global expansion. Launching new projects for the first time in Africa... Sending relief aid to Japan for tsunami victims Revisiting Pakistan to provide flood relief and to launch a new initiative All while restoring hope to those across the globe whose dreams of a new beginning can finally begin coming true.

Our global division addresses issues of environmental sustainability, community development, and education in South Asia and Africa. With projects in South Asia, East Africa and Sierra Leone, your support travels a long way in helping alleviate global poverty.

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Fostering Partnerships
Disaster Response

New Projects
Helping Others

Providing Hope

Giving Strength
Developing Communities
Making a Difference

Sharing Smiles

Encouraging Dreams

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Hope for Japan

A country symbolizing innovation and power was struck with a wind ripping tsunami in March of 2011, which brought life threatening radiation to many. Thaakat Foundation immediately launched the Hope for Japan campaign to help those affected. Thaakat raised $3,000 for Red Cross Japan to help provide relief from the devastation.

Pakistan Flood Relief

In 2010, Thaakat launched its Pakistan Flood Relief efforts immediately following the devastating floods that ravaged throughout the nation. In 2011, slow recovery and heavy rain storms brought on more floods, increased number of deaths, countless misplaced families and homes, and millions more desperate for help. Two relief missions were conducted in 2011. Syed Sana Ullah coordinated a volunteer team in Pakistan with Shahzad Elahi and Rao Asif Ali as they bravely journeyed out to dangerously flooded regions, helping provide hands-on relief to countless families in need. 22

See video footage of the team distributing food aid in Pakistan

Thaakat Foundation helped so many people whose lives were destroyed by the floods. All the villagers have been so grateful and incredibly happy to have received so much aid. It was so humbling to be able to provide basic necessities for these people and witnessing what their needs are first-hand. Being a part of these missions was a truly unforgettable experience, which we will never forget. -Syed Sana Ullah, Global Volunteer Leader

Pakistan Flood Relief Spring Distribution: $3,000 As on-site requirements of flood victims were analyzed, it was certain that a dire need was for a roof, literally, over ones head that could provide for a safe and sturdy place for shelter. A relief mission to flooded areas in the Sindh region was conducted in the spring. Hundreds of bamboo mats were bought to help put up instant roofs and walls for each family, who were previously living under a home supported by sticks, cloth, and broken plastic. The bamboo mats provided privacy between the hundreds of families living in such close proximity of one another, along with a quick and stable place to call home as the summers extreme heat wave approached.

Pakistan Flood Relief Fall Distribution: $3,000 With the help and support of the mayor of the city, Thaakats global volunteers in Pakistan coordinated a relief mission to the Badin region of Sindh (located about 100 miles east of Karachi) in October. Hundreds of families were given food packages and bottles of mineral water for immediate relief. Our mighty team of volunteers recalled it being an incredible experience to provide relief to these people who have truly lost everything. Distributed 700+ bottles of mineral water. Distributed 164 food packages. Each food package contained: Flour Oil Sugar Lentils (Moong & Chana Daal) Tea packets Red chilli Salt packets Bath soap Dish washing soap 23

Raise the Roofs for Africa

Early in 2011, we helped build five child-rescue centers in the village of Blama Perri, Sierra Leone. These centers have been housing 100 residents in total, keeping them safe from terminal disease, rain and cold. Thaakat Foundation launched a partnership with the Trinity United Methodist Church (TUMC) in New York to help Abdulai Swaray , a young hopeful we met from the village of Blama Perri, to build five child rescue centers for single parent families (women and children). The average residency in each center is 20 people. Sierra Leone is a country rich in natural resources, yet faces grave issues of malnutrition, poverty, and a country with one of the highest child mortality rates in the world. Child soldiers have set the standard for the most brutal type of modern warfare in Africa. Unfortunately, people dont often hear of the struggles that are faced by the countrys people. Thaakat and TUMC worked to provide funding for these five child rescue centers and the effort was a collaborative one amongst villagers as they served as the laborers. Thaakat raised $3,000 for this project.

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Project Re-Born Africa

We returned to village of the Blama Perri in Sierra Leone after the residents showed great need for a proper birthing center, the lack of which has caused babies to be born under malnourished conditions with severe infections, while mothers must rest on rugged dirt floors. We hope to support the tiniest of guests by helping build a maternity center in the remote village of Blama Perri in Sierra Leone. This village is mainly inhabited by widows and children, ravaged by 11 years of civil war in the country. The nearest hospital, which is 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 motorcycle. The maternity center will serve 1,000 people in Blama Perri and surrounding communities, ensuring that mothers and babies have appropriate medical care and hygiene during their most vulnerable times. Blama Perri has secured staff with state certified midwifery degrees. Thaakat raised $5,000 for this project.

In the history of the village, there has never been a hygienic or safe place to comfort and care for women and their new babies. At the time when the woman is ready for labor the only option has been to wait days for emergency medical help or for a nine month pregnant woman to ride on the back of a bike to the hospital. Sierra Leone has one of the highest child-mortality rates in the world and we know that this center will bring new meaning to 1,000 women, children and residents who will in available distance of this maternity center. - Alan Chorun, US Project Support Manager

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Edesia Plumpynut Africa

Thaakat is working with Edesia, a non-profit organization, to provide Plumpynut to the famine-ravaged region of East Africa. Plumpynut is a packaged peanut paste produced by Edesia, with a two year shelf life, requiring no water, preparation, or refrigeration. Its ease of use has made mass treatment of malnutrition in famine situations more efficient than in the past. The paste form makes it easy for young children and the weak to consume this as the body is vulnerable when the most acute form of malnutrition hits. 11/11/11 Campaign: In the fall of 2011, Thaakat launched a viral campaign asking their followers to get eleven friends to donate $11 by November 11, 2011. The goal was simple and the campaign was a hit, raising a lucky $11,000!

East Africa faced the most critical food emergency in the world in 2011. The lives of twelve million people in the region were threatened by hunger and starvation. Its a harsh adversity that people in the region have been enduring for decades- the severity of which has now been brought to world attention as the UN officially declared a famine in 2011 in two areas of Somalia- Bakool and Lower Shabelle. An estimated 3.7 million people in Somalia- 1/3 of the population- are on the brink of starvation, the most at risk being children. In Somalia, malnutrition is exceeding 50% and Unicef reports children are dying at a rate of about one every six minutes. To add to the troubles, Somalia is facing an on-going war. Thousands of Somalis have since been taking an arduous journey to walk, sometimes for days, across dry land in search of food and water, displaced from their homes as they try to seek refuge in neighboring cities and countries. Sadly, not everyone survives this dangerous journey.

Our 11/11/11 campaign raised

$11,000
for Plumpynut!

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Dreams for Kachra Kundi

In partnership with Idara Al Khair, we are building a new educational facility for students being affected by pollution and disease in a hazardous atmosphere. Miles away from the city, a small garbage dump site is home to 300 families. This site is called Kachra Kundi, located in the outskirts nearly 50 miles away from Karachi. Thaakat visited the site in December 2011. Below is video footage from the trip:

Driving through Kachra Kundi Rooftop view of Kachra Kundi

Many in the village earn their livelihood from collecting waste and reselling it to recycling centers. Not only are the residents of Kachra Kundi deprived of civic facilities like electricity and clean water, but there had previously been zero access to education. 8 years ago our partner, Idara Al Khair brought in 16 teachers and lots of hope to help them live their dreams. Our goal is to help provide Kachra Kundi with an improved educational facility for 250 students (40% girls), which will be minutes away from their village but in an area free from disease and garbage. Construction for this project began in January of 2012. Idara Al Khair will be managing the educational operations of the school while we hope to provide the funding for a walk-in ready facility. There has been growing interest from parents in the surrounding area to register their children and hundreds have lined up to meet with the principal. We have also partnered with em[Power], a non-profit team working to install a small-scale waste-to-energy generator that can power the school and a health clinic, enabling expansion of their services for the community.

Thaakat raised $11,000 for this project! We still have $16,000 more to fundraise for a nine room school with plans to expand!
"When these children first came here their faces were so dirty, they were infested with flies. We gave them pencils, papers and erasers and they had no idea what to do with them. They first called the erasers sabun (Urdu for soap) because I told them that it was used for cleaning or wiping away mistakes on paper. Now these kids come with clean faces to the classroom, they are excited to learn. The school has made such a difference for them. -Teacher, Kachra Kundi School Site

Dreams for Kachra Kundi Campaign Dawn News Coverage

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What to Expect in 2012

A Few Highlights
Monthly Newsletters by Thaakat Insider, Sehrish Khan Be sure to keep an eye out for Thaakats monthly newsletter, released during the first week of every month! Sehrish will be providing reviews on local events, activities, and projects that Thaakat undertakes.

Dreams for Kachra Kundi Campaign We are expecting construction of the new school site in Pakistan to be completed in early 2012, making the school ready to nurture the intellect of hundreds of children in the area. New teachers will be hired and Thaakat looks forward to reaching its fundraising goal of $16,000 to expand and maintain the school for the year!

Iftaar Benefit, July 2012 Take part in helping make a difference by attending the 3rd Annual Iftaar Benefit as Thaakat invites all community members to rejoice in an evening of thankfulness and charity among family and friends! All are welcome!

3rd Annual Basketball Tournament, November 23-24, 2012 Get pumped for Thaakats ever famous and most popular event of the year! Watch 16 teams compete for a good cause in a basketball tournament for an ultimate grand prize!

More exciting projects and events are in the works!

*Be sure to have clicked the underlined hyperlinks throughout our Annual Report to have seen exclusive video footage!

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A most sincere thank you to all of you who continue to support us and to our dear families and friends who are behind us 110% of the way.
Applauds to Our MVP of Fundraising: Ayesha Lodhia- $8,000+ in donations Platinum Donors ($1,000+): APPNA Sandeep Mehta & Exxon Mobile Mr. & Mrs. Roy Danya Saleh Station Sales & More Nasir Uddin & BD Medical Systems Abdul Yaqub Gold Donors ($500+): Omer Ahmed Farooq Gandhi Tasleem & Shayan Gaziani Fahad Haroon Uzma & Arissa Imam Rafiq & Nasreen Lodhia Farrah Malik Ruhail Moffat Uzma Zakir Continued Support: Tina Balani Electro Genius Samim Patel Shua Qureshi Big Ups to School Organizations Who Supported Us: Benedictine University Rotaract Elmhurst College Spiritual Life Council Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis High School Northwest Suburban College Rutgers Pakistani Student Association Basketball Tournament Captains: Favad Ali Saad Bawany Talib Farooqi Iftaar Benefit Captains: Harris Iqbal Sara T Khan Ruhail Moffat

Thank You!

Corporate Sponsors: Brownhub Carmel Haifa Chill N Grill DJ Sammy J DJ T Inferno Hookah Lounge JPMorgan Chase Foundation Kabab Paradise Kairo Kafe Kamal Law Firm Krispy Krunchy Chicken Lisle Club of Rotary Maya Hookah Lounge Nan King North Brunswick High School Oakbrook Park District Pita Inn Profound Aesthetic San Remo Pizza Sherman Dental Care Taj Palace Tastee Subs Individual Sponsors: Mr. Wahid Karim Srinu Madulla Saad & Sharon Saeed Dr. Sitara Sharif Mr. Shahid Yousuf Media Sponsors and Charity Partners: APPNA Be The Match Charities Americana Edesia Generation Ginger Hamdard Center Idara Al Khair The More Than Tomorrow Foundation NYAWC Ozarks Food Harvest Pepsi Co Qalam Designs Trinity United Methodist Church Urdu Times

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