Aleena Khan, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Imran Khan, Sacramento (El Dorado Hills), CA hands over “Pennies for Pakistan” to Consul General Syed Ibne Abbas

Aleena’s dad, Dr. Imran Khan, is a medical scientist at the University of California, Davis. Aleena and two of her friends (Vivien Vo and Brittney Kelly) collected pennies around their neighborhood and school (Oak Meadow Elementary). These pennies that weigh approximately 30 lb were collected to help refugees in Pakistan who are fleeing their homes due to war and also for poor children who have no schools.

It all began when Aleena and her friends were introduced to a book “Listen to

the Wind” and a video about Greg Mortensen who started “Pennies for Peace” in their class at Oak Meadow School by Aleena’s teacher Mrs. Claudia Lewis. Through Mrs. Lewis’ presentation kids learned about the desperate situation in Pakistan. People, particularly in the war torn regions of the country, have no homes or means for a livelihood. There are so many little children who have no schools. Some of the children write in the mud with a stick as a means for learning.

Greg Mortensen started Pennies for Peace and built a school for these poor kids. Aleena and her friends were so inspired by this story that they had the idea of collecting pennies for Pakistan. They went door to door to approximately a 100 homes for their collection. They also asked teachers and staff and went from office to office in their school for the collection of pennies.

Aleena wanted to make sure that the money reached the needy people so she waited until she had the opportunity to personally deliver the pennies to the Consul General of Pakistan. (Good work, Aleena. The community is proud of you. – Editor, Pakistan Link)

 

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