Human Development Foundation of North America Holds Fundraiser
The Human Development Foundation of North America Fundraiser at the Anaheim Plaza Hotel on Sunday, Dec 11 th, vividly testified to the community’s sustained drive for improving the lot of the underprivileged people of Pakistan. The select group of community members raised money to support various projects of the HDF in all four provinces of Pakistan and Azad Kashmir.
As usual, the program started with a recitation from the Holy Qur’an by Faisal Qasim followed by the English translation of the verses recited by Sámi Khan. Opening remarks and HDF Executive Director’s message was read by Fatima Waqar. The program was then moved forward by Dr. Yasmin Qasim who once again brought the leading lights of the community to the event.
Dr. Qasim made a brief presentation highlighting the HDF history and mission. In a span of 13 years HDF has an impressive number of achievements to its credit. It has established adult literacy centers for women, schools for underprivileged boys and girls, and health care centers in the rural areas of the country. The Foundation continues to help people help themselves by working in the most desolate areas of Pakistan, building schools and clinics, issuing loans for small business, and most importantly, giving people the light to see their potential to better their own lives. She also mentioned that HDF received 4 out of 4 stars from Charity Navigator this year. Dr. Qasim made a fervent appeal to the audience to generously contribute to the HDF efforts.
The Chief Guest, Madam Riffat Masood, Consul General of Pakistan in Los Angeles, spoke of the need to help Pakistan elevate poverty through a structured approach and promised the governments’ help in authorizing the partnering with NGO’s for greater good, and once again reiterated HDF’s focus and importance of education, especially educating the girls, a believer in the saying “if you educate a man you educate an individual, if you educate a woman you educate a family”.
She also presented a plaque of appreciation on behalf of HDF to Dr. Yasmin Qasim for her hard work and continued support of HDF’s Mission.
Dr. Sanaullah Khan, an accomplished physician, and a great friend of the community, spoke eloquently on the occasion and impressed upon the gathering the importance of giving; he extensively quoted from the Holy Qur’an to describe the benefits of helping the needy.
The keynote speaker Mr. Salahuddin Khan is the vice–chairman of the Board of Trustees of HDF, and has been actively involved with HDF since 2006. Mr. Khan has made several Radio and TV appearances, including NBC, CTV, WBZ – Boston, Mancow in the morning and others. He is also the Thursday evening host of Radio Islam at WCEV- 1450AM.
“Sikander” is Mr. Khan’s debut novel and in less than a year it has been named the grand prize winner of the 2011 Los Angeles Book Festival, the 2011 Paris Book Festival, winner in the fiction category at the 2011 Beach and 2011 Hollywood Book Festival and was the runner-up in the same category in the 2011 New York Book Festival. Sikander was also named the winner in the multi-cultural fiction category at the 2011 national indie Excellence Book Awards. Mr. Khan is a designer, engineer, artist, writer and worldwide traveler.
Mr. Khan presented the message of giving, mixed with history of US and Pakistan over the years from 911 to present, and emphasized the need to stay focused on HDF’s four-point holistic approach in helping the needy in Pakistan
The guests who made major donations included Dr. Sanaullah Khan, Yasmin and Salim Adaya, and Dr. Naseem Malik. Others present on the occasion also made donations from $100 to $1000. Major sponsors and supporters were: Dr. Sanaullah Khan and family, Mr. Salim & Yasmin Adaya, Mr. Raiz and Yasmeen Khan, and Mr. Habib Junejo.
Dr. Yasmin Qasim has successfully organized HDF fundraisers in Southern California for the last seven years and indisputably each occasion has been a memorable one. She is to be duly commended for her efforts; congrats to Dr. Qasim for her hard work and continued support of HDF. Fatima Waqar and Abida Almas played a prominent role in organizing the event and their contribution is greatly appreciated.
The guests were treated to a sumptuous dinner catered by Mr. Dara Khan of Shahnawaz Restaurant. After dinner the guests enjoyed a highly entertaining comedy program by Los Angeles famous Stand UP Comedian Rajiv Satyal, and musical entertainment by Abdul Bahar.
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