PFOWA and MGYW Sign Memorandum of Understanding

 

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Pakistan Foreign Office Wives Association (PFOWA), Islamabad, and Merit Grants for Young Women (MGYW), Los Angeles, on 5 th September 2014. The signing ceremony was held at the Consulate General of Pakistan, Los Angeles in the presence of Consul General, Mr Tasawar Khan. PFOWA was represented by Mrs Iffat Tasawar Khan, while Dr Farhana Mohamed signed the MoU on behalf of MGYW.

MGYW is a 501(C) (3) registered non-profit organization working for the promotion of higher education among meritorious but financially underprivileged young female students of Pakistan. Since its establishment in 2000, under Pakistani American Forum, MGYW has been providing assistance to hundreds of deserving girl students in Pakistan in the form of tuition fee, books, uniforms and monthly financial assistance to continue their studies. In addition, MGYW partners with well-established charity schools that predominantly cater to educate girls in impoverished rural or urban areas of Pakistan.

PFOWA is a registered non-profit organization run by the female officers and spouses of officers of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan. It was established in 1947 to assist the deserving children of low grade employees of the Ministry, by providing them syllabus books, stationary and scholarships for higher education in Pakistan on the basis of merit. It also provides financial assistance to the widows of the Foreign Office staff and extends a helping hand in cases requiring medical assistance. PFOWA has been active in providing relief assistance during disasters like earthquakes and floods.

Since one of the main activities of PFOWA is to promote education by supporting the deserving students of the Foreign Office families as well as different charity schools, the idea to establish an institutional link between the two organizations was proposed by Mrs Iffat Tasawar Khan in 2013. The MoU was signed after approval by the MGYW Board of Directors and Madam Najia Aizaz, President PFOWA.

Under the MoU, MGYW will annually provide 15 scholarships to PFOWA, which will be granted to the girl students, belonging to the families of low grade employees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is hoped that the arrangements agreed between the two organizations will go a long way in realizing their cherished objective of supporting and promoting education amongst the underprivileged segments of our society.