The Citizens Foundation–Sacramento Chapter Fundraiser in Elk Grove
By Ras H. Siddiqui
The Citizens Foundation USA (https://www.tcfusa.org/) supports the education of underprivileged children in Pakistan. During the last 24 years the Foundation with the help of TCF-USA donors has built and supported over 200 elementary and secondary schools with an enrollment of 65,000+ boys and girls in our country of origin where TCF is currently operating over 1,567 schools providing quality education to 252,000 children armed with an all-female faculty of 12,000 teachers. TCF has 30 chapters operating in various cities in the US with our Sacramento, California chapter joining the list approximately three years ago.
TCF-Sacramento has historically held smaller fundraisers in area homes. That model has been successful and under the able leadership of Arshad and NadiraAlvi and Javed Iqbal this chapter has achieved much success with the help of a large group of friends. But this time under the theme of “Taleem Ki Baat, HansiKeSaath” the group with the addition of Meer Nazir, Aqil Abbasi, Asif Haq and Omar Malik(along with a few other silent members), decided to reach out to the wider community. A public fundraiser was held at the Laguna Town Hall in Elk Grove where philanthropy, scholarship and humor converged for a great cause.
The event started with a few surprises. September 27, 2019 was a Friday, yet most people showed up on time and dinner was served right away. It was a full house too and the formalities which were planned to start at 8:00 PM after dinner started exactly on time, as event emcee Naeem Syed called everyone to attention and invited Imam Qasmi to start with a recitation from the Holy Qur’an.
Asif Haq was next invited to the stage to welcome everyone. He said that our presence here had made the local TCF proud. One of the main sources of attraction here this evening was Punjabi poet; satirist and Persian scholar Anwar Masood and Asif added that we are very blessed to have him come to Sacramento to entertain us. “You are in for a delightful evening,” he said. The TCF Sacramento core team (named previously) was also invited to the stage, followed by some program sponsors.
Naeem Syed next invited Meer Nazir to deliver the TCF Sacramento Chapter presentation which he delivered in a highly professional manner. Pakistan’s problems may be many, but the lack of quality education has to be at the top. Approximately 22.6 million children in the country are out of school and the challenge to get education to them is formidable. But TCF is rising to that challenge; Meer focused his attention on three areas where the TCF model differentiates itself: 1) Education Focus, 2) System Approach and 3) Quality.
Breaking down the schools into provinces, with 704 schools in Sindh, 697 in the Punjab, 75 in KPK, 10 in AJK and yes 81 in Baluchistan (phenomenal rate of growth there recently), TCF is on the march in our country of origin. In the past 10 years TCF students have increased almost six-fold, with an all-female staff teaching approximately 50% girls (female literacy is very important to focus on). Nazir also highlighted other areas which TCF has added including Adult Literacy, Vocational Training, Alumni Assistance and the taking over of Government Schools and improving the education provided in them.
Moving to the TCF-Sacramento Chapter, since its year 2016 founding, three schools (Peace Campus, Sohaib Campus and Iskandar Sultan Khawaja Campus) and one Vocational Training Center have been supported by the chapter here. And with the help of an anonymous donor who came forward with a $100,000 commitment, the chapter raised additional funds through which a brand new school was constructed in Jhang District (Rahma Campus) which is already up and running! Javed Iqbal was called to make a special announcement on that school (we are still $50,000 short on its full cost). Javed said that the anonymous donor was delighted with the progress made and has made an additional donation of $5,000, which was being matched. Thanks to Meer and Javed for sharing the positives about the local TCF effort here.
Anwar Masood briefly appeared on the stage to set the tone of the fundraiser which was conducted by Sohail (DJ) Shahzad and assisted by Naeem Syed and Asif Haq. Close to $55,000 were raised this evening. We need to thank the Sacramento community for rising to the occasion once again at this quickly arranged event.
And now to entertainment with Anwar Masood who is part poet, part satirist and a full scholar and humorist (in mainly Punjabi, Urdu and yes in Persian too). Some of us were lucky enough to have dinner with him the night before at the local Haveli Restaurant where he entertained us with his wit and wisdom. His lines and delivery can disarm any listener. “Aapbaithjayainnahin to meinthakjaoonga” (please take your seats otherwise I will be the one who would get tired) is one such example. On Persian and Punjabi Masood sahib said that the very word Punjab is of Persian language origin. He said that he likes to see things being built and the TCF is certainly building young lives and asked everyone to support them. He lamented the fact that Muslims who were once leading the world neglected education and have paid the price.
On the funny side he had some excellent deliveries. His experiences riding in a crowded Suzuki vehicle, lassi vs chai and being garlanded at a university in Faisalabad with a “Shaadi Mubarak” written on it and his Urdu-speaking wife’s hilarious response to it in Punjabi. His experiences with poet Munir Niazi in Chicago also got some airtime and also back home and the story of a snake getting killed by the lady of the house (there was only room for one in the house!). Needless to say, it was a very humorous evening, and all for a good cause.
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