Thaakat Foundation

2012 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 create and maintain a diverse community that learns through multiple perspectives ...to bring hands on volunteerism to our local communities and hope to our global society.

Table of Contents
Board of Directors Letter from the Executive Director Financial Report Global Impact Dreams for Kachra Kundi Pakistan Flood Relief Project Re-Born Africa Local Impact Student Chapter Highlights Swab Mob Campaign: A Golden Match Hurricane Sandy Relief: In Memory of Vishwaja Muppa Local Volunteerism & Outreach Fundraisers Break the Silence What to Expect in 2013 Thank You to Our Supporters! 4 5 6-9 11 12-14 15-16 17 19 21-22 23 24 25-26 27-29 30-31 32 33

Board of Directors
Uzma Bawany Mahreen Younus Ammara Bokhari Denish Ghayal Amreena Khan Nudrat Zoha Sarah Khan Puja Patel Omar Salim Mohammed Ali Sehrish Khan Hira Khan Saad Bawany Founder/Executive Director Co-Founder/Treasurer Co-Founder/Director of Global Projects Co-Founder/Creative Director Co-Founder/ Sponsorship Management Social Media Manager and Donor Management Growth and Development Lead Outreach & Diversity Chair Director of Community Outreach Investment Manager Thaakat Insider Keeper of the Blog Annual Tournament Captain

Letter from the Executive Director

2012 commenced with so many New Beginnings for our board, chapters, as well as our local and global projects. In our fourth official operating year we had supporters behind us full force and we dove right in with a renewed sense of energy. Our school site located in the small village of Kachra Kundi, right outside of Karachi, Pakistan launched with much excitement in June of 2012, bringing more meaning to paper than just a piece of trash. The children who worked inside of the garbage dump alongside hazardous waste, dangerous gases, crime, and infection had the opportunity to be students. For the first time in many of their lives, they put pencil to paper and saw the paper as a tool for learning rather than litter. In a country where the national literacy rate ranks in the last dozen of 120 countries in the world, the classrooms at our school were booming with attendance and especially that of eager young girls. As I entered the classrooms, echoes of equality rang through the room as EQUALITY was the lesson of the day. It didnt matter what religion, what gender or background- the kids were all Pakistani and they sang to this tune with all the more fervor and pride as they knew a guest was quietly watching. In Blama Perri- a small village in Sierra Leone, West Africa, the final touches on our maternity center were being meticulously constructed in 2012. In this village, our eight room maternity center presents the first ever outhouse the community has seen. This will bring life, not only in the form of beautiful babies but through building; the building of a professional community, opportunity, economy, technology and a way to better health and hope. Completion of the center is scheduled for early 2013. As we pondered on campaigns for the year that were important to us, we quickly decided to take on an initiative that was unique. We wanted to speak up where others had shied away. This year we have launched a campaign titled Break the Silence. Violent incidences of domestic violence are on the rise not just in our country but around the world. In parts of the world where women struggle for equality, rights and a voiceabuse has become a best kept secret. We want this campaign to inspire individuals to give these women a voice, to rise with them and to speak up against what is so wrong. We want these women to have a chance at a New Beginning. We can define new beginnings in many ways: a fresh- start, reinventions, endings that have led to beginnings, beginnings that are inspired from change, second chances, inventions, and chapters. I like to refer to them as opportunity; the opportunity to find the truth behind what could be, all thanks to the wonderful support provided by all of you. A sincere thank you for your generosity and encouragement.

Uzma Bawany Executive Director, Thaakat Foundation 5

Financial Report
What Makes Thaakat Unique?
100% transparency. Every dollar you donate goes directly to the intended recipients.
Thaakat Foundation Company Prepared Financial Statements

FY 2011
DONATION SOURCES General Donations University Chapter Fundraising Events Sponsors & Grants Local Fundraising Events Total Donations Sourced 2010 Retained Funds TOTAL AVAILABLE FUNDS DONATION USES Japan Disaster Relief Pakistan Flood Relief Raising the Roofs - Africa Local Volunteer Projects & Donations Edesia Plumpy'Nut Dreams for Kachra Kundi Project Re-Born Africa Rebuild Joplin -Ozarks Food Harvest Community Sustained Farmland Thaakat Baskets TOTAL DONATIONS APPLIED OPERATING EXPENSES Rental Expense (Covered by Sponsors) PR Fees and Overhead TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES 2012 Project Funds $ $ $ $ $ $ $ 14,825 7,321 6,165 20,115 48,426 10,363 58,789 DONATION SOURCES General Donations University Chapter Fundraising Events Sponsorships Corporate Contributions Total Donations Sourced 2011 Retained Funds TOTAL AVAILABLE FUNDS DONATION USES Hurricane Sandy Relief Pakistan Flood Relief Local Projects Local Volunteer Projects & Donations Dreams for Kachra Kundi Project Re-Born Africa $ $ $ $ $ $ $

FY 2012
38,588 12,132 1,845 17,034 69,599 3,656 73,255

$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $

3,971 6,000 3,000 688 11,000 11,000 5,000 3,000 1,000 858 45,517

$ $ $ $ $ $

2,300 2,000 900 1,550 32,740 1,450

TOTAL DONATIONS APPLIED OPERATING EXPENSES Rental Expense (Covered by Sponsors) PR Fees and Overhead TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES 2013 Project Funds

40,940

$ $ $ $

7,897 8,171 9,616 3,656

$ $ $ $

13,297 3,468 16,765 15,550

*NOTE: All Operating Expenses are fully covered by sponsors, corporate contributions, and internally raised funds; 100% of your donated proceeds are reserved for charitable projects.

Fiscal Year 2012 vs. Fiscal Year 2011 2012 was a robust year for Thaakat Foundation as total donations have increased by 45% from $48,426 in 2011 to $69,599 in 2012. With retained funds of $3,656 from 2011, Thaakat had a total of $73,255 in available funds to put forth to new and continued projects for the year. Much of the growth was due to an increase in general donations given Thaakats increased proliferation throughout the United States at various Universities. Coupled with Thaakats extended reach, general donations have been further augmented via Thaakats website, onsite donations at events, religious holidays of giving, and numerous viral campaigns throughout the year. As Universities continue to gain traction, more and more events have led to an increase in donations by approximately 65% for 2012 and are anticipated to grow thru 2013. While operation expenses saw an increase from $9,616 for 2011 to $16,765 for 2012, this is related to the costs associated to larger fundraising and events. Expenses include cost associated with fees such as venue rentals, food, venue management and hosting, etc. It should be noted that all operating expenses for local fundraising events and local volunteer events were covered through corporate contributions, sponsorships, and internally raised funds. Donations were applied to fewer projects in 2012; however, this was due to a greater focus on dedication and focus to our adopted projects, specifically our global project, Dreams for Kachra Kundi. In fact, approximately 80% of the total donations applied in 2012 were used to build a school in Kachra Kundi. The project has been a great success and Thaakat expects to continue funding for the continued construction and upkeep of the school. A portion of the remaining funds were also used for other notable projects such as the Hurricane Sandy relief, Pakistan flood relief, and Project Re-Born Africa. Local projects accounted for the smallest portion of donations used, however, they are more interaction based and require less funding. The remaining funds at the end of the year are reserved for project budgets into 2013. In 2013, our global projects will see expansion on site as well the adoption of a new project. Our local efforts this year will be focused in volunteerism, bone marrow registration awareness and awareness and prevention of violence against women.

Sources of Financial Support There are four main funding sources that provide for Thaakat Foundations operating funds: Grants, Donation Matching, General Donations* and Chapter Fundraisers. Total sourced donations for fiscal year 2012 were $69,599. *General Donations account for approximately 60% of our financial support; this total includes funds raised during our two annual fundraising events.

Sources of Financial Support 2012

$17,034 General Donations

$1,845 $38,588

University Chapter Fundraising Events Sponsorships

Corporate Contributions $12,132

Donation Recipients During 2012, Thaakats recipients were in six main categories: Project Re-Born Africa, Dreams for Kachra Kundi, Local Volunteering, Local Projects, Pakistan Flood Relief and Hurricane Sandy Relief. Total fund distributions for fiscal year 2012 were $40,940

Donation Recipients 2012

$1,450 $2,300 $2,000 $900 $1,550

Hurricane Sandy Relief

Pakistan Flood Relief

Local Projects
Local Volunteer Projects & Donations

Dreams for Kachra Kundi

Project Re-Born Africa

$32,740

Global Impact

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Thaakat Foundation's global division addresses issues of environmental sustainability, community development, and education around the globe. Your support has traveled a long way in helping alleviate global poverty.

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Dreams for Kachra Kundi

2012 was a big year for Thaakat's global division. We launched our very first school in one of the poorest villages in Pakistan called Kachra Kundi. This is how we came to launch our Dream Campaign and saw before our very own eyes, dreams of these children come true: Kachra Kundi is a large garbage dump site in Pakistan, located 50 miles away from the city of Karachi, and home to thousands who earn their livelihood from collecting waste and selling it to recycling centers. Thaakat visited the area twice and immediately knew it had to help upon hearing of the dreams little children had to go to school. Residents of this community have been deprived of basic necessities such as electricity and clean water, and access to education. We partnered with Idara Al-Khair with a mission to help this community. Idara Al-Khair is an organization which began building schools in Kachra Kundi eight years ago, and today is host to three campuses in the area, of which Thaakat is part of "Campus III". Thus came about the name of our school- Al-Khair Campus III, serving primary and secondary school children. It is located in a remote area that previously had no access to an educational facility. Construction of Al-Khair Campus III began in January 2012 and completed six months later in June. The school officially opened to over 300 students that month and excitement was widespread throughout the community.

#letthedreambe

We serve a community that is ever expanding. There are several children in Kachra Kundi who still do not have access to education. Our goal is to continue expansion of our school in order to accommodate the growing population.
Click here for video footage of Kachra Kundi 12

The opening of Al-Khair Campus III has been very well received by the residents of Kachra Kundi. Families excitedly began sending their children to school in the summer of 2012 as news spread across town that there was now an opportunity to receive an education- a much needed change for these kids who come from a lifestyle of picking through garbage to help their families earn a living. Here is a story of a wonderful young student: eleven year old Eid Mohammad. Eid belongs to a very poor and deprived family who live in a hut in Kachra Kundi. He, along with his three brothers and two sisters, is now attending the school with 312 other students. Eid's dream is to become a teacher. His parents work in Kachra Kundi and earn 300 rupees per day (3 USD), dependent on additional income from their children who work as well. This is the reason he hadn't received an education before. Eid eventually convinced his family that an education for himself and his siblings was vital and is now en route to bettering his future as he and his siblings pursue their dreams through these classrooms. In December 2012, Thaakat launched an expansion project for the school to build six additional classrooms to accommodate the high student enrollment. Thanks to the generous support of our donors, we expect to complete this project by February 2013 as we hire more teachers for the growing student body for this mighty little campus in Kachra Kundi.

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#lethedreambe

This year, we wanted to give a hands-on opportunity to dedicated students and young professionals who were anxious in the prospect of helping others. #lethedreambe'... Thaakats name has been tied with this hash tag over the course of 2012. You may be wondering what its about so here is the 411: Our nine classrooms at Kachra Kundi were complete by the start of 2012 but we needed funding to cover the desks, water supply, chalkboards, books, and teacher salaries to launch a successful school year. In came a team of individuals that launched a marketing campaign called #lethedreambe. They simply wanted people to help them make the dreams of these students come to reality. This last year, they were able to help us raise approximately $16,000 for the project!

Hundreds of friends, family members, supporters and even strangers took it upon themselves to help spread the word of our #lethedreambe campaign. Together we were able to launch a successful school year and start the expansion of 6 more classrooms!

Heres the inside scoop from the Creative Director of the #lethedreambe' campaign, Faizan Zaidi (FZ), and the Project Manager, Aarish Mustafa (AM):

Q: What was your inspiration behind the project?

AM: If helping change the fortunes of a community living in a garbage disposal was not reason enough, my upbringing provided more. I had the privilege of attending a highly regarded and expensive private school (Foundation Public School) when I lived in Karachi. Had it not been for my mom teaching at the same school, my family most likely could not have afforded the cost of sending me there, and neither could the vast majority of the population.

Q: What advice do you have for others wishing to start a new initiative?
FZ: If you believe in something, just go out and do it. While doing so, you will often have this instinct that you wont succeed but you have to just keep going and pushing yourself. The first step is the hardest. Believe in yourself and the sky is the limit.

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Pakistan Flood Relief

Continuing our disaster relief efforts for the severe floods in Pakistan, Thaakat Foundation responded in October of 2012 for the third consecutive year to help displaced flood victims. Syed Sana Ullah has led a team of volunteers on several flood relief missions over the past three years to various villages across Pakistan, providing support to those in need. This year, 135 food packages and 330+ containers of mineral water were distributed to 130+ families in Ghotki, a village located nearly 300 miles north of Karachi in the Sindh area of Pakistan. Food packages included: Flour Oil Sugar Lentils Rice Salt Red Chili Bath Soap

Three Years of Flood Relief in Pakistan's Villages

GHOTKI

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Project Re-Born Africa

In 2011, we helped build five child rescue centers in the small village of Blama Perri in Sierra Leone, West Africa. This village is mainly inhabited by widows and children, ravaged by 11 years of civil war in the country. The nearest hospital, nearly 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 bike. The lack of a proper birthing center for Blama Perri has caused babies to be born under malnourished conditions with severe infections, while mothers rest on rugged dirt floors. Thaakat undertook the mission of building a brand new maternity center on site for the villagers and residents in neighboring areas. The maternity center will officially open in the beginning of 2013 and we hope to offer general healthcare assistance at the facility as well. There was also a great need for clean water in the village. Thanks to our donors, we were able to provide the community with a fresh water well for their daily needs. Blama Perri's previous water supply was very unhealthycontaining rust and iron, making many residents sick. The new water system brings fresh, clean and safe drinking water to Blama Perri.

SIERRA LEONE

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Local Impact

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Thaakat leads a series of community-based volunteer activities, awareness campaigns, and fundraising events nationwide. Our local division focuses on promotion of volunteerism and responsiveness to issues facing our local communities.

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Volunteering

is not simply about doing it because it should be

done; its about coming together to want to help others. It is a simple way to make a difference.

It can even help you discover personal interests that you never imagined you would have and make friends that you never would have otherwise crossed paths with in life. It is an integral part of Thaakat Foundations mission.

Along with the below events hosted by our National Board, our university chapters across the country work with shelters, hospitals, centers, schools, and institutions in their local communities. From coat-drives to hunger campaigns, we are so proud of our chapters for carrying through with the mission!

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Student Chapters Highlights

Thaakat TCNJ: Launched at The College of New Jersey held an eye health camp for Nepalese refugees in New Jersey. The team also hosts a yearly diwali event at a local senior citizens home. Thaakat Rutgers Newark: Visited Garden of Hope at the New York Asian Womens Center, supported global projects with events throughout the year.

Thaakat Atlanta: Launched at Thaakat Rutgers New Brunswick: Held multiple events throughout the year to raise awareness for the "Break the Silence" violence against women campaign and fundraising events for our global projects.

Oglethorpe University, the board's Vice President, Caryn

Dreibelbis, was featured in College Fight for a Cause Night; the team also won an Outstanding

Achievement award from the

Dean of the University in their first year as a student chapter on campus!

Our Chapters raised more than $12,000 in donations just this year alone!

Want more info on a Chapter? Follow their fan pages on Facebook!

Illini Thaakat: Launched at the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign, a very successful PR and awareness project was held around the SWAB MOB campaign, bringing in 150+ registrants in two days. Thaakat Bradley: Launched at Bradley University in Illinois, hosted a successful date auction in support of our projects.

Thaakat UIC: Launched at the University of Illinois at Chicago, they held a "Spring Break Bash" that raised $1,000+ for our global projects! They also continue to serve up wonderful volunteer events in the Chicago Metro area. Special thank you to Board Assistant Shaby Navaid.

Thaakat Benedictine: Launched at Benedictine University in Illinois, held a "Hoops for Change" event to raise money for global projects. Thaakat Stony Brook: Launched at Stony Brook University in New York, led the campaign for Sandy Disaster Relief in memory of team member Vishwaja Muppa.

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Proudest Moments from Chapter Presidents

We held a winter coat drive and a local thrift store near the university donated 75 coats to us; that was a great moment. Also during our bone marrow registration drives, we had the opportunity to work with another organization on campus, really showed us how successful we can be when we do things together with the same goal in mind! -Founding President, Thaakat UIC, Rebecca Afzar University of Illinois at Chicago

My proudest moment of 2012 was when Thaakat Atlanta was awarded the Deans Award for Outstanding Achievement by a Student Organization at Oglethorpe University. The Dean of Students proudly presented us with a certificate and gave a speech of our accomplishments of the year. The Thaakat Atlanta teams recognition on campus was truly a memorable moment for all of us. -Founding President, Thaakat Oglethorpe University, Ayesha Lodhia

I remember a conversation with a volunteer who said that she loved how different Thaakat was from other organizations and how impressed she was with us being able to branch out and reach so many people. It made me proud to see that other people appreciated our mission. -Founding President, Thaakat TCNJ, Shivangi Modi The College of New Jersey

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The Swab Mob

mob
During the Spring of 2011, Thaakat Foundation initiated a campaign to enlist the public in the National Marrow Donor Programs Marrow Registry, otherwise known as the Be the Match Registry that connects patients in need of a bone marrow transplant. To date, our campaign has added nearly 1,300 individuals to the registry! Our very first drive of this campaign was at Chicagos DePaul University on a gloomy afternoon late April 2011. Mother natures impact on the weather was compounded by a relatively low turnout, however; months went by and our campaign grew exponentially until one day when a brief phone call catalyzed our success. An individual from that small drive at DePaul had come up as a potential match for a patient in need! That individual was Azka Asif. [ See Azka to the left] Azka selflessly complied with the Registrys requests for further resting to make sure she was indeed a match for this patient. Months later, Azka was notified that she was the PERFECT match. Nearly 13 months after she initially registered, Azka followed through with the donation process, smiling the entire way through. Her countless moments of selflessness have given a patient and family hope for the future. Azka has since become a crucial part of the Thaakat team, bolstering our efforts wherever we go. It was such a great feeling to know that from just that small little procedure, I had possibly saved someones life. It is amazing how small things can make a big difference. I never expected that a year after signing up for the Bone Marrow Registry, I would actually be donating. I hope to continue to help those in need in any way that I can. -Azka Asif

What To date, Thaakats would you do if given the opportunity tonearly campaign has added save a life? 1,300 individuals to the National Registry!

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Hurricane Sandy Relief

In Memory of Vishwaja Muppa
Vishwaja Muppa, a member of Thaakat Stony Brooks public relations committee, died early on the morning of October 30th. Twenty-one year old Vishwaja was a casualty in a car accident in Port Jefferson Station. Power outages attributed to Hurricane Sandy left the intersection of Route 347 and Route 112 pitch-black at 1:30 a.m. that Tuesday morning, and a Suffolk police car broadsided Vishwajas vehicle. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Three other students in the car were injured, one of whom is in critical condition at SBU hospital. Set to graduate with a Masters degree in biology this spring, Vishwaja aspired to be a doctor. Vishwajas friend and classmate Jaspreet Benipal describes her as kind-hearted, selfless, always ready to help a friend in need, in a Facebook message. She was just an amazing person [who] would always drop what she was doing, and go out of her way to help meShe always knew how to brighten my day. To honor her life, Thaakat and the Muppa family initiated the Sandy Relief campaign. During the initial stages of the campaign, Thaakat had sent food donations to the Salvation Army of Plainfield, New Jersey to help with Sandy Relief as Plainfield was heavily impacted by the hurricane. Many families lost their homes, weeks of electricity, food, and clothing to name a few. Residents of Plainfield were not able to report to work for weeks, and are have been affected by the loss of several weeks pay. On December 22, 2012, Thaakat, with the help of many caring supporters, was able to gather $2,000 for the Plainfield Salvation Army. Major Verna LaSalle, Corps Officer, was grateful of the funds gathered. Before Thaakat stepped in to help with Sandy Relief, LaSalle had informed us that they helped over 450 families and 1,000 children recover from the devastation of Hurricane Sandy. The Salvation Army of Plainfield has reached out to meet residents' different needs. They have provided food, clothing, toys, house-hold supplies, and Christmas trees to families and children. However, there is still need for more aid and volunteers. Major LaSalle was extremely thankful to the Muppa family for honoring Vishwajas life by making positive impact on the life of others. The funds gathered by Thaakat will allow the Salvation Army to continue in their mission to aid the victims of the hurricane and help build a better community in the town of Plainfield. Our chapters showed a great deal of support for our Sandy Relief efforts. They all helped raise funds in their own different ways. Some highlight events included a basketball tournament held by Rutgers New Brunswick, a "Henna Night" fundraiser organized by our Atlanta chapter and a bake sale at Stony Brook University in Long Island, New York.

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Local Volunteerism & Outreach

Spring 2012: Volunteering at New York Asian Womens Center (Queens, New York)
Every spring we volunteer at the New York Asian Womens Center to bring a change of pace to the women and children there. It is here that weve adopted a Peace Garden where we plant herbs, vegetables, and flowers that the women and children can tend to during the year and incorporate into their everyday meals in the kitchen! This year, the children were ever more anxious to see us. One young girl even dressed up in a sparkling gown sharing that she only puts it on for special guests. The event is so important for us and we are thankful for the opportunity to work with them. It is at events like these that we are brought to the realization that domestic violence is so prevalent and thriving, even in our very own neighborhoods, and we must support the courageous women who have the will to leave their situations. Our generous sponsor Abir Salim at REMIII also donated beautiful jewelry pieces for all of the women.

Fall 2012: Volunteering at Kiddie Camp Keep Well (Edison, New Jersey)
On Saturday, October 13th, 2012, Thaakat volunteers spent an afternoon at Kiddie Keep Well Camp in Edison, NJ where they played games with kids and participated in arts and crafts activities with seniors. A special shout-out to Anthonys Coal-Fired Pizza for providing lunch! A few words from Talyah Basit, a Thaakat volunteer at the event: It was a wonderful experience, volunteering with such nice people! The children were excited to be playing outside on such a lovely day [and] listening to them talk was an enlightening experience in [and of] itself.But socializing with the seniors proved to be the most insightful segment What I remember best is [another senior's] persistent refusal to partake in the pumpkin activities. He used to decorate them with his wife [who passed away] and it was too painful for him to continue without her To be young and full of the promise of tomorrow is a gift, but one that we do not all realize or fully appreciate. Thaakat gave us the opportunity to communicate with others, to hopefully brighten their days as they enlightened ours. Kiddie Keep Well Camp, established in 1924, provides a pretty amazing residential camping experience for low-income children and activities for seniors. There are tons for the kids to do: swimming, storytelling, nature activities, sports; you name it. In 1983, Kiddie Keep Well began offering a similar experience for seniors, which includes five days of health and wellness, support activities, and fun and games.

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Sometimes we get so wrapped up in lifes situations. Thank you for visiting us and helping us to forget the hard times for a day.
-Senior at Kiddie Keep Well Camp

Winter 2012: Volunteering at at Hamdard Center (Chicago, Illinois)

Our annual volunteer event Good2Gether with the seniors at Hamdard Center in Chicago has become such a wonderful tradition to look forward to. The attendance has grown from a few seniors and volunteers when we first began visiting to nearly 50 seniors and dozens of volunteers who come together to enjoy each others company. The morning opened with holiday crafts and games, a favorite being musical chairs! Lunch was served as our Thaakat volunteers sang carols and engaged in conversation with the seniors. It is such a great feeling to visit with them and talk about life over generations and cultures. There is such a wealth of knowledge and cheer that is to be gained from these annual gatherings. Thank you to Hamdard Center for allowing us to come back every year.

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Fundraisers
Dinner for Dreams (Chicago, Illinois)
Thaakat held its Annual Charity Benefit Dinner in Chicago called Dinner for Dreams in August of 2012 to fundraise for the Dreams for Kachra Kundi project. The evenings program expanded to not only include delicious food among delightful company, but also the renowned comedian and master of performance, Abbas Ratani. It was an evening full of food and laughter among friends and family as Abbas approached guests, table after table, allowing himself to get to know the crowd personally. The evening concluded with a silent auction from countless sponsors ranging from high-profile sports teams including the Chicago Bears and Chicago Bulls, to exquisite designer clothing from Sana Durvesh Khan. The auction alone raised over $2,000! With nearly 200 guests in attendance that night, our collective efforts raised just over $7,500 for our school in Kachra Kundi, Pakistan. These funds were used to fuel the childrens eager souls that were ready to learn, and provided the resources necessary to begin the next phase of the project: the school expansion by five additional classrooms.

In collective efforts, we raised just over $7,500 for our school in Kachra Kundi!

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A Mid-Autumn Nights Dream (Woodbridge, New Jersey)

The autumn season brought in a new wave of fundraising spirit as the winds blew eastward from Chicago to New Jersey. The Thaakat team on the east coast hosted a fundraising gala on October 4, 2012 to benefit the Dreams for Kachra Kundi project. A wide community of young professionals were in attendance, giving them an opportunity to mix and mingle while benefiting a great cause. The dinner was organized by a special group of Thaakats young professionals called the Dream Team, who volunteered their time alongside the National Board and other volunteers, to host an incredible night of fun with a live DJ, raffle prizes, musical performances, comedy, and a silent auction. The night included everything from a chartbuster artist from Japan to the laughter-inducing jokes of Saad Haroon, and the most mouthwatering dessert tables weve ever laid our eyes on. Prized auction items included photography sessions to even a pair of signed boxing gloves by none other than famed English boxer Amir Khan! A spectacular night of dreams to remember, indeed.

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Ballin 4 Books 3rd Annual Charity Basketball Tournament (Oakbrook, Illinois)

Ballin 4 Books was Thaakat Foundations 3rd annual charity basketball tournament in 2012, which raised funds for the Dreams for Kachra Kundi project. The tournament commenced on November 17th at the Oak Brook Park District. Each year, teams begin preparation to undergo what is considered to be two days of grueling competition, showing up early mornings, half-awake and leaving in the evening wide-eyed and exhausted. To keep spirits high, many fans arrived with signs not only to shore up their favorite teams, but to also support the Kachra Kundi campaign. To get further involvement from the crowd, a nail biting free throw contest was held with a twist this time; everyone got a second chance. There were plenty of other activities to participate in such as the raffle prizes, picture booth, bags, and more. Many of the board members and volunteers (affectionately known as Thaakateers) tended to score keeping, serving food and drinks, taking pictures, and anything else needed to make this yet another one of Thaakats successful event. At the end of the day (or two), Team Shabab walked away as champions. Nonetheless, no team truly acknowledged defeat as each dribble of the ball on the court represented a bounce closer to literacy. All proceeds that were generated were from registration fees of $250, food sales, Thaakat accessories, and of course our beloved sponsors. So where did all the money go? For the purchase of books and school related expenses for students who have been unfairly destined to a life ubiquitous poverty. But the fight doesnt end here. As long as there is a need, Thaakat will continue to hold their ever improving tournaments every year for as long as it takes. Now thats Ballin!

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Will You Speak Up?

The United Nations defines violence against women as "any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or mental harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life." This year we launched an initiative called Break the Silence. the goal of this campaign is to bring awareness to the rising crisis of violence against women. In many countries where there is a lack of literacy, equal rights, and punishment, this has become known as the "unreported epidemic", "the best kept secret" and a "cry for justice". Zarina Ramzan was happily married with an infant. The attractive 18-year-old had caught the eye of her neighbor, Nazar Hussain. When she rebuffed his advances, he reacted by throwing acid on her face on July 7, 2002. Her eyelids, nose and lower lip were badly mutilated. Today, after undergoing 11 surgeries she is barely able to regain her basic senses. Thousands of women like Zarina experience similarly horrific cases every year by acid and kerosene stoves. One organization has counted 8,000 victims in the last 15 years. Although acid is restricted for sale on the street-side markets, one can easily get a hold of it for just a few dollars by the gallon and it has become one of the cheapest ways to attack women. This horrible deed can be done over something as silly as a bad meal, a disagreement over chores or even- for looking beautiful. Unfortunately, the punishment is often not fitting of the crime. Please help us as we go full force with the initiative in 2013. Help us by speaking up. Help us to let these women know that they are not alone.

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1 IN 3 WOMEN GLOBALLY WILL EXPERIENCE ABUSE IN THEIR LIFETIME, OFTEN AT THE HANDS OF A PARTNER.

[STATISTICS FROM AROUND THE WORLD]

"VIOLENCE IS A BIGGER
Violence against women is widespread and a large cause of morbidity and mortality among women.
THREAT TO THE HEALTH OF WOMEN AGES 15-49 THAN CANCER, MALARIA AND TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS COMBINED.

"

-RESCUE.ORG

I'm 23 years old. The same age as the girl in India who was gang raped recently, and the first thing I thought when I read the story was- that could have been me.

"Perpetrators of violence against women are rarely held accountable for their acts. Women who are victims of gender-related violence often have little recourse because many state agencies are themselves guilty of gender bias and discriminatory practices."

-Amnesty International

80% OF HUMAN TRAFICCING VICTIMS ARE WOMEN.

It hurts knowing that women all around the world are being physically and emotionally abused, and this issue is not going away. This cause is so important for everyone to take part in because its something we can all relate to. Everyone has mothers, aunts, wives, girlfriends no one wants to see them get hurt. Its not easy speaking up but abused women need to know that there ARE people who care and want to help them. We have to speak up to end violence against women so our strength can give another woman the push to raise her voice, and who knows? - That may be enough to cause a chain reaction that will one day break the silence. -Supporter at Thaakat, Anam Dhorajiwala

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What to Expect in 2013

15,000 cans of diet soda were consumed at New York Fashion Week. Our blog had about 62,000 views in 2012. If these were cans of diet soda, theyd power four Fashion Weeks.

In 2012 we launched more than a half dozen issues of the Thaakat Insider, craftily wrote 82 new posts on our blog, gained 100 wonderful fans on Instagram and celebrated 2,000 followers on our Facebook fan page. We love social media because it allows us to keep in touch with all of our supporters & volunteers. Constantly innovating the way we present information to all of you, look out for new initiatives and projects on your favorite social medium! A Sincere Thank You to Sehrish Khan (our Thaakat Insider) and Hira Khan (our Keeper of the Blog) for helping to keep things fresh!

We are going full force with our Break the Silence movement in 2013, hoping it helps our society become more comfortable in addressing the issue of violence against women. Two-thirds of the worlds working hours are worked on by women. Lets empower them.

In 2012, we adopted two communities. One, a hazardous garbage dump with lots of little promises in Kachra Kundi, Karachi, Pakistan and the other, a dry basin of hope called Blama Perri in Sierra Leone, West Africa. In 2013, well be expanding our nine classroom school in Kachra Kundi to 15 classrooms and will be opening our doors to mothers-to-be at our maternity center in Sierra Leone.

Our University Chapters work so hard on a daily basis to juggle school, work, internships, exams---and Thaakat! From bone marrow registration drives to exciting fundraisers and volunteering events, look out for news on how they bring lots of GOOD on campuses nationwide.

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Thank You!
$1,000+ Alber Ahmed APPNA Faraz Hamedani Laila Jaffry Masooma Zakir Rana Omer Ahmed & Danya Saleh Pakistani Students Association- Rutgers University Ruhail Moffat Sandeep Mehta Aftab Rizvi Thaakat Atlanta Thaakat Rutgers New Brunswick Thaakat Univerisyt of Illinois-Chicago Thaakat University of Illinois Urbana-Champange Urooj Yawer Wahaj Tariq Waqar Khokar $500+ Abir Salim Arif and Hamida Makda Fahad Haroon and Family Farooq Gandhi Faryal Parvez Imran & Danielle Ali Maliha Qureshy Mehwish Issa Salim Bawany Family Sanjay and Dhanya Patel Sarah Khan Syed and Waheeda Anwar Tasleem & Shayan Gaziani Usman & Amira Amjad $300+ Aarish Mustafa Abdul Ahad Rangoonwala Amena Ahmed & Sadat Shaikh Aisha Memon Ayaz Ahmed Ayub and Sabreena Azam Family Bokhari Family Faraz and Zara Ahmed nd Ms. Sameeha Qureshi and her 2 Grade Classroom Nighat Sayeed Shazia Hasan Sufyian Moten Syed and Sofia Salim Zeenat Mannan Corporate Contributors AT&T Bank of America BMO Harris Draft fcb Gelber Foundation Google Exxon Mobile JP Morgan Chase Bank Northwest Community Bank Pfizer Inc. UBS A Big Thank You To Our Amazing Sponsors Aada Boutique Adara Photography and Makeup AMR Catering Anthonys Coal-Fired Pizza APPNA AVCS AYAN productions Benedictine Rotaract Brunswick Boxing & Fitness Chicago Bulls CL Lodge and Suites Cole Taylor Bank ComedySportz CPX Sports Dave and Busters Dunkin Donuts Enterprise Rent A Car- Syed Zaidi Erum Ahmed Improv Comedy Clubs Inara's Closet InterContinental Limosines Italian Express Kamal Law Firm Krispy Krunchy Chicken - Chicago Laaj Studios Nada Rashid Nida Abbasi NJS Global Logistics Corp Patrick Rivers Per Desi Grocers Perdesi Grocers Platinum Weddings and Events Profound Asthetics Qalam Productions Raj Photo Video REMIII Reza's Saad Haroon Sana Durvesh Khan Sarah Khan Shirt Company Silk Road Skydeck Chicago SPEX Spyder Technology Studio 615 Silk Road Skydeck Chicago SPEX Spyder Technology Studio 615 Sweet Bread Factory Westmont Motors Zainab D Zanies Comedy Club ZSTAR Network Media Sponsors and Charity Partners APPNA Charities Americana Generation Ginger Hamdard Center Idara Al Khair The More Than Tomorrow Foundation NYAWC Salvation Army of Plainfield NJ Trinity United Methodist Church Urdu Times 2012 Annual Event Leads Saad Bawany Ruhail Moffat Azka Asif Eraj Din Mehwish Issa Mujtaba Rashid

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Thaakat Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization. www.thaakat.wordpress.com

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