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Mission

Rock It with Thaakat www.thaakat.wordpress.com

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Table of Contents

Message from the Executive Director Who We Are Local Projects 2010 Global Projects 2010 Message from the Global Needs Ambassador Waste Management Project Pakistan Flood Relief Global Projects 2011 Project GreenLight India Treasurers Report Support

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Message From the Executive Director

Thaakat Foundation was established officially as a 501c3 nonprofit organization in October of 2008. We are a rather small team from small beginnings. The effort started from a gathering one night where a few friends decided that we would be on board with establishing a serious but fun charity effort. We wanted an effort that allowed youth to give back to their communities, something that allowed us to show that we can indeed make a difference. From late night meetings to parading ourselves across events and campuses in the Chicagoland area to gain support, we have been on the reigns of a non-stop campaign. Today, we have expanded to gain the support of two chapters in New Jersey. Throughout this time we came to find that not only were there South Asians in need abroad but that there was much in service and care we could give to our local communities. From cheerful luncheons with the elderly at Hamdard Center to sharing is caring lessons with elementary school kids, we wanted to show people that the importance of work across boundaries, generations, and cultures was so important to maintaining a society of tolerance and love. Thaakats goal is to create a charity effort that is fresh, young and fun. To promote a movement of good that youth can relate to. We want young South Asians to realize the impoverished state of affairs of the underprivileged in our home countries of South Asia. There is no better way to be proud of our culture than to encourage the people in need who help our colorful traditions and countries to thrive and succeed. Our entire board drives our charity efforts in full gear on a 100% volunteer basis to ensure that everything which is donated goes straight to our charitable causes. From providing warmth to the victims of the flood this winter to bringing cleanliness and sustainable income to a community of 3,500 people, Thaakat Foundation strives to bring hope to those that need it. Hearing of the everyday stories, seeing the pictures and imagining the condition of poverty in South Asia has been difficult. Somewhere in a dugout of retreating water there is a girl named Uzma in our home countries. As I wake up in the morning from my comfortable bed, she is securing herself near a tree branch waiting for the next announcement of food packages. I leave my home in my car to attend my day of work so that I may earn myself an income. However, she is living by the hour wondering how she will make it through the day. As I ponder about how I will spend my weekend, she is wondering what day of the week it is, with sunrise and sunset being the only attachment she has to reality. As global society becomes more intelligent and capable of accessing information, let us be proactive. The truth is that the region and its people have ambitions just like the rest of us. They want to prosper, industrialize and take a stand on the global economics podium. The people want to educate themselves and earn better living standards for their families. Please continue to help us to help others. Thank you so much for all of your love and support, it has inspired us to continue our work for years to come. Sincerely,

Uzma Bawany Executive Director | Thaakat Foundation

Who We Are
Uzma Bawany | Founder, Executive Director Ammara Bokhari | Global Needs Ambassador Denish Ghayal | Strategic Planner Mahreen Younus | Treasurer Amreena Khan | Public Relations Mohammed Ali | Investment Management Nudrat Zoha | Sponsorship Management Ridha Khalid | Sponsorship Management Mazin Malik | Sponsorship Management Puja Patel I Board Assistant Sarah Khan I Board Assistant Nafia Khan I Board Assistant Umaymah Syed l Vice President 2010 Term Sara Khan l Sponsorship Chair 2009-2010 Term

New Jersey Executive Leads 2010

Syed Murad Ali | Founding President at Rutgers University, NJ Nabiha Ahmed | 2010 President at Rutgers New Brunswick, NJ Marium Soomro | 2010-2011 President at Rutgers Newark, NJ Ridah Mannan | 2011 President at Rutgers New Brunswick, NJ

Local Volunteering 2010

This past year we arranged approximately ten unique volunteering events for our local communities, majority of them being South Asian, in the Chicago metro and New York tri state area. Here are a few highlights:

12-2009: Holiday Decorating at Chateau Center (Elmhurst, IL): Working across religious and cultural borders, Thaakat aims to share the importance of unity and diversity. Bringing holiday cheer to the residents of Chateau Center Nursing Home, we gleefully decked out their activity room with Christmas decorations, worked with them to make their own gingerbread men and left with joyful spirit and cheer!

03-2010: Alameda Center (Neward, NJ): Lo and behold we discovered a nursing home in central New Jersey that dedicated an entire floor to South Asian residents. Full with B4U, cultural dishes and familiar backgrounds, the residents had everything they needed, except new company. We made a few new friends; singing, dancing, and painting with the elderly!

04-2010: Hero of the Day and Murals at Hamdard Center (Chicago IL): Hamdard Center is a wonderful institution which serves the South Asian and Bosnian communities in Chicago. Wanting to give the residents fresh new surroundings, we partnered with AT Kearney and purchased wall murals, bringing some serene dcor to their activity rooms. We also spent time with the children making puppets!

06-2010: Garden for Good at the Manhattan Asian Womens Shelter (NYC, NY): Housing women and children on the escape from abusive relationships, we wanted to provide them with a hobby to take their mind off their lifes struggles. We asked the directors here what the residents enjoyed doing most. When we heard they took a liking to gardening, we went out and purchased all of the colorful and tasty delights we could. In a few months, the residents had brought to life tasty herbs, peppers and vegetables.

07-2010: Childrens activity at the Manhattan Asian Womens Shelter (NYC, NY): In the last ten years, this shelter has more than tripled the number of South Asian residents looking for comfort. Unfortunately with such fast growth, the staff hasnt been able to provide them with all of the resources and help they need. We were able to finally provide these women with a route of communication and friendship. Thaaka ts chapter at Rutgers University visited throughout the year to give them some introductory lessons in English!

10-2010: Lets Diwali at Alameda Center (NJ)- The last time we visited the center, the residents sent us away in tears. We figured the best time to return was to celebrate a joyous occasion with them. With a packed house of volunteers, we worked with the wonderful residents to make their own dias and provided them with an afternoon of acapella music to some of their favorite Hindi songs.

11-2010: Thanksgiving with the Elderly at Hamdard Center, (Chicago IL): Every year, The Thaakat team has made it a tradition to spend time giving thanks with the elderly South Asian residents at Hamdard Center. With help from Italian Express and gracious donations, we were able to provide the residents with a full thanksgiving feast!

Global Projects 2010

Message from the Global Needs Ambassador
2010 was an epic year for the progression of Thaakats Global Division. In 2009, we had established a successful recycling camp in the village of Jawali, India. Through a partnership with New York based organization, More Than Tomorrow, villagers were taught how to turn discarded paper products into recycled paper, which were bound into journals and sold for the communitys direct benefit. Perhaps it was this very project that inspired us to focus on self-sustaining environmental friendly projects in South Asia. And so we came across a small village in the Faisalabad district of Pakistan called Gutwala that desperately yearned for a clean-up. The village of 3,500 residents needed a waste management program to keep their surroundings clean and teach the villagers recycling techniques for proactive community development. We partnered with Tasawar Waris of Green Gold Foundation in successfully helping restore the village and promote a green lifestyle. In late July, Pakistan was heavily hit by monsoon rains and the country soon became submerged in severe flooding. It was, and still is the worst flood in its history and has affected nearly 20 million people. Thaakat knew it had to reach out immediately, and quick. Syed Sana Ullah managed and led our global volunteer team in Pakistan through organized distribution efforts, providing direct aid to victims of the floods. It began in the city of Sadiqabad, where several victims from surrounding flooded villages were being brought to for refuge. The citys road sides, open lots, and bridges were filled with families who had lost everything in the floods. Sana eagerly gathered a team of six to ten courageous volunteers in the city and thus began Thaakats flood relief efforts in Pakistan. Our donors were generous and our Iftaar Dinner Benefits in Chicago and New Jersey were very successful in raising funds to help the victims. Beginning in August, our global volunteer team made several visits throughout the year to various flooded villages. There were three major weekend-long distributions that were conducted and several smaller ones where Sana and his team helped local victims, providing mineral water to them almost daily. Our flood relief efforts played a major role in the expansion of our Global Division and we hope to continue them throughout the future. I would like to thank everyone who has been in support of Thaakat Foundation- whether you are a donor, sponsor, volunteer, faithful Facebook friend, avid Twitter follower, or frequent blog reader- your contributions and support have traveled a long way and have helped hundreds upon hundreds of families. I would also like to send a special heartfelt thank you to our amazing global volunteer team led by Syed Sana Ullah. Every smile that Thaakat helped bring, every life that Thaakat helped change, every ounce of hope that Thaakat helped restore, has been thanks to all of you. We may be small but our vision is big. Our efforts are sincere as we continue our global projects in South Asia. One step at a time, they will lead to greater things and help in bringing about greater change. 2010 was indeed a great year for Thaakat Foundation as we helped many in need thanks to our generous supporters and spirited volunteers. We excitedly look forward to 2011 and the new projects we have launched! We hope you will continue to be a part of helping pave the road to a brighter future! Sincerely,

Ammara Bokhari Global Needs Ambassador | Thaakat Foundation

Waste Management Project

Village of Gutwala, Faisalabad, Pakistan April December 2010 To combat the environmental issue of waste management in Pakistan, Thaakat Foundation partnered with Green Gold Foundation to help clean the village of Gutwala and teach its residents how to recycle and compost solid waste- leading to a cleaner, healthier environment.

Before Clean-Up

After Clean-Up

HOW WE HELPED:
Nearly 3,500 people were helped and taught environmentally friendly solid waste management techniques. Local villagers who were unable to support their families were hired on a full-time basis and trained on waste collection and how to use the machinery and equipmentcomposting and recycling 95% of the waste from their village. The machines and recycling processes allowed residents to gather their garbage and compost organic waste while reselling inorganic waste. The profit made from recycling went towards sponsoring the education of children in the community who could not afford to attend school.

WHAT WE DID:

Thaakat covered machinery and overhead salary and training of villagers for a year-long term. We promoted green and clean living environments, changed attitudes and brought hope to the community of Gutwala.

RESULTS:
The village of Gutwala has been able to bring thousands of rupees of profit back to the community. See the monetary breakdown on the next page, detailing returns the village made from gathered waste items. The grounds that have been cleaned are now being used for weddings, agriculture and construction of real estate. In addition to cleaning the land, the village was also able to clean over 20,000 feet of drains to provide cleaner water for drinking and irrigation support.

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Total Resources Recovered (Rupees) Inorganic Detail Total Paper Bottle Glass Mirror Bone Bottle Silver Tin Rags Plastic White Plastic Color Plastic Black Shopping Bag (Print) Shopping Bag (Ghee) Shopping Bag (Samika Print) Shopping Bag (Gudee) Shopping Bag (Karak) Shopping Bag (Raper) Shopping Bag (Samika White) Shopping Bag (Dirty) Total 80,885 9,490 8,267 730 20,440 1,825 4,417 365 18,068 29,200 657 5,293 5,110 3,559 45,078 2,811 2,519 2,281 4,471 Rupees 80,884.91 9490 8267.25 730 20440 1825 4416.5 365 18067.5 29200 657 5292.5 5110 3558.75 45077.5 2810.5 2518.5 2281.25 4471.25 245463.4

Cleaned entrances into the village of Gutwala:

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Pakistan Flood Relief

Sadiqabad, Rahimyarkhan, and Baluchistan Regions of Pakistan August 2010 Present Thaakats global volunteer team organized several on-site visits to flood affected regions, providing fast hands-on relief to victims who were severely affected by the floods.

HOW WE HELPED: Our global volunteer team provided hands-on relief through: Free Medical Camp Home reconstruction Distribution of: o Food packages o Mineral water o New clothes o Bedding

WHERE WE HELPED: Sacks Distributed* Guddu Barrage Kot Sabzal Sonmiani Jacobabad Dera Allah Yar Sadiqabad
1 Sack Consisted of: Flour Oil (2L) Sugar Daal Moong Daal Chana Rice Tea Packets (200g) Red Chilli (200g) Salt (200g) Bath Soap Dish Washer Empty Bag (sack) Quantity 1 2 2 1 1 2 1 1 1 2 1 1 12

Volunteer Visit 1 ($3,000)

Detail of Expenditure Mineral Water Bottles Sacks Distributed* Cooked Food Packs Families who received cash Quantity 1950 160 220 3

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Volunteer Visit 2 ($3,000)

Detail of Expenditure Mineral Water Bottles Sacks Distributed* Cooked Food Packs Milk Bottles Medicines Families who received cash Quantity 1800 90 215 122 150 20

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Volunteer Visit 3 ($3,200)

Detail of Expenditure Blankets / Quilts Jackets Ladies Suits Mens Suits Families who received cash Quantity 115 350 475 110 61

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Global Projects 2011

The first week of January 2011 was an exciting one for Thaakat. Our global volunteer team in Pakistan conducted an additional volunteer visit to rural flood affected regions surrounding the Baluchistan district to help villagers combat the harsh winter cold. Brand new blankets, pillows, jackets, and clothes were distributed to families to help keep them warm. Families in very poor conditions were given cash to help start up their lives again. Our volunteer team in Pakistan still continues distribution efforts to provide hands-on relief to flood victims.

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Project GreenLight India

A Mission to Light up a Lifetime In 2011, Thaakat also embarked on a new global project: Project GreenLight India. Our goal was to help light up the village of Pendakwandi, located in the Thane district of India that had zero access to electricity. Like several poor villages across a nation with the highest number of people living without electricity, villagers are left with darkness after sunset. Through a partnership with Greenlight Planet, a US based enterprise that distributes solar powered LED lanterns, Thaakat Foundation was able to provide solar lanterns to 350 families! More than 400 million people do not have access to electricity in India- an issue that continues to be widespread in South Asia. Many poor villagers face its difficulties and in lieu of electricity, resort to the use of kerosene lamps, which is both dangerous and expensive. Solar lanterns are a clean and effective alternative to kerosene lamps and an ideal asset for poor villagers; they are portable, waterproof, and able to provide 16 hours of light after a 4 hour solar charge. Greenlight Planet recently sent 1200 solar lights to flood affected victims in Pakistan. An escape from the days heat, having a light at night holds many advantages for poor villagers: helping children study and learn, adults cook, and workers to travel back and forth to and from work in safety. Thaakat Foundations efforts in this small village were managed by Harshil Parikh, who leads expansion and distribution for Greenlight Planet in India and led our distribution of solar lanterns to 350 families. Previous on-site visits to the village had been conducted, examining the condition of the village, writing down names of families and amounts of lanterns to be distributed to each family. The average monthly household income for each family is around Rs.2000, which is about $44 per month. Thaakat Foundation provided a 50-60% subsidy for the lanterns and the villagers were able to pay Rs.300-350 for them. Subsidizing lanterns for an affordable cost allowed villagers to invest in a product they can use, helping to realize its true value. On the day of distribution, all villagers were gathered in an area and taught how to use the solar lanterns. Harshil explained how he was able to sense a true connection between his team and the villagers. The team stayed with the villagers through the day and into the night, asking questions about their livelihood, their families, and getting to know about their daily lives. The team spent a significant amount of time in each home, ensuring proper installation of the solar panels and the villagers had began using the solar lights as night fell, right away benefiting from its use. I have to say that in all my travels to villages in India so far, this was one of the poorest I have been to, Harshil explained about his visit. This village has absolutely no electricity, is in a very hilly area with no other major infrastructure or access to markets close by. Our goal for 2011 is to adopt a small district in the same area of India and provide 1,000 solar lanterns to poor villagers. There are many villages like Pendakwandi located in remote areas with zero access to electricity and Thaakat hopes to brighten their lives one light at a time.

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Treasurers Report
Where Donations Came From
$2,850.00 $2,000.00 $4,500.00 $1,500.00 $5,000 Flood Relief Dinner Rutgers $5,000 Flood Relief Dinner Chicago Donation Matching Insider reviews Charity Tournament Rutgers general $4,000.00 $3,500.00 $2,000.00 $7,680.00 University events Donation general Sponsors Flood online donations

How Your Donations Helped Us Help Others

$800.00 $500.00 $900.00 $1,100.00 $3,100.00 $11,200.00 $800.00 $2,014.00 Green Gold SWM Flood Relief- Sadiqabad, PK Project Greenlight Flood Relief- Karachi, PK Local Zakaat Donations to Non-Profits $12,700.00 Local Volunteer Projects PR, fees and overhead Charity Fundraising Event

Note: There is a variance in the amount of approximately $5,000 between donations collected and donations distributed. This amount represents the remaining funds that will be fully put towards the Pakistan Flood Relief effort. * As a mandatory requirement of the Islamic faith, every year 2.5% of one's wealth is given away to the poor. This contribution is called Zakaat.

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Support
2010 - 2011 Annual Sponsors: Sahiba Boutique- IL Taj Palace- NJ Mr. Younus Suleman Corporate Donation Matching ($1,000 - $5,000): GlaxoSmith Kline Gelber Foundation ($100 - $500): Exxon Mobile Accelor Pepsi Co Syserco Media Sponsors: Urdu Times Curry Bear 2010 Charity Basketball Tournament Corporate Sponsors: Pita Inn Per Desi Grocers Pita and Kabob Medinah Park District Italian Express Laaj Studios Qalam Designs Best WebCam Tutors 2010 Charity Basketball Tournament Teams: 1st and 3rd Crew Reunited HNIC Outlaws Team Invisible Team Supreme Chicago All Day Speed DePaul Relentless Abu Buckeyes Wing Da Wong Number Biryani Boys Girls Basketball Submission The Big 5

Donors (Over $1,000): Yasir Nagarwala & Hina Ahmed Danya Saleh Sharmeen Younus ($500 - $999): Amna Ali Mahreen Arain Shabbir Ahmed & Asma Siddiqui Shahab Bokhari & Famliy Shazia Hasan Illinois Institute of Technology Pakistani Students Association Samia Malik Sandeep Mehta Altaf Patel Mr. & Mrs. Younus ($250 - $499): Baruch University Pakistani Students Association Saad Bawany College of DuPage Muslim Students Association Lane Tech Muslims Association Zeenat Mannan Ahmad Qadri Mr. Muzammil Siddiqui Shua Siddiqui ZStar Network Anonymous (1) ($100 - $249): A T Kearney Adnan Abbas Amena Ahmed Omer Ahmed Tania Ahmed Vaseem T. Ahmed Hassan Ali Syed Favad Ali Syed Fayyaz Ali Alina Amor Salman Bhagat Mr. & Mrs. Bokhari Jibran Ilyas Shama Ilyas Muneera Imam Mohini Jayswal Mr. Wahid Karim Poonam Radhari Uzma Rana Ajay Raval Alia Sheikh Sidra Siddiqui Syed Sikander Rabia Rizwan Ullah

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