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This report illustrates of the major
activities amid last six months
pertaining to Sahara Fund Programme
which was initiated for the affected
families soon after the tragic suicide
attack on Islamabad Marriot Hotel on
September 20, 2008
PROGRESS REPORT
Social Welfare Department
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Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 2
2. RELIEF AND REHABILITATION ................................................................................... 3
3. SUMMARY REPORT OF TOTAL FAMILIES ............................................................... 3
4. SUMMARY REPORT OF CHILDRENS ACADEMIC LEVEL ................................... 4
5. ACHIEVEMENTS ................................................................................................................ 4
6. FUND DISBURSEMENTOF SAHARA FUND (JULY-DEC, 2012) ............................... 5
7. FUND DISBURSEMENT FOR SMALL BUSINESS INITIATIVES AND SKILL ....... 6
TRAINING (JULY TO DECEMBER 2012) ...................................................................... 6
8. DONORS AND DONATION ............................................................................................... 6
9. TOTAL DONATION RECEIVED AND FUND DISBURSMENT .................................. 6
10. PROGRESS ........................................................................................................................... 7
11. FINDINGS OF THE IMPACT ASSESMENT STUDY .................................................... 7
12. MAJOR FINDING OF THE STUDY ................................................................................. 7
13. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FINDINGS ...................................................................... 8
14. SUCCESS STORIES ............................................................................................................ 9
I. SUCCESS STORY OF AFTAB MEHMOOD .......................................................................................... 9 I. SUCCESS STORY OF AZHAR MEHMOOD ....................................................................................... 10
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1. INTRODUCTION
The Sahara Fund was initiated by the Hashoo Group and Hashoo Foundation to provide
relief and rehabilitation of those affected by the Marriott Hotel Islamabad bomb blast of
September 20, 2008, killing at least 54 people and injuring at least 266.
The management of Hashoo Group and Hashoo Foundation took immediate action by
devising a concrete plan for relief and rehabilitation of the victims. These efforts were
coordinated and executed within the overall relief and rehabilitation plan with the
collaboration of donor governments, non-governmental and international organizations.
A mechanism for fund disbursement was prepared resulting in 59 families getting
medical, financial and educational assistance since 2009, under Sahara Fund Programme.
Each familys position has been evaluated in an attempt to abet them in achieving the
same income level they had prior to the explosion. Specific policies and procedures have
been developed by the Social Welfare department of Hashoo Foundation, for the
recipients of the affected families who collect disbursement from the Sahara Fund.
Distinct groups have been created in accordance with the family needs that were
established through individual interviews with family members to review their
dependence and level of poverty. These groups are then used to categorize recipient.
The categories of victims were grouped under the following categories:
A. Deceased hotel staff
B. Deceased outsiders
C. Injured staff with disabilities
D. Injured outsiders with disabilities
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2. RELIEF AND REHABILITATION
The following relief and rehabilitation measures were taken immediately after the
tragic incident by Hashoo Foundation:
1. Hashoo Foundation supported all affected staff and outsiders in terms of medical
treatment in government as well as in the best private hospitals.
2. Hashoo Foundation provided transport to injured staff and outsiders from
Islamabad to their homes in far-flung areas.
3. Hashoo Foundation developed a support system for the families of the affected
staff and outsiders who died and to those who became disabled and are unable to
work.
The relief and rehabilitation measures were taken as per the criteria executed as
followings:
A. Nature of disability and severity of injury of the staff and outsiders.
B. Number of dependent and economic condition of the family in terms of family
size and a reliable source of income.
C. Extend of needs of the family.
3. SUMMARY REPORT OF TOTAL FAMILIES
S.N Categories Base line
Number Current
1 Deceased Staff 31 30
2 Injured Staff 3 1
3 Deceased Outsider 17 11
4 Injured Outsider 8 2
5 Pearl Continental Peshawar
Deceased Staff 4 4
6 Total 63 48
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5. ACHIEVEMENTS
- 3 beneficiaries are successfully running their small business and on track towards
self-sustainability.
- 2 beneficiaries trained on beautician and chic work are inclined to initiate their
own self-sustainability initiatives.
- 3 beneficiaries successfully phased out from Sahara Fund after initiating their own
business.
- 2 more beneficiaries are planning to establish their own business once their small
business plan is approved.
- 1 beneficiary got a job in a renowned national school at Islamabad, Pakistan and
earning sufficient income to sustain himself and his family.
- 45 families are still getting support out of 63 families.
- 18 children are getting college level education (Intermediate level, Class 11th and
12th
)
- 30 children are getting university level education (Both graduation and Master
level classes) and some have completed their graduation degree.
4. SUMMARY REPORT OF CHILDRENS ACADEMIC LEVEL
Gender Attending
School
Attending
College
Attending
University
Total Number
of Students
Male 63 7 16 86
Female 67 11 14 92
Total 130 18 30 178
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6. FUND DISBURSEMENT OF SAHARA FUND (JULY-DEC, 2012)
S.N Categories of Beneficiaries Number of
Beneficiaries
Total Amount
PKR
USD Value
US $1=
PKR. 98
1 Deceased Staff 30 2579500 26,266.33
2 Injured Staff 01 52800 8,101.22
3 Deceased Outsider 11 793920 538.78
4 Injured Outsider 02 145000 1,479.59
5 Deceased Staff ( P.C Hotel
Peshawar) 04 361000 3,683.67
6 Grand Total 48 3932,220 $40,069.59
Monthly Payment details from July to December, 2012
Months Total Amount in PKR USD Value
US $1= PKR. 98
July 562,220 5,736.94
August 726,520 7,413.47
September 799,620 8,159.39
October 614,620 6,271.63
November 614,620 6,271.63
December 614,620 6,271.63
Total 3932,220 $40,124.69
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7. FUND DISBURSEMENT FOR SMALL BUSINESS INITIATIVES AND
SKILL TRAINING (July to December 2012)
Categories of
Beneficiaries Number
Business Type &
Training
Total Amount
PKR
USD Value
US $1=
PKR. 98
Deceased Staff 1 General Store 90,000 918.37
Deceased out sider 1 Dairy Business 86,400 881.63
Injured out sider 1 Dairy Business 85,000 867.35
Deceased Staff 2 Beautician & Chic
Training 26,500 270.41
Total 5 -- 287,900 $2,937.76
8. DONORS AND DONATION
9. TOTAL DONATION RECEIVED AND FUND DISBURSEMENT
Donors Donation Received PKR. USD Value
US $1= PKR. 98
Marriott International 23,632,730 241,150.31
Hashoo Group 1,201,921 12,264.50
Hashoo Group Employee 3,950,800 40,314.29
UCH Power ( Pvt) Ltd 500,000 5,102.04
Pakistan Bait-Ul- Mal 2,000,000 20,408.16
Others 6,489,602 66,220.43
Total 37,775,053 $385,459.72
Fund Total Amount in PKR USD Value
US $1= PKR. 98
Total fund received 37,775,053 385,459.70
Fund disbursed till June,
2012 since inception 25,274,966 25,7907.80
Fund disbursed from July
to December, 2012 3,932,220 40,124.69
Total fund disbursement 29,207,186 $298,032.50
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10. PROGRESS
Social Welfare Programme (SWP) team conducts assessment of the Sahara Fund
beneficiaries periodically. The prime objectives of the assessments are to evaluate the
effectiveness of the programme and to measure the impact of the financial assistance on
the lives of the beneficiaries as well as their future sustainability plan. Keeping these
objectives in mind, recent impact assessment of the Sahara Fund beneficiaries was
conducted by Social Welfare programme in May, 2012.
11. FINDINGS OF THE IMPACT ASSESSMENT STUDY
According to the impact assessment study of Sahara Fund Beneficiaries, it was observed
that most part of the fund is being utilized on the childrens education which would not
possible to be carried out without the continued support of Hashoo Foundation. As per
the study, all the assessed Sahara Fund Beneficiaries have been categorized as, those
who need long term support; those who need to be phased out who are financially sound
and medically rehabilitated those have been identified for different professional skill
trainings/courses. We have also identified some beneficiaries who have business
potentials and want to start their own small scale business in order to become self-reliant.
These beneficiaries need to be provided with the initial investment and training related to
the relevant business operation.
12. MAJOR FINDING OF THE STUDY
- 11 individual have been found for skill training (embroidery, sewing, beautician,
electrician etc.)
- 12 beneficiaries have been identified for small scale business to run their own
set up (livelihood, general store, parlor etc.
- 15 of families are already sound financially and self-sustained
- 5 patient rehabilitated/recovered and went back to their work places
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- 8 families have been identified for short term assistance and need to be phased
out shortly
- 17 families have been identified for long term assistance they are include small
children and mothers with no income ,old aged and suffering from some
diseases
13. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FINDINGS
As per the recommendations and findings of the study, two (2) beneficiaries have been
given training on beautician and chic work and some have been provided lump sum
amount to initiate small home based business so that they could go ahead towards self-
sustainability. Three (3) beneficiaries have successfully initiated their own small
business and have been smoothly running their business for the last four months. Two (2)
of them were facilitated in purchasing milk giving cow and one of them was facilitated in
initiating general store. In addition, the amount of monthly financial assistance to
eighteen (18) vulnerable beneficiaries of Sahara Fund has been increased who were
needed long term support and had been recommended as per the findings of the recent
impact assessment study of the Sahara Fund Programme.
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14. SUCCESS STORIES
i. Success story of Aftab Mehmood
Muhammad Din (late) who belongs to the remote area of Okaran, District Punjab, was
working as a CC TV operator at Islamabad
Marriott Hotel when a suicide bomber attacked
Marriott Hotel on the eve of 20th
September,
2008. Muhammad Din lost his life leaving his
family in financial hardships. As he was the
sole bread winner of his family and due to his
sudden death all his responsibilities shifted on
the shoulders of his son Aftab Mehmood.
Hashoo Group has always considered all its
employees as family.
Hashoo Foundation was truly disappointed and
moved by this horrifying incident. Keeping in view the financial problems and needs of
struggling families, Hashoo Foundation
introduced Sahara Fund Policy in which the
families like Muhammad Din have been
providing with the monthly financial
assistance since 2009.
In order to get self-sustainability and financial
independence, Mr. Aftab Mehmood and his
brother expressed their desire to initiate their
own general store. For this purpose, Hashoo
Foundation provided a lump sum amount of
Rs 90,000 ($918) to start their business of
grocery store named, Rana General Store
located in Sadiqabad, Rawalpindi.
As per the survey of Social Welfare Team, Aftab Mehmood has been earning a net profit
of Rs 600 ($6.12) per day.
While interview, he said that he was looking forward to expand his business as he has
been earning a considerable amount of profit. Furthermore, Aftab and his brother are
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very much satisfied with their business. They are thankful to Hashoo Foundation for its
tremendous support. Hashoo Foundation played a great role in getting their peace and
dreams back.
If tears could build a stair way and memories a lane, I'd walk right up to heaven and
bring you home again. (Dedicated to Hashoo Foundation)
i. Success story of Azhar Mehmood
The times in life, that seems to be worst, always turn out for the best.
Azhar Mehmood a young, talented and dynamic Kashmiri, who had a dream to remove
the haunting woes of poverty from the life of his family. His dream fulfilled when got
married with his love Rasila Bibi. In order to provide his family a better and a quality
life, he travelled to Islamabad and joined a company as a security guard situated next to
Marriott Hotel Islamabad. But who knows the life will take such revenge from him. All
his dreams of leading a happy life remained a dream for him when a suicide bomber
attacked Marriott Hotel Islamabad and he badly injured losing his right eyes, and got his
liver damaged.
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During this time of helplessness and grief, the Hashoo Foundation played a role by
supporting the family. Due to severe liver and internal injuries, doctors had prescribed
him medical treatment. Hashoo Foundation financially supported with respect to all his
medical expenditures. Currently, he has recovered from his internal injuries but
permanently lost his right eyes sight.
However, he did not lose his
courage. As per Sahara Fund policy
Azhar and his family have been
provided with the medical as well as
financial assistance on monthly basis
since 2009 to help his family could
cope with the financial hardships.
Few months ago Hashoo
Foundations team had made a visit
and encouraged the young couple
towards self-sustainability.
Azhar and his wife, Rasila expressed their desire to initiate their own milk selling
business by purchasing milk giving cow. Hashoo Foundation encouraged him by
accepting his request and provided lump sum amount for the purpose of purchasing cow.
According to our follow up visit, the cow gives 8 kilograms of milk per day out of which
he sells 4 kilograms in the market. Today, he earns comparatively more income than that
of the monthly financial assistance had been provided by Hashoo Foundation. Azhar is
very thankful to Hashoo Foundation and Social Welfare Team for their immense support.
Hashoo Foundation has achieved a great mile stone by helping an affected family
become self-sustained.