47th "I am paid to learn" school!

The 47th Zindagi Trust "I am paid to learn" school opens up and the 18th school in Karachi were inaugurated in Haryana Colony, Karachi by Mr. Meharban, a social worker. May this be the start of many more good things, Inshallah! Best wishes to all the students.

P.S. To all the visitors, write me a line so I know I'm not talking to myself!!!

To Do List:

1. Download Yahoo Messenger and contribute $1 to Zindagi Trust (ZT):
- Free Pledge will donate $1 to support Zindagi Trust. Click on link below:
http://www.dpbolvw.net/email-1849488-10407991?SID=freepledge68-20.

2. Zindagi Trust’s Wishlist at Amazon:
-http://www.zindagitrust.org/70-free-pledge.asp
-Support ZT by purchasing items from the wishlist. In addition to your generous donation, Free Pledge will donate 4% of your purchases to Zindagi Trust.

3. Free Pledge also supports ZT when you shop online with 80 major retailers such as Amazon, eBay, Drugstore, and others. You pay the normal prices and your donation does not cost you a penny.
- http://zindagitrust.freepledge.com/

4. Besides some clicks on the net, please feel free to write me a line and share your ideas and comments. Remember, there’s not such thing as too many helping hands.

5. Donate! Donate! Donate! Don’t forget to purchase a “United We Stand” wristband. www.zindagitrust.org

6. The easiest thing you can do in this very moment is to make du’a. Alhamdulillah, Allah (swt) has blessed us with good fortune and health. Be grateful for everything in every moment. Remember that belief in Allah (swt) is not just expressed by ‘ibadah’ but also the actions you take to show your gratefulness. Inshallah, I hope we can all have the opportunity to give back in whatever way we can and if not, then to wish that we can make a difference in the future. Ameen.

Take care!

On your hands and knees!

Salaam,

While thinking about Zindagi Trust, the following hadith came to mind:

Narrated Abu Huraira: A man asked the Prophet, "O Allah's Apostle! What kind of charity is the best?" He replied. "To give in charity when you are healthy and greedy hoping to be wealthy and afraid of becoming poor. Don't delay giving in charity til the time when you are on the death bed when you say, 'Give so much to so-and-so and so much to so-and so', and at that time the property is not yours but it belongs to so-and-so (i.e. your inheritors)." [Sahih Bukhari]

I want to share more information and videos about Zindagi Trust. Read it, absorb it and pass it on. Don't forget to dig in and get down on hands and knees if necessary! What you will receive in return will surpass anything you imagined! Inshallah, I pray we all endeavor to do all we can for the sake of Allah (swt). Don't assume someone else will do what you are meant to do!

Who is Shehzad Roy?
Shehzad Roy is one the very famous Pop singers hailing from Karachi, Pakistan. He became a huge hit when he debuted in 1995 with a boisterous and revolutionary approach to Pakistani Pop. In the late 1990s,he became one of the most popular singers in South Asia. Shehzad has been dedicated to the building up of Zindagi Trust, the NGO which springs from his passion for helping impoverished and uneducated children.

The idea for Zindagi Trust came to Shehzad during the creation of the "La illaha illah" song. Shehzad states:

“The most painful for me was the vulnerability of Thar’s children to poverty, malnutrition and poor health. I saw innocent and beautiful children drinking contaminated water from a well where birds and animals were lying dead. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I couldn’t take this image out of my mind. I wanted to help them.” {Thar is a desert in Pakistan}

Shehzad Roy also cashes in on his popularity and charisma by raising funds for disasters like earthquakes and floods in Pakistan. Shehzad Roy combines musical genius with selfless compassion – a combination that has been nothing short of a blessing for everyone who comes in contact with this truly remarkable individual.


Watch the following video on Zindagi Trust, Help a Child:



Uniqueness of the Organization:
Zindagi Trust follows a revolutionary approach to educating children from poor families. The Trust pays children to learn, thereby increasing the probability that poor parents will have less reason to force their children to work rather than study. For every child that attends school Zindagi Trust pays his/her family 20 Rs. a day. That's not even $7 dollars a month!


Video on "I am Paid to Learn Program":


Alhamdulillah the organization has created 46 "I'm paid to learn" schools with more than 2400 students enrolled! Imagine what the world would be like if the future of tomorrow had never set foot in a school. Education not only opens up our perspective of the world but also gives you the ability to handle trials and tribulations of life. Education should be a right and not a privilege to a few.


Zindagi Trust has also created Girls Schools!



If you aren't convinced yet on the positive impact of Zindagi Trust, then watch the following video about the Earthquake in October 2005 that affected thousands of kids. Imagine if you were there. Try to find yourself in the rubble. You most likely won't reach the surface without some help.

Special thanks to Cresent and friends for the creation of Zindagi Trust: Help a Child video. Thanks to the Zindagi Trust Team from AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, IL, MT, NE, NJ, NM, NY, OR, TX. Also, thanks to local friends from Los Angeles and lastly YKKB!

Jazakallah Khaiyrun.

NEXT POST: How YOU can help?

Giving without losing

Assalaamu Alaykum,

May the blessings of this month of Ramadhan bring enlightenment, peace, tranquility, humility, and new depths and heights of Imaan. In each prostation, may Allah (swt) write a 1000 good deeds and build a house for you and your families in Paradise, Inshallah. May the gates of Heaven, Ridwan, remain open for us, Inshallah. Ameen.

One of the loved actions by Allah (swt) is that of charity. Therefore, I encourage all to view a YouTube video about Zindagi Trust. Zindagi Trust is an organization created by Shehzad Roy, a well-known singer in Pakistan. The organization is unique in that it pays students and their families Rs.20 (which is less than $1) for each session that the student attends. Many children are forced to work in order to support their families. However, this organization changed that. ZindagiTrust is working to eliminate child labor. Alhamdulillah the organization has created 46 "I'm paid to learn" schools with more than 2400 students enrolled!

Imagine what the world would be like if the future of tomorrow had never set foot in a school. Education not only opens up our perspective of the world but also gives you the ability to handle trials and tribulations of life. Education should be a right and not a privilege to a few.

In the coming posts, I look forward to sharing more about this worthy cause and it's positive impact in Pakistan. It is especially necessary as the country continues to suffer from the aftermath of the Earthquake in Oct 2005. Inshallah, lets keep our brothers and sisters in our du'as, as well as those in the world who are suffering. May Allah (swt) ease their hardships. Ameen.

Fe emanillah