The Kasuri family and the Mahmud Ali Kasuri (MAK) Welfare Trust have pledged a combined Rs 60 million towards the COVID-19 crisis engulfing the country. Of this, the Trust and the Kasuri family have contributed Rs 20 million each to alleviate the hardship faced by deserving individuals through a Rs 40 million fund, while a further Rs 20 million is being contributed by the Trust to the Prime Minister’s COVID-19 Relief Fund. The Rs 40 million (4 crore) fund will be used to procure and distribute essential food items as ‘ration packs’ to deserving individuals, mainly daily-wage workers. These ration packs include necessary food supplies to help sustain a family of 5 for approximately one month. The activity will be carried out in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and Kasur from 13 April 2020. Chairman of MAK Welfare Trust Mian Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri and Co-Chair Mr Nassir Kasuri said, “Since 1994, the Trust has been discreetly engaged in various welfare and education projects for the underserved without seeking publicity. We are now launching the campaign Har Qadam Pakistan Kay Saath to support daily-wage workers during these testing times. We also hope that our contribution to the Prime Minister’s Fund will make a small difference to the government’s effort towards combatting this pandemic.” The Mahmud Ali Kasuri Welfare Trust is privileged to have partnered with the highly regarded Akhuwat organization and will be using their extensive grassroots level networks in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad to ensure that ration is distributed to only the most deserving families, whereas the MAK Trust will independently manage screening and distribution in Kasur. Prior to distribution, supplies will be stored at designated campuses of Beaconhouse and Concordia Colleges. Mrs Nasreen Kasuri, Patron of the MAK Welfare Trust and Founder of Beaconhouse, said that there is a deeply ingrained culture of social responsibility at Beaconhouse, a key donor of the Trust. Speaking about the initiative, she said, “This is a time when we all need to come together and support the government’s efforts. I am happy to see that many private organisations and individuals have stepped up. On behalf of Beaconhouse, I would also like to take this opportunity to thank our doctors, healthcare workers, and law enforcement agencies who are all on the frontlines of this battle.” Mrs Kasuri added: “While the initial drive is privately funded, many of our employees and students have also expressed a desire to play a role but cannot manage the procurement and distribution of ration on their own. In the next stage, therefore, we hope to create a pathway for the Beaconhouse community and others to contribute to this initiative on a voluntary basis. This will enable the Trust to extend its reach beyond our initial pledge.” Mahmud Ali Kasuri (MAK) Welfare Trust, established in 1994, is an independent, non-profit organisation that works towards the development and uplift of the underserved. The Trust and its key donors, Beaconhouse, the Kasuri family, and Beaconhouse employees, have consistently responded with meaningful contributions during national crises including the 2005 earthquake that devastated the northern areas of Pakistan, the IDP crisis of 2009, and the massive flooding of 2010 and 2014. Most recently, the MAK Welfare Trust contributed Rs 22 million for the construction of student toilets and classrooms in 48 government primary schools in District Gujranwala.