Daily Times

Non-governmental organisations play a significant role in developing society, improving communities and promoting citizen participation. In today’s world, as much as we appreciate the efforts of non-government, non-profit organisations, their work in the development sector is genuinely commendable.

The world as we see it today is very different from the ideal world that we would like to imagine living in. We are victims of multiple types of social, economic and even ethnic barriers. The issues of poverty, diseases and inequality still prevail in our societies today. Over recent years, it has become too uncommon and frequent to prompt some measure or action. Two things can assist in that regard.

Charity is the first and undoubtedly a big one. Charity is definitely a very important practice in trying to establish a healthy society. It is through this act that people from different classes can interact with one another in a brotherly manner. It is through charity that those who are deprived can reach stability. They can gain temporary financial support to help them stand on their own two feet and slowly become active members of societies rather than a burden. Charity is also a very noble act that removes selfishness, greed and superiority complex from the mind. It creates a sense of humbleness and therefore contributes to removing the negative aspects of society. It removes the labels of status and class that are now attached to everyone’s foreheads and moves us a step closer to equality in mankind.

Charity creates a sense of humbleness and therefore contributes to removing the negative aspects of society.

However, many organisations and associations around the world dedicate their efforts to serving humanity at the grassroots level. Many of these organisations, charities and associations are working in Pakistan as well. All of these organisations aim to champion dignity and choice for the underserved, focusing on serving humanity through direct intervention. Aspiring to derive the scalable and systemic change in Pakistan, these organisations endeavour to provide sustainable solutions to the obstacles to development faced by the people of Pakistan during earthquakes, floods and Covid-19.

Recently, I had a chance to meet with the Chairperson of Samr Trust a renowned UK-based charity working all across the globe and having intervention in all provinces of Pakistan. While talking with Sami Ullah he said he started Samr Trust interventions from District Sialkot which was his father’s dream renowned scholar (Late Sanaullah Sialkoti) way back thirty years ago however, since then we have been helping the poor and needy in Pakistan. Late Sanaullah Sialkoti was a man of charitable donation and almsgiving. His life was based on helping others and trying to make changes in society in a positive manner.

Sami Ullah said we regularly distribute food packs, build and operate free-of-cost schools and hospitals, operate mobile medical centres, provide shelter homes, sponsor orphans, and build community centres and water pumps & filtration wells across the country especially in rural areas of Pakistan mainly in Tharparkhar, Umerkot, Ghotki, Khairpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Quetta and Azad Kashmir and so on. Moreover, in Sindh and Punjab Samr Trust provides several females with educational and learning support and creates opportunities for their livelihood through Arts and Crafts.

He further said we are a charity focused on human empowerment. We believe strongly in supporting people so that they can manage all aspects of their lives independently. Our work has targeted four main areas including medical and healthcare, education, social enterprise and clean drinking water. Irrespective of race or religion we have served people for the past several years and made SAMR Trust a respected name worldwide. We work closely with local authorities to ensure that we have their support to make our projects more successful. In some of the counties in which we have set up charitable projects, people don’t even have access to the basics like food, clean water, toilets etc. When we choose a region for our charity work, we send our team of volunteers to assess the needs of locals. The team visits the area and makes a note of everything required to bring prosperity to that community.

Regarding future plans of Samr trust, Sami Ullah said our long term is to complete the dream of our late father which is to complete the Samr hospital in Sialkot which will be totally free of cost and then to start a basic medical hospital and schools in other areas of Pakistan”.

During my visit to Sialkot and Southern Sindh, I noticed that Samr Trust helped deserving individuals while establishing a small-scale business that allows them to earn a decent livelihood and attain true financial independence. I was told that Samr trust has established businesses for almost 500 entrepreneurs and transformed the lives of both them and their families, allowing them to live their lives with dignity. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh provinces, Samr Trust also reached thousands of families through hygiene awareness sessions, particularly crucial for maintaining health standards in areas hosting displaced communities. Over the last year, our action has successfully halted open defecation practices in several villages, banishing a key contributor to high rates of waterborne disease. I believe that we also need to recognise the efforts that are reaching people in the middle of the night to see if people are sleeping in peace. We should be proud of these charities which are working in Pakistan.

While concluding, I want to say that Samr Trust under the guidance of Sami Ullah is working to make a bigger and better change for the people of Pakistan and making efforts every day to tackle various issues. Addressing issues of poverty and hunger, allows the society to become empowered and fight for themselves in a just manner. The communities flourish, sustainable livelihoods are built, and sufferers escape their misery. It is essential to appreciate the efforts of those people who promote the creation of a just and equitable society where every child, woman, and man gets to enjoy a peaceful life.

The writer is a social, and political activist based in Lahore. He can be reached at salmanali088@gmail.com, and tweets@ Salmani_Salu