The Dawood Foundation (TDF), one of the oldest charitable trusts in Pakistan, was established in 1961 by Ahmed Dawood. The core focus area of the Foundation since its inception has been education, for which it has contributed substantial funds for the development of schools, colleges and scholarships all over the country. Additionally, TDF has made noteworthy contributions in health, disaster recovery and rehabilitation works as well. In 2015, the Foundation launched the TDF Nature Series, a platform through which it aims to raise awareness amongst students as well as local communities about the importance of preserving Pakistan’s natural heritage, which is under threat due to environmental degradation. Education
* The Foundation has established several leading educational institutes in the country including Karachi School of Business & Leadership (KSBL), Dawood Public School (DPS), Dawood University of Engineering & Technology (DUET), Mariam Dawood School of Visual Arts at BNU, FG Dawood School, and Ahmed Dawood Government High School. TDF has also funded multiple other smaller educational projects in Pakistan.
Some of the Foundation’s key education initiatives include:
o The Dawood College of Engineering and Technology (DCET) was established in 1961 during the economic boom in the country. It was an initiative to provide technical and industrial skilled human resource, which was necessary for economic growth. It was nationalized in 1971 and later raised to university level, subsequently coming to be known as Dawood University of Engineering and Technology (DUET).
o KSBL was established as a graduate management school to hone the business acumen of people, develop entrepreneurial skills and leadership qualities, with special attention to the ethical aspect of business practices.
o Dawood Public School was established to provide quality education for girls. Educating girls is essential to empowering women in an effort to reduce gender disparity, which is one of UN’s Millennium Development Goals. 1Girls’ education becomes more crucial as studies show a direct co-relation between the educational standard a child attains with the education of the mother.
o Mariam Dawood School of Visual Arts at Beaconhouse National University was funded by TDF in order to support the arts, which are neglected in Pakistan. MDSVA focuses on interdisciplinary arts which can become lucrative professions in their own right, such as jewelry making, photography, Textile Design, Fibre and Fashion Design, Visual Communication Design, Art History & Critical Studies as well as Centre for Art & Design Education & Research etc.
o TDF funded the Ahmed Dawood Government High School in Darsano Malir on outskirts of Karachi, which was later handed over to the government. At present the school has a total of 424 students with 44 teachers on its payroll and is considered to be one of the best educational institutes in the area.
o TDF endeavours include building schools and colleges in rural areas. Examples include Burewala High School, Dawood Public School in Jessore, Bangladesh (East Pakistan), Dawood Science Block in Government Degree College Burewala and F.G. Dawood Public School in the earthquake-affected areas of Muzaffarabad.
Nature Series
Pakistan’s environmental vulnerability
* 2According to UNDP, Pakistan is one of the countries that is most vulnerable to Climate Change. Due to environmental degradation, it increasingly suffers from natural disasters, floods and other catastrophic consequences that lead to loss of incomes, homes and livelihoods.
* 3According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, at about 2%, Pakistan has one of the highest rates of deforestation in the world. One of the reasons behind this practice is the dependence on wood of communities in far-flung areas, which they use for fuel and fire. The consequences of deforestation are manifold such as loss of biodiversity, increased soil erosion, water contamination and increased vulnerability to floods.
The Dawood Foundation’s contribution
* The Foundation’s latest venture, the Nature Series, aims to provide environmental education. TDF has funded the production of two documentaries in collaboration with the, about the conversation issues of Chitral Gol National Park & Margalla Hills National Park. The films will be shown to thousands of people across Pakistan including students, to make people aware of the amazing natural heritage of their country, inculcating a sense of civic pride in young Pakistanis, and engaging them in the preservation of this heritage.
* In September 2015, TDF will begin an educational programme through which people across 100+ cities in Pakistan will be shown the documentaries through floats travelling across Pakistan. Post screening discussions will be encouraged to get people to think about the importance of the environment and conservation methods that may be adopted by the local community. The films will be available for viewing and downloading on TDF’s website for free and will also be televised and disseminated by the Give Back Project to schools.
Health Care
* The Foundation has contributed substantial funds for establishment and sustenance of hospitals and dispensaries across the country, including Al Shifa Trust Eye Hospital, Memon Health & Education Foundation, Agha Khan Hospital & Medical College Foundation and the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital.
Disaster Relief
* The Foundation has actively contributed to help affectees of the several natural and man-made calamities that have struck Pakistan on a frequent basis. Some examples are listed below;
* Since 2012, in collaboration with other NGOs, Pakistan Army, philanthropists and the UN’s World Food Programme, the Foundation has provided health facilities and food items as well as creating wells across Thar to help deal with the perpetual drought that exists in the region.
* TDF provided support to the victims in the aftermath of the 2005 earthquake that rocked the northern areas of Pakistan. Through the Foundation, thousands of tents, blankets, medicines, rice, atta, milk powder, water, cooking oil, warm fabrics and coffin cloths were dispatched to the affected areas.