The Lady Fâtemah (a.s.) Charitable Trust
September Lodge, Village Way , Little Chalfont, Buckinghamshire , HP7 9PU
Bismillahi rahmaani raheem
Dear LFT readers, Assalamun Alaykum and welcome to this month’s newsletter. It is with heavy hearts that we usher in the Islamic New Year as commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (as), his family and companions. And as the violence and oppression continues to exist in the world today, let us be united in our pain and hope, and work together towards a common goal. For Imam Ali (as) has said
‘Be merciful to those of you who are weak, for showing mercy to them is the means by which God will show mercy to you.’
Iraq:
Currently we are sponsoring 350 orphans in Karbala , 150 orphans in Al Kut (soon to be increased by 75), and we are starting an orphan sponsorship program to assist 105 orphans in Baghdad . The numbers of orphans is ever increasing as the conflict continues; please help us to assist this desperate cause especially now as we remember the tragedy of Karbala .
Alhamdulillah it has been yet another busy quarter, with a high volume of patients attending the clinic. 29,847 patients have been examined between January 2006 and November 2008.
As a result of all your support, the clinic is serving the needs of so many of our deserving brothers and sisters, young and old, not only treating disease, but also creating opportunities particularly for the children, which may not have existed previously. Read More
LFT, together with IRAC, worked to distribute meat packages to vulnerable families in need of food support due to widespread poverty and internal displacement. 280 poor families comprising 1,684 people were helped through this project in Shaban 1428. Each of these families received packages of meat, weighing 1.25 kgs. Through your support, these families are given a small respite and some decent, nutritional food as they struggle to rebuild their lives. Read More
Afghanistan:
· Water:
With only 13% of the country with access to clean and safe water, this continues to be one of the hardest challenges faced in Afghanistan . Water networks, tube wells, and hand water pumps are the current projects which we are working with Afghan Poverty Relief, hopefully to make a lasting difference. With the arid nature of most parts Afghanistan , drought continues to be a problem to poor farmers. The provision of water irrigation channels would generate crops which can be sold for income, food for the families as well as water for their livestock. It would cost only £80 to provide 1 family with arable farm land hence potentially providing food for about 20 people. Hand water pumps are also desperately needed. The poor women and children would no longer have to walk for hours to get potable water; the number of children suffering from common water borne diseases would be reduced and the general hygiene of the families would improve. £600 could provide clean and safe water for 6,000 people. It would only cost £2 to provide clean and safe water for 1 family and 10p for 1 person. Read More , Read More
Palestine:
Since January 2008, LFT has sponsored 5 students at the Atfaluna School for the deaf. The school was established in May 1992 in Gaza City and today, 250 deaf children from Kindergarten through to 9th grade study there. Working in Gaza is especially challenging. Gaza is only 360 square kilometres large, but has a population of 1.3 million, two thirds of them refugees originating from areas that today belong to Israel . These ca 870,000 persons live in eight refugee camps; the largest are Jabalia and Rafah, with 103,000 and 91,000 residents respectively. The degree of overcrowding is unimaginable. With about 60 percent of the population living on less than a dollar per person per day, Gaza has one of the highest poverty rates in the world. It is not surprising therefore that only a few students of Atfaluna School are able to pay school fees. The great majority of students cannot pay anything, and Atfaluna also provides them with school uniforms, underwear and hearing aid batteries. Dear LFT donors, £50 per month is sufficient to give a deaf child the chance for a better life. Please give generously. Read More
Lebanon:
Many people in Lebanon live in most underprivileged conditions, extreme poverty, and are exposed to disease. Schooling is not totally free and families have to pay for clothing, books, stationary and a small annual registration fee. LFT Lebanon implemented a project just at the beginning of the academic year of 2008 after the holy month of Ramadan, to provide children with tools to make teaching more practical, and support the families so that the children’s education would not add to their sufferings. The project covered the basic needs of 84 students ranging between 3 and 11 years old. Stationary, books and sporting outfits were provided. Read More
LFT-Lebanon recently implemented a project to buy essential items for Kindergarten school children, and thereby reduce the financial burden on the parents. 45 USD was allocated to buy essential items for 14 students, including a jacket, pair of shoes, school shirt, school uniform and socks. The entire project only cost $641, and ensured the children had warm winter clothing to protect them from the cold weather. Read More
In Lebanon , higher education is not free, and there is a severe centralization of faculties in the capital Beirut , which makes it impossible for students in the remote areas such as South Lebanon to move or at least to commute on daily basis. The project entitled “Educational Assistance for the Youth of South Lebanon’ is a project supported by LFT-UK and implemented by LFT-Lebanon. Since the implementation of the project, more than six bright students have been helped. One such student was assisted to undertake his Masters Degree in Social Sciences. Obtaining this degree would broaden his scope and enhance by many folds the chances of better income and employment. Supporting this student is not simply supporting one person; it’s rather supporting a whole generation and providing them with hope for a better future. Read More
Another student has been supported to undertake a degree to become a telecommunications engineer. He is also working as a private tutor for web design to increase the family’s income in the mean time. On behalf of these students, we say thank you for enabling them to realize their dreams, and may The Almighty reward you amply. Read More
LFT recently received an appeal to assist a single mother of four children, who is also caring for her elderly parents. With her salary of $450 per month, she could not afford her children’s schooling, parent’s medication and everyday expenses. She requested assistance for an income generating project, selling cosmetics. Her initial capital costs were $2,034, and monthly her income has increased by $250. Read More
An appeal was received recently to assist a young child with bilateral hip disarticulation. After consulting with various specialists, LFT transferred the funds for the child’s treatment.
Pakistan and Kashmir :
We have received an appeal to assist orphan children in Dera Ismail Khan, which is one of the one of the 24th districts in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) of Pakistan . The waves of violence started in late 1980s when ethnic cleansing by the Taliban began in a systematic manner. During the last eight years, Dera Ismail Khan has seen horrific waves of violence during which hundreds of people have been assassinated in targeted killings and bomb blasts. In association with our partner organisation, Madinatul Ilm, LFT is sponsoring the orphans from this region at only £5 per month. Please help us to assist these children. Read More
Iran:
Imam Mehdi School for Iraqi refugee children was established in 2002 by a number of Iraqi refugees residing in Qum . The school aims at providing an education to Iraqi refugee children who do not carry valid refugee documents and are therefore unable to sign up in Iranian public schools. This year, about half of Imam Mehdi (as) School’s 633 students are from families who recently left Iraq to escape sectarian or ethnic violence. Many of the children are orphans, or fathers are chronically ill. The school relies on donations to stay operative throughout the academic year. School fees aside, even purchasing stationery for several school students causes hardship for many families. LFT, together with IRAC, purchased basic stationery items and distributed them to all students. Read More
- Medical Referral Program:
As only a minority of the refugees residing in Iran can obtain insurance, the medical referral program significantly improves the refugees’ access to health care and medical treatment. Please, continue to donate generously to this program and give a poor Muslim brother or sister the gift of health. Last month £7,875.00 was transferred to the Medical Referral Project.
Tanzania:
In association with IZAAS, LFT has assisted a further 19 amputee cases, bringing the total number assisted to 53. There is a huge number of amputee cases in Tanzania , through accidents, snake bites, diabetes, ulcers etc, and it costs just $450 for a limb. Please help us assist these people. Read More
LFT has received an appeal from Bugando Medical Center in Dar-es-Salaam to assist an 8 month old toddler who has a sub-aortic Ventricular Septal Defect (hole in the heart). He needs to be treated surgically abroad and plans are being made for his transfer to Bangalore . Please help us to save this young child’s life.
Newsletters:
· Our newsletters are now available to read in French and Arabic on the website. Newsletter
Ijaza:
· The Lady Fatemah Trust has been granted Ijaaza by Ayatollah al-Uzma Seyed Ali Seestani to collect Khums money. Please remember we operate on the basis of ZERO% administration costs, so every penny you give goes directly to those in need.
Comfort Aid and Islamic Humanitarian Service:
· The Trust has recently entered into an agreement with Comfort Aid in the US , info@comfortaid.org similar to IHS in Ottawa , ihs@primus.ca which allows donors to donate to LFT through these organizations gaining tax benefits. Please contact them for further information. We would sincerely like to thank both Comfort Aid and Islamic Humanitarian Service.
Give As You Earn:
- This is the UK 's largest payroll giving scheme and is administered by CAF (Charities Aid Foundation). Any employee or pensioner paid under PAYE can donate to a charitable organization in the UK . The Trust has now been set up to receive GAYE donations, and our reference number is GYE 458449.
To make a regular donation by standing order, please download a mandate from the website or contact us and we will send one to you. You can make a donation by using our secure on-line payment facility at https://secure.webstar.co.uk/lft/hsbc/donate.php The site allows you to donate in three currencies; GBP, USD and EUROS.
Please remember that completing a Gift Aid form substantially boosts your donation by 28% if you are a UK taxpayer.
Thank you, as always for all your generosity and support, without which our work would not be possible.
Yours sincerely,
Mr Shabir Jagani
Deputy Chairman
info@ladyfatemahtrust.org
http://www.ladyfatemahtrust.org/
Tel +44 (0) 1494 762 063, Email info@ladyfatemahtrust.org, Fax +44 (0) 1494 762 286,
Mobile +44 (0) 7798 76 10 20, Fax +44 (0) 7798 76 90 30
Website: http://www.ladyfatemahtrust.org
