TCF is proud to announce that out of the 12 winners selected at the Unilever Art Contest, themed 'Inspiration', six of them were our very own TCF students.

TCF won the first prize in the 5 - 10 year age category, the second and third prizes in the 15 - 18 year age category and two third prizes, along with the runners-up (encouragement award) prize in the 11 - 14 year category. Judges disclosed that entries submitted by TCF students were considered very creative as they were made using materials which were both economical and imaginative.

The 1st prize winner, Naeem Abbas, from TCF Primary School - Zulekha Bai Mukaty Campus, Ittehad Town IV, Karachi, will now compete for a chance of having his model exhibited at Tate Modern, a famous art gallery in London.

This praiseworthy performance simply reinforces that given an opportunity; TCF children can conquer and lead in any field they choose to enter.

Summer School 2005 was a three week program from July 4 - 23, 2005. It was organized in two TCF Secondary School campuses; Bhittaibad and Umer Maingal. Over 100 students from classes eighth, ninth and tenth attended the summer school with immense enthusiasm.

Like last year, the key focus of the summer school this year was to impart vocational training to our students. Some interesting workshops were designed such as English Conversation, Computers, Carpentry, Ceramics, Basket weaving and Personal Grooming. This array of workshops allowed the participants to unleash their creativity and discover their talents beyond academic endeavors.

TCF Primary School - Maj. Gen. Fazal Muqeem Campus in Dhamial, Rawalpindi, was one of eleven schools which participated in the concluding ceremony of Solidarity Week, celebrated in connection with the Universal Children's Day and managed to bag the second prize! Solidarity Week was jointly organized by the Pakistan National Club for United Nations, Plan Pakistan and the Community Support Program.

The main objective of this week was to show solidarity with the children of the earthquake affected areas.

2005 Board Results

TCF North schools have yet again displayed an excellent result in the IX and X Board Exams of 2004-2005. All students passed their board exams with 100% results for the second consecutive year, with Nazia Inayat of Class IX and Farkhanda Aziz of Class X scoring 81% and 87% marks respectively.

TCF South Region also performed exceptionally well. Seven TCF Secondary Schools appeared for their Matric exams and once again we are proud to report an outstanding outcome: 117 students gave their exams and almost 25% secured A and A+ Grades. An achievement worth mentioning is of the first batch of students from TCF High School in Dharki who gave their Grade IX Sukkur Board Exams. They have set a high benchmark for their juniors, as all have passed! And 76% of these students secured A and A+ Grades.

We are proud of the hard work and efforts of these young students and the sincere faculty in all TCF Schools who devote their time and energy into building communities, focusing specially on the academically weak children.

In a Grade IX text book, "Geography of Pakistan", by Doreen Crawford, TCF is being cited as an example of a leading organization providing formal education along with two other NGOs. This textbook is being used in all branches of The City School (a nationwide network of schools in Pakistan) and possibly other schools.

Colgate conducted an inter-school art competition for school children between the age group of 6 to 9 years. The topic was 'My Bright Smile My Bright Future'. All our primary students in the South Region in this age group participated in this competition. Four TCF entries were among the top 100 selected out of 14,000+ entries from all over Pakistan.

TCF has ventured uphill by opening a College for girls in Minhala, as a pilot project. Currently there are sixteen students enrolled in this college and the subjects being taught are Economics, Education and Islamiat Studies.

It is these pioneering efforts which are a trademark of TCF and a mainstay of TCF North Region.

The 2nd TCF Golf Tournament was held on December 24 - 25, 2005 at the Karachi Golf Club, Karsaz to raise funds for TCF. Main sponsors of the event were Atlas Asset Management Limited and Crescent Standard Investment Bank Limited. Supporting sponsors included Metropolitan Bank, Mohan Lal Group, Millennium Textiles, UBL Fund Managers Limited and Toyota Central Motors. And special thanks goes to the Karachi Golf Club for hosting this event.

Golf fans from all walks of life participated in the categories of amateurs, seniors, veterans, ladies and juniors. Apart from individual players competing in a variety of categories, the event also hosted 18 teams from local and multinational corporates. Competition was healthy across the board with exciting prizes being awarded at the closing ceremony.

This event could not have been possible without the collaboration of the TCF team, especially our full-time volunteer Mr. Shamshad Nabi and the participants.

TCF had the opportunity of being represented at the APPC-CAF International Conference on "Philanthropy in Disasters: Tsunami and After" in Thailand on November 28 - 30, 2005.

APPC (The Asia Pacific Philanthropy Consortium) is a 10-year-old network of grant making philanthropic institutions and organizations with a mission to increase the quality and quantity of philanthropy for Asia by strengthening the institutional infrastructure and improving the operating environment for the philanthropy sector. APPC's Governing Council currently consists of 14 members from Australia, Bangladesh, China, Hong Kong SAR, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Philippines, Taiwan, China, Thailand and the United States.

CAF's (Charities Aid Foundation) vision is a world in which giving in a committed way is a recognized part of everyday life. They work to increase giving - locally, across borders and around the world. They work for all types of donors from private individuals to multinational corporations to ensure that whatever the size of their gift, it has maximum impact. They work with NGOs worldwide; helping them to make the most of the donations they receive and develop the skills to increase giving wherever they are.

It was an excellent platform to introduce TCF to the international community. More than 100 participants from Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, Philippines, Hong Kong, Singapore, China, Taiwan, Japan, Malaysia, Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, Pakistan, America and UK attended this conference. It was a diverse group of people who had contributed in some way to disaster relief in their respective country, including representatives of NPOs, doctors, researchers, journalists and government officials.

The conference was a very good forum for sharing experiences on post disaster relief work, problems encountered, disaster preparedness and to work together to recommend ways to increase effectiveness of in-country philanthropic contributions.

Once again, Friends of The Citizens Foundation (FTCF), UK invited passionate footballers to take part in its annual Charity Football Tournament at the Wembley Goals Soccer Centre on Saturday, November 19, 2005. Over 18 teams (126 boys) participated in the 2nd FTCF 5-a-Side Football Tournament.

This year's fervent competitors created an exhilarating atmosphere that was greatly enjoyed by all present. Last year’s winners 'Peterborough FC,' though adamant to hold on to their trophy, lost amiably to the winners of this year's Cup Competition, 'Guzby's Gooners'. Winners of the plate competition were the 'Seven Samurai'.

With special thanks to C2 Communications who sponsored the tournament, the event was able to raise over £3,000.

A band of dedicated supporters assembled at the Chopwell woods in UK on June 26, 2005 to participate in a 3-mile walk to raise funds for TCF. This event was organized by Sameena and Shamsa Bashey who, along with 3 guides, joined sixty enthusiastic walkers of all ages at the Woods. Funds amounting to £3000 were raised by this walk and at the end of the day; the exhausted yet proud walkers had a picnic lunch in the beautiful and serene Woodland Park.

"When still a child…" an art exhibition was held at the XVA Gallery in Dubai from October 3 - 24, 2005, in aid of The Citizens Foundation. The exhibition was organized by Dubai-based Belgian art curator, Isabelle and works of renowned Iranian Installation artist Bita Fayyazi and Lebanese photographer Souheil Semaan were on display. The exhibition was a huge success.

Supporters of the Citizens Foundation (STCF Karachi Chapter) organized an Event "Oops It's Kamila" at the FTC Auditorium in Karachi, from November 17 - 19, 2005. The event featured a pantomime by Oopsinc, a team of talented individuals who have been trained under the aesthetics of contemporary pantomime, with a book reading by our own home-grown, internationally famous novelist, Kamila Shamsie.

Before the start of the event, a 20 minute documentary about TCF's activities in the education sector was shown to the audience. This was followed by poetry recitals about the earthquake. These moving poems were written and recited by children from TCF schools.

The audiences were enthralled by the innovative concepts of theatrical performance of Oopsinc interpreting the vividly portrayed characters in a novel (Kartography) by Kamila Shamsie. A truly unique combination that has never being tried in Pakistan before. The event was able to raise more than Rs. 1.2 Million.

We are grateful to Tetley Tea and English Biscuits Manufacturers for sponsoring tea and biscuits for this event.

A Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Program for
Earthquake Victims

On the morning of October 8, 2005, a devastating 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck the northern part of Pakistan. With a death toll and casualties in over hundreds of thousands and more than 3.5 million left homeless, it was a catastrophe on a scale that has never been witnessed by this region. At the request of our donors and well wishers TCF activetly got involved in relief work at great speed! There was a swell of volunteers wanting to take part. Adnan Asdar, a professional of outstanding merit spearheaded the group; and by the second day of the earthquake, TCF got fully immersed into a two phased strategy for the TCF relief operations.

The First Phase involved immediate relief operations. We distributed basic care packages (tents, blankets and food rations) to more than 40,000 affectees, well exceeding our target of 20,000. We were also able to set up ten schools accommodated in tents by the end of the first week after the disaster.

With the number of injured escalating to frightening proportions, TCF took immediate action and started operating three field hospitals. TCF Field Hospitals were adequately equipped with a total of 200 beds, operation theatre, along with X-Ray, pharmacy and laboratory facilities. A team of volunteer doctors and specialists worked round the clock at these hospitals where over four hundred surgeries took place, including many amputations - unfortunately. Thousands also received their first aid treatment where virtually none was available. The first baby after the earthquake was born in a TCF Medical Field Hospital. However, with the arrival of professional medical teams, the patients and hospitals were handed over to them.

After the completion of the First Phase by the end of November we started with the Second Phase of the relief operation. The Second Phase focuses on (a) building 5,500 one room insulated-winter- shelters and (b) 5,000 permanent homes, for the millions of people homeless in the crippling winter of northern Pakistan.

TCF team wants its re-construction efforts to be earthquake resistant, practical, low cost and environmentally sensitive; taking into account usage of rubble present in abundance in the earthquake affected areas. The effort should also leave behind good construction skills and practices that could subsequently be for the people. The local population is being energized and focus is on ensuring a re-building effort which will be on a self help basis with the resident communities.

A large number of schools were amongst the buildings devastated by the earthquake. Thus as we are rebuilding communities the need will be analyzed for and wherever possible schools will be constructed within the standard TCF model as part of our education program.

Nearly all survivors of the earthquake will eventually go back to their own land/village for rehabilitation even if it is on a far away mountain top; that is where their identities belong. Our team of experts have already surveyed the areas and determined villages in Muzaffarabad, Mansehra and Balakot districts to build permanent homes. Thus TCF's re-construction efforts shall be targeted to reach specific surveyed villages.

There was, rightly, much concern within the TCF's own management team of keeping TCF's Education Program well insulated and as efficient as before. TCF Relief team reports to the CEO and TCF's Earthquake Relief Steering Committee which is totally independent of personnel of the Education Program.

We are thankful to the overwhelming response from our donors, both within the country and overseas, without which, we would not be able to carry out this challenging task.

US Senator George Allen, from Virginia USA, presented a cheque of $80,000 (Rs. 4.8 million) to TCF at a lunch hosted in his honour on Sunday, November 19, 2005 in Islamabad.

The Allens handed over the cheque to TCF Chairman Ahsan Saleem at the luncheon where State Minister for Foreign Affairs Khusro Bakhtiar, US Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker and former Foreign Office Spokesman Jalil Abbasi were also present.

Both Mr. Allen and his wife expressed the support and friendship of the people of United States to the victims of the devastating earthquake. Concerned Pakistani and US philanthropists organized a Charity Fundraising Gala and Dinner in Virginia, to collect funds for rebuilding a school in the Bagh district, one of the hardest-hit areas in the earthquake zone. The Honorary Committee of the Gala included the Allens and Mrs. Jehangir Karamat, wife of the Pakistani Ambassador to USA.

After the October 8th earthquake, students and faculty of the University of Virginia (UVA) located in Charlottesville, Virginia, USA, organized a series of activities to create awareness and raise funds for numerous relief efforts.

Student associations like the Pakistan Student League, Islamic Legal Exchange (ILE) and Asian Pacific American Law Student Association (APALSA), with support from various on-campus organizations, spearheaded the fundraising campaign. A number of events including donation collections at football games, bake sales and cultural shows were organized, with all proceeds going to TCF, The Edhi Foundation, and Pakistan Red Crescent Society. Other ongoing efforts include donation boxes set up around school as well as off campus and T-shirt sales.

An Earthquake Relief Dinner was organized where TCF supporters, Shimmi Kidwai and Norma Sparks were invited to attend and speak about TCF's contribution towards education and now, construction and rehabilitation for earthquake victims through the TCF Relief Fund. With an entire region brought at its knees by the worst national calamity ever seen, Pakistanis all around have been rallying up whatever support they can to help victims back home.

Samina Aziz from STCF Islamabad, counselled the children of the Fountainhead School in order to help them cope with disaster-related trauma. She also talked about TCF in general and specifically about their Relief operations. To make these young children feel that they were also helping the disaster-affected people, Samina asked them to bring contributions for the Relief fund from their own pocket money. The children collected Rs.20,000 by the next morning!

Besides supporting TCF in it’s School Projects, Saudi Arabia has also played a key role in assisting our Relief Operations in the earthquake-affected areas. Donations have been raised in record time, both in cash and kind. The best quality tents have been sent by them. We are extremely grateful to our PEG/Aramco/ Jubail and Riyadh Groups, who raised funds from Pakistani’s and non-Pakistani’s residing in Saudi Arabia.

Sajida Haider from Kuwait gave a donation of Rs.100, 000 to Samina Aziz, STCF Islamabad, for TCF's Relief Fund. This money was sent by a group of ladies in Kuwait, who wanted to help in the relief operations.

After launching in Summer 2005, TCF Canada, successfully ventured out to raise funds for the October 8th earthquake victims. An art show 'Artists without Borders' which was held in Toronto on October 21, 2005 in support of TCF's efforts at reconstruction and rehabilitation of the Northern Areas of Pakistan.

Organized in just five days to take advantage of the Canadian Governments' decision to match all funds raised for Pakistani earthquake survivors by charities before October 26th, the event raised CAD 5,000.

Along with other private donations, TCF Canada was able to raise a grand total of CAD 20,000 for immediate relief and a group of Pakistani philanthropists pledged approximately CAD 1 Million for permanent housing.

The Citizens Foundation-UAE organized a presentation to raise funds and awareness for the TCF's relief and rehabilitation efforts in the earthquake-affected areas of Pakistan. The event was held at the Intercontinental Hotel in Dubai in November and was attended by a multicultural audience.

Mr. Ahsan Saleem, Chairman TCF, gave a brief update on the progress of TCFs education program and on TCF's immediate relief in the earthquake affected areas. His presentation was followed by Mr. Arshad Abdulla's presentation wherein he explained TCF's rehabilitation program of 'rebuilding communities.' Mr. Mushtaq Chhapra, Mr. Ateed Riaz, and Mr. Shahid Abdulla, also flew in especially from Karachi to participate in the program and answer questions from the supporters.

Members of the Pakistan Association, Ladies Wing, held a special evening in Dubai recently to present TCF with a cheque of Dirhams 100,000 for TCF Relief Fund. Mr. Ahsan Saleem, Chairman, Mr. Mushtaq Chhapra, and Mr. Ateed Riaz, Directors, TCF, thanked the association for their generous contribution and presented the Ladies Wing with a certificate of appreciation.

TCF-UAE thanks all its supporters in the UAE for donating generously towards TCF Relief and Rehabilitation efforts to help the victims of the recent earthquake. In particular, we are grateful for the contributions from Dubai Development & Investment Authority, Al Batha Group, Al Tayer Group, Qanat Al Qasba, Emirates Flight Catering Co., Pakistan Business Council, Pakistan Association Ladies Wing, Parents Association-Jumeirah Primary School, Saharay, DCD Investments, Black & Decker-DeWalt, Omni Oil Technologies, employees of Glaxo SmithKline, Atco Controls (ME) FZCO and its employees, Mohammad Maklai, Harris Irfan, Hamid Lodhi, Sajjad Ahmed, Jessica Shetter, Nermeen Qasim Midfa, Fayeeza Naqvi and Lucy Monro.

An Earthquake Relief Gala Dinner, held on Saturday, November 12, 2005 at Eau Restaurant, The Aberdeen Marina Club, raised over HKD 4 million for the victims of the October 8th earthquake. All the funds collected at the gala dinner were given to TCF!

The dinner was organized by a small group of Pakistani Professionals that live and work in Hong Kong. More than 144 guests attended the dinner which was highlighted with exciting programs that included a live auction of paintings donated for the occasion by some of Pakistan's best known artists along with benefactors of the event. A touching video was played which showed young children's efforts in Hong Kong for the purpose of raising money for earthquake victims.This overwhelming support by the Hong Kong community strengthens our belief that TCF holds global confidence.

During the first few chaotic weeks after the horrific earthquake struck the northern areas of Pakistan during Ramadan, STCF manned the TCF Relief Fund office located on the 9th floor of the NIC building to guide the stream of young volunteers who wanted to contribute as best as they could for the relief effort. The constant deluge of queries and assistance kept them occupied from morning to evening day in-day out.

Our Bahrain Chapter helped raise funds for TCF Relief Fund in collaboration with Pakistani Women's Association, a charity organization registered in Bahrain. This was done through the dedicated efforts of Ghazala Hussain who is the Community Service Officer for PWA and who is also responsible for TCF; Bahrain Chapter.

UNDP is partnering with TCF to build 3,298 shelters in 38 villages. They have donated $ 85,500 in cash and rest in the form of CGIC sheets to build the roofs of these shelters. It has also been decided that cash grants of $100 each will be given to the 300 most vulnerable families.

Until permanent housing can be constructed, TCF shelters will provide temporary but more weather-resistant accommodation for the affectees. These are single room shelters, each accommodating 6 persons with insulated walls and a fireplace. Construction is easy, in terms of time and resources, utilizing stone and wood available at the site. These winter shelters will become useful extensions of their permanent homes. By December 30, 2005, 3,000 shelters were made and over the next 30 days, 1,000 more will be constructed.