Sameera Foundation is a registered, independent and self-funding charity based in Swansea, UK. It relies on the generosity of ordinary people to plan and deliver its charitable programmes. Its overarching objective is driven by its mission statement of ‘Working together to beat inequality and extreme poverty’ mainly in the Chach region of Pakistan but also globally in other countries.

The charity therefore, endeavours in all its activities to make a positive difference by creating accessible and life changing opportunities for the disadvantaged, vulnerable and the marginalised. It achieves this by enabling them to have choices, independence and empowerment to improve their quality of life and achieve a brighter future in which they can fulfil their full potential with dignity and equality.

The charity was started in 2012 and supported by expats who had connections with the ancestral villages of Chach. Initially this was in response to the scenario whereby children of school-going age were unable to attend or continue with their education due to the financial hardships of their families. Therefore, the very first educational grants were set up in Shamsabad to provide the basic, essential school items including admission, examination and school fees for the disadvantaged. This was gradually extended to neighbouring village schools, currently reaching out to 159 schools for both genders in 87 villages in Chach.

 Presently the construction of Sameera Welfare Institute of Information and Technology in Shamsabad aims to provide free vocational training and technical skills for the benefit of vulnerable girls in the 87 villages of Chach region so that all attendees will be empowered to access the job market and therefore become independent and self-sufficient. During the summer vacations a literacy campaign for older females and medical camps for children will also be made available.

The foundation is also planning to construct a similar technical Institute for boys to enhance their life chances of employment and livelihood in the future.

Beyond education, the charity has also diversified to address several other issues in the wider community both in the UK and abroad. To this end, an annual event during the holy month of Ramadhan when volunteers working on behalf of Sameera Foundation distribute food gift packages to the needy as well as organise evening meals (Iftars) has been very successful and appreciated .The Foundation also offers an opportunity to a limited number of participants to fulfil their obligations to undertake the practice of Quarbani on the occasion of Eid-Ul-Adha.

Furthermore, assistance is also given to individuals especially children with serious health problems by providing disability appliances such as wheel chairs, white canes, talking watches for the visually impaired and artificial limbs.

In the UK the charity is pro-actively involved in the city of Swansea initiatives to support and facilitate issues of homelessness, refugees and asylum seekers. They are presented free freshly cooked meals, gift packages of everyday personal items and free health checks.

In recent years this charitable work has been extended to additional countries of Egypt,  Libya, Palestine, Yemen and Rohinga refugees.
All of these ambitious and successful projects would not happen without firstly the generous support of individual donors, families and online fund raising and secondly without the shared values and vision of a dedicated team of hard working grass-root volunteers. Together this enables the charity to build on its significant achievements over the years and are ongoing to keep underpinning its mission statement in the years to come.

Sameera Foundation is committed to maintaining transparency and accountability at all times and deliver its charitable tasks in accordance with the wishes and preferences of its generous donors.

Details of all aspects of The Foundation’s charitable work can be seen at the following link : www.facebook.com/sameerafoundation.

You can donate on line at any time.

Snober Bhangu (Mrs) MBE

Chairperson Sameera Foundation