Education Pakistan Project #34832

Educate a Girl in Kashmir

by HOPE USA

Project Report | Mar 10, 2025
HOPE Physicians Featured for International Women's Day

By Ambereen Siddiqui | Director - HOPE USA

Dear HOPE Friends,

Pakistan Radio 105's Shireen Akhtar Features HOPE Physicians Dr. Rehana, Dr. Abida, and Dr. Shagufta for International Women's Day

https://youtu.be/fzdqr6FHkaI

On March 4, 2025, Pakistan Radio 105 Host Shireen Akhtar interviewed Dr. Rehana Yasmeen and Dr. Shagufta Khan, both loyal HOPE physicians who have dedicated their careers to bringing healthcare to the most downtrodden urban slum neighborhoods in Karachi, Pakistan. Unfortunately, Dr. Abida Raza was unable to attend this event due to emergency cataract surgery, however we wish to include her contributions as she is a vital component of our team.

In a recent podcast, Ms. Akhtar featured HOPE's very own Dr. Rehana and Dr. Shagufta as part of Radio 105's effort to celebrate the achievements of women. In a male-dominated country such as Pakistan, the contributions of women can often be overlooked or diminished due to the biases of media narratives or cultural traditions. And more often than not, opportunities for women to rise above and leave behind a fulfilling legacy are significantly hampered as compared to their male counterparts.

At HOPE, we are proud of the fact that our most dynamic leaders are women, and that the poverty alleviation work centers on uplifting women and children and recognizing their potential. In fact, HOPE was founded in 1997 by Dr. Mubina Agboatwalla, then a medical student at DOW University in Karachi Pakistan. 28 years ago, what began as humble dream to bring healthcare to marginalized communities Pakistan has transformed into a nationwide movement encompassing a broad array of tried and true poverty alleviation avenues: Healthcare, Education, Vocational Training, Clean Water, Food Security, Disaster Relief, Ramadan Outreach, and Qurbani.

Amongst our cherished medical staff are Dr. Rehana Yaseen, Dr. Abida Raza, and Dr. Shagufta Khan. For this interview, Dr. Shagufta filled in for Dr. Abida who was not able to attend due to emergency cataract surgery:

Dr. Rehana has been an invaluable physician with HOPE for the past 15 years. As our supervising Head Obstetrician-Gynecologist, Dr. Rehana's expertise constitutes a critical component of our efforts to reduce Maternal and Infant Mortality within Pakistan. Over the years, Dr. Rehana has been an active presence in HOPE's Hospitals and Maternal and Child Health Centers. On a daily basis, she conducts prenatal visits, normal and cesarean deliveries, neonatal care, and life-saving surgeries for women experiencing severe labor complications. Amongst her many distinctions, she performed HOPE's first laparoscopic surgery - a life-saving procedure for an 18 year old with a potentially cancerous ovarian cyst.
Equally so, Dr. Abida has been a pivotal force in HOPE's largest Hospital in Karachi. As a Pediatrician and Administrator at HOPE's Zia Colony Hospital, Dr. Abida is responsible for managing and treating an assortment of medical emergencies that routinely come through Zia Colony's 24/7 facility. These include women in labor, traffic accidents, respiratory cases, gastrointestinal cases, cardiac emergencies, and life-saving surgeries. Patients often remark how Dr. Abida treats them with compassion and care and that their experience at HOPE feels like they are being taken care of as if they are part of the family.

Dr. Shagufta is HOPE Gurumandir's Hospital's Administrator, an accomplished physician with 42 years of experience. As a senior physician, she oversees HOPE's Gurumandir Hospital and her expertise is women's care. HOPE Gurumandir has a labor and delivery room, cesarean section facilities, 24 hour emergency unit, surgery facilities, and outpatient services. Dr. Shagufta has dedicated many years towards managing patient care and treating various critical cases which come through Gurumandir Hospital. She plays a vital role in ensuring the welfare of women who suffer complications during pregnancy and/or labor.

We are excited and humbled that Ms. Akhtar featured a couple of HOPE's formidable female forces to be featured on Radio 105's interview for International Women's Day. The most heartwarming aspect of Dr. Rehana, Dr. Abida, and Dr. Shagufta's careers is that they have especially dedicated their expertise to helping those who have no voice. By providing quality healthcare to the needy and treating them with dignity and respect, they are directly working on the ground to break the tenacious cycle of poverty. HOPE is honored to have them as part of our loyal team which has banded together for decades to bring a vision to life.

We hope you will join us in commemorating the achievements of Dr. Rehana, Dr. Abida, and Dr. Shagufta along with Radio 105's, Ms. Akhtar.

Much gratitude to Radio 105 for their gracious appreciation of HOPE's efforts to help the needy.

Warm regards,

The HOPE USA, HOPE UK, and HOPE Pakistan Teams

Links:

HOPE Physicians Featured for International Women's Day

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Feb 16, 2025
HOPE-IFFCO Hospital Pre-Inauguration with Govt.

By Ambereen Siddiqui | Director - HOPE USA

Dear HOPE Friends,

Pakistan Government Officials and Community Leaders Preside Over HOPE-IFFCO Muzaffargarh Hospital Pre-Inauguration Ceremony

Plus Food /Blankets /Ghee Distribution

Plus Children of Martyred Police Officers ‍ Honored

We are beyond excited to announce that our generous corporate supporter, IFFCO, has partnered with HOPE to construct a Hospital for underserved communities in Muzaffargarh, Pakistan . HOPE's Hospital venture sponsored generously by IFFCO will be our fifth major Hospital serving the needy throughout Pakistan . This facility is near completion and will officially debut in approximately five months .

Muzaffargarh is a rural region in the state of Punjab, Pakistan which has been steeped in poverty for decades. HOPE has a strong presence in Muzaffargarh since 2011 via the establishment of a Formal School serving 600 underprivileged children along with a Vocational Training Facility which provides 200 young adults with job training skills each year.

Over the years, the need for a healthcare facility to serve the poor in Muzaffargarh was a significant concern and HOPE is ever thankful to IFFCO for taking on this magnanimous endeavor. This project has been in the works since 2024 and we are looking forward to an official launch in the summer of 2025.

Last week, HOPE Pakistan Chairperson, Dr. Mubina Agboatwalla, visited Muzaffargarh, Punjab to attend a pre-inauguration ceremony for the HOPE-IFFCO Hospital which was attended by several government and community leaders including:

Member of Parliament and Secretary of Higher Education, Mr. Ajmal Khan Chandia

Muzaffargarh, Punjab Deputy Commissioner, Ms. Qurat-ul-Ain Memon

Muzaffargarh Associate Commissioner, Mr. Irfan Hanjara

Muzaffargarh Superintendent of Police, Mr. Mohammad Rizwan Ahmad Khan

Engineer, Mr. Manzoor Khan Pitafi

Administrator of Thal Jute Mills, Mr. Tahir Latif

Remarks During the Official Speeches Included:

Member of Parliament, Mr. Ajmal Khan Chandia openly expressed gratitude to HOPE for continuing to add to services to uplift needy communities such as Muzaffargarh.

Associate Commissioner Mr. Irfan Hanjara remarked that Dr. Mubina is pursuing an ambitious vision for the country of Pakistan and despite various challenges, she remained as firm as a rock for in advocating for the welfare of those less fortunate ‍. He added that over 28 years of working towards the betterment of Pakistan and facing numerous obstacles, she did not give up.

Deputy Commissioner, Ms. Qurut-ul-Ain also expressed her gratitude for the work HOPE has done thus far and is looking forward to what the future brings as we work towards serving those with no voice.

The HOPE-IFFCO Hospital in Muzaffargarh is situated in the vicinity of the HOPE Formal School and Vocational Center to establish a community feel for the families we are serving.

During this visit, HOPE Formal School students ‍ also received new school supplies and underprivileged families received food rations, blankets, and ghee (gifted by IFFCO).

Included in this event was an outreach effort initiated by HOPE to honor the children and families of Muzaffargarh, Punjab police officers ‍ who were either slain (martyred) during service, injured, retired, or have extenuating financial circumstances. HOPE has stepped up to offer these children a quality education at HOPE Muzaffargarh Formal School and quality healthcare for them and their families at the advent of the new HOPE-IFFCO Hospital , all at no cost to them.

While this project is still in progress, we wanted to share this momentous occasion with our supporters and thank IFFCO and our special guests for their attendance and support .

Making a dent in the landscape of poverty ‍ requires that we all band together and use our individual talents and skills to promote a common vision .

We are grateful to God and our loyal supporters for paving the way to these incredible milestones and look forward to updating you with official launch details in the near future.

Warm regards,

The HOPE USA , HOPE UK , and HOPE Pakistan Teams

Links:

HOPE USA Website

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Feb 13, 2025
Dr. Mubina Interviews AJK MCHC Staff Member

By Ambereen Siddiqui | Director - HOPE USA

Dear HOPE Friends,

Dr. Mubina Interviews Chakhama, Azad Kashmir MCHC Healthcare Worker ‍, Ms. Sumbul

During the HOPE Team's recent visit to the Northern Areas of Pakistan , HOPE Chairperson, Dr. Mubina spoke with various HOPE Team members with regards to their role in the disadvantaged communities that they serve. Amongst these was Lady Health Visitor (LHV), Ms. Sumbul, a trained medical professional ‍ who lives on-site at the Chakhama Maternal and Child Health Center in lodging provisions provided by the Azad Kashmir Department of Health.

Please copy and paste this url into your browser to view the interview on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/KjQiXnr7Ygk

HOPE's Chakhama, Azad Kashmir MCHC is one of six medical facilities HOPE has established in the mountainous and rugged terrain of the Northern Areas of Pakistan in order to provide timely and quality access to healthcare to needy populations. Although these facilities are primarily focused on reducing Maternal ‍ and Infant Mortality in the region, they play a vital role in providing healthcare to all members of the community.

Due to HOPE's established presence in the Azad Kashmir region, the Azad Kashmir Department of Health approached HOPE in May 2024 to operate and manage an 24/7 MCHC for marginalized communities within Chakhama, Azad Kashmir . HOPE's Chakhama MCHC is a joint collaboration conducted with the backing and support of the Azad Kashmir Department of Health.

Ms. Sumbul is an instrumental member of HOPE's medical staff ‍ at Chakhama MCHC . Together, she and her colleagues provide free/nominal cost healthcare to 15,000 needy people annually. Her duties include:

Maternal ‍ and prenatal exams
Assisting mothers in normal births
Pediatric care
Prescribing medication and administering immunizations
Administering IV drips for dehydration
Prescribing treatments for infertility
Breastfeeding consulting
Family planning ‍‍‍ services

Ms. Sumbul's conversation with Dr. Mubina is captured in the accompanying video :

We are extremely grateful to Ms. Sumbul for the dedication, commitment, and passion she displays for her critical role in HOPE's Chakhama MCHC . Without a loyal and experienced team, we would not be able to carry out our responsibilities in the region.

Creating a tangible impact involves many steps along a long chain which begins with our supporters. Thank you to all our dedicated donors for helping pave the way for change in underserved regions throughout Pakistan . We are most appreciative of the changes that you have sparked .

Warm regards,

The HOPE USA , HOPE UK , and HOPE Pakistan Teams

*Instrumental background in accompanying video is accredited to MartinJamming's piano cover of Lenny Kravitz's Again

Links:

Dr. Mubina Interviews MCHC Lady Health Worker, Ms. Sumbul

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