In January 2005, while visiting my extended family in Bangladesh I visited our local orphanage. I learnt that my father was one of the founders of the orphanage. I looked around, spent some time with the children, spoke to the committee, had a cup of tea and left.

As I was driving back to our house, the experience started to dawn on me. I realised how little one can live on and how much possessions we have and yet how unhappy we are. I recalled few dinners I attended and the amount of money I spent. It could have feed all 50 orphan children for five months. This shocked me profoundly.

       

Later that day when I met my father, I expressed my interest to get involved. The orphanage required a lot of attention - no electricity, no clean water, no sanitary facility, etc. My father warned me that it would be a huge responsibility and not to get involved. But I felt I should do something to improve the conditions at the orphanage.

Ever since, I have been funding the orphanage and my family and close friends helped me along the way.

WHAT HAS BEEN ACHIEVED…

We have restored the electricity in the orphanage, renewed all doors and windows and provided sanitary facility. We provide new clothes for the orphans on every Eid and arrange special feast on Eid Day and on every special occasion. We help fund text books, food, medications, clothes, toiletries etc.

THE CURRENT PROJECT…

This year we are building a state of the art library which will be accessed by all people of all ages within the 20 miles radius. There will be interactive education for people (women and men) who are unable to read or write. Educational Health programmes and IT classes will be available for free. To complete this project we would require approximately £8,000 from start to finish.

HOW YOU CAN HELP…

Each of the 50 children require £15 per month for basic maintenance. So far my family and I helped fund as much as possible but we need more.

I take this opportunity to request all my friends to help me take this further. We are not trying to achieve the impossible. We want to give a little of what we take for granted to the orphan children. It is our duty to help the needy. God will reward us with far greater then our generosity.

If you want to be part of our project and share some ideas, please contact me. I would appreciate every little help we can get.

Regards

A H Khan (Sunny)