Moved by the plight of the homeless, ten industrialists of Faisalabad have joined hands to launch a housing scheme aimed at providing low-cost housing units to the lowest income class without any charges.
“The society will be fulfilling the dreams of those who are without shelter,” declared Umar Nazar Shah, Chief Executive Officer of Hassan Limited and Founder-in-Chief of Faisalabad Development Trust (FDT) while talking to The Express Tribune.
The total cost of the project called Dream Housing Society will be Rs200 million. FDT, comprising the 10 prominent industrialists, has already spent Rs150 million on bringing about a change at police stations.
Under the housing project, 500 housing units will be built for the poor with each of the 10 industrialists contributing funds for 50 units. The scheme will be equipped with all basic facilities and poor families will be selected on the basis of defined criteria.
“We will only allot houses to those who do not have a source of income, are widows, orphans and deprived,” Shah elaborated.
“Our motive is to provide houses to the homeless. This is our religious and social responsibility,” he stressed. “Though energy crisis has hit businesses and led to massive layoffs, the homeless will also get jobs in our factories besides the shelter.”
FDT is not receiving any money from the government, other businessmen and organisations. According to Shah, the members of FDT aim to bring about a change in the society without getting any donation from others.
He said construction of houses would begin soon and these would be transferred to the poor families with property rights.
Promoting education
In addition to the housing scheme, the industrialists will offer scholarships to 500 students of Agriculture University of Faisalabad and 200 students of Government College University Faisalabad.
“We are promoting education as well. Already, we are running 60 public schools with all the facilities,” Shah said. The Ibrahim Group, a member of FDT, has also offered to set up a computer lab in the planned housing society, which can be extended later.
The trust has also planned to arrange marriage expenses of the daughters of poor families.
FDT members believe that their businesses will fly high after spending on the poor. In the three years of social work since the establishment of FDT, the profits of the 10 industrialists surged 200%, said Shah.
“Members of the trust do not owe any money to banks. We are trading with our God and we are satisfied,” Shah said.
In the next step, the trust will coordinate with Al-Shifa International Hospital Islamabad for establishing Thalassemia Centre in Faisalabad. For this purpose, it will choose Civil Hospital or Allied Hospital.
Shah expressed the hope that they could change the lives of poor people by providing these facilities. If all businessmen were aware of their social and moral responsibility, then the country’s destiny would change, he said.
“All these people should start from their streets, colonies and cities, this will make the lives of poor better.”
Published in The Express Tribune, October 30th, 2012.
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@ishrat salim: "...may Allah swt open the eyes of others to do same…" And, may Allah spur the rest of us who are not industrialists to lend a helping hand in whatever manner and measure we can. In America, they have "Habitat for Humanity". It builds or refurbishes houses for the poor with one very important condition: the future owner must contribute labour ("sweat equity") to building his/her home to the extent possible for him/her. This is very important. One is grateful for only those things one labours for. Both material and skills are contributed by volunteers who come from great distances at their own expense. I think India has its own chapter of this organization. I hope this catches on in the rest of the subcontinent!
This is just a great news...may Allah swt bestow upon these people success in such project & may Allah swt open the eyes of others to do same......