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“There is a classic dream of family philanthropy where relatives bring their best selves into a room to work together. They listen, express their opinions, make reasoned arguments, and find compromises, honour their parents, and provide extraordinary models for their children. Cousins get to know one another.  Grandchildren hear about their ancestors and learn what their family stands for.  And the community sees that this is a family of quality, not just wealthy but generous, and unified in fulfilling its responsibilities.”

 

Generations of Giving by Kelin E Gersick, pp. 93-4

All institutions are reflections of the lives and values of those who create them, who maintain them, who believe in them, but family foundations imbibe and are imbued by the personal and spiritual values of their leaders. These, in turn, become the legacy, indeed the identity of the family.

The narrative of these foundations instills the principles or values that are so important to the family. It is these principles that give meaning, are the spirit, the core, the bonding agent around which the family revolves, and is united by “a common ground of sorts”.

“…family and family values are at the heart of many acts of charity and, for some, how those

acts become multi-generational traditions.” The narrative of shared history provides the roots and an understanding to the family of where they come from, what it means to be a member of that family, and a greater purpose which gives fulfillment and satisfaction by supporting a cause that is close to them. Family foundations are more flexible, informal, and dynamic and generally more philanthropic than their professional counterparts (which are constrained by their codes of professionalism).

Philanthropic causes in family foundations are thus matters of the heart, of passion, of charitable causes that generate an impulse to give in accordance to familial values and principles. Family foundations have many benefits.

A foundation is able to provide for a more meaningful interaction and organization within the family, the employees, and the wider community in general.  Often employees also become part of the foundation, and derive satisfaction in the roles that they take in adopting the causes undertaken by the family. This leads to the vision and ideals of the family to extend beyond the family to include all stakeholders. It is the transformation of those familial values into effective giving which shapes the impacts they have on the communities they interact with. “Philanthropy helps to strengthen the business family and to strengthen the family business”.

Inauguration Of Dawood Foundation
Mr. Ahmed Dawood speaking at the inauguration

This Foundation is conceived in a spirit of dedication. It is our faith that there can be no progress without education and if the nation is to attain the goals of prosperity and stability which you, Mr. President, have so eloquently and farsightedly spelled out for the good of the nation, if the Second Five Year Plan is to succeed in raising the living standards of the people and if our moral and ethical values are to improve, it is imperative that education, especially technical, must spread in the country. By implementing the recommendations of the Educational Reforms Commission, your benign Government has given the most convincing evidence of its resolve to promote education.

But the task of national reconstruction is so enormous that it can be accomplished only through voluntary cooperation and partnership between the Government and the people.

The Dawood Foundation is indeed symbolic of a voluntary effort to share with the Government a fraction of its onerous responsibilities in the field of education.

Ahmed Dawood

“The specific objectives of the Foundation are to promote education in the country, especially of scientific, technological, medical, nuclear and space research through grants, scholarships, bursaries, and awards.”

 

Ayub Khan
Field Marshal Muhammad Ayub Khan speaking at the inauguration

The establishment of this Foundation is indeed a great landmark in the growth of social responsibility in our country. The spirit in which this dedicated enterprise has been launched is extremely heart-warming and I congratulate the Dawood family for adding these fresh laurels to the long list of their public and philanthropic services. May God reward them for this noble work. In the all-round industrial, economic, social and political progress which we are endeavoring to make, the real base is to be provided by the character and education of every single member of our nation.

The reconstruction of social and spiritual values is a mission, which our new educational system seeks to perform.

The Government will, of course, shoulder its full share of responsibility up to the maximum limit of its resource but the task is so immense that the need for large-scale co-operation of the private sector cannot be over-emphasised.

 

Dawood College Of Engineering & Technology
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Dawood College of Engineering and Technology was a momentous contribution of the Foundation to Pakistan’s educational landscape. The College envisions to groom and generate much-needed specialist and technical human resources to propel the burgeoning Pak industry and economy.

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Dawood Public School
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Dawood Public School is one of the largest girls’ schools in Karachi, offering O and A level education to over 2100 girls. The school is housed in a single campus which consists of 4 buildings.

The Foundation has always been heavily involved in relief work during national disasters.

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Hanifa Bai Hajiani Girls School
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Although Ahmed Dawood himself had only received education till the 5th grade, he was the son of a dynamic entrepreneurial woman who had been instrumental in setting up several educational institutions for women. Although Hajiani ma’s schools have all but disappeared into obscurity, one of them can still be seen albeit in a dilapidated condition.

The Hanifa Bai Hajiani Government Girls Secondary School in Saddar, Karachi, still displays a plaque of its inauguration in 1924.

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Ahmed Dawood Government High School, Darsano
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Built in 1959 at a cost of Rs. 50,000 in Darsano Village, Ahmed Dawood School was one of the earlier initiatives of the Dawood Trust, which later morphed into the Dawood Foundation. The School was handed over to the Government and is still operating today.

The Ahmed Dawood School in Darsano is now a part of Malir in Karachi and is very popular in the local community. People in the area still remember Ahmed Dawood with honour and respect for his contribution to their locality.

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Government Boys B.T.M. High School
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To serve the community in the vicinity of Burewala Textile Mills, one of the former companies of Dawood Hercules Corp in Southern Punjab, The Dawood Foundation established Government Boys B.T.M. High School. The educational activities commenced in January 1955 from the Primary level of education and the school was later upgraded up to Middle and then Matriculation level gradually. All expenses, including salaries, electricity bills, and other recreational activities were initially paid by the Foundation.

After the nationalization of the school in October 1972, the charge was taken by the Government education department and the school is still functioning under government administration. The ownership of school and playgrounds still rests with The Dawood Foundation. The school is currently providing excellent education to over 750 enrolled students.

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Dawood Science Block In Government Degree College Burewala
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The Government Intermediate College was established in 1961 only for arts classes pushing science students to go to Multan for an education. The Dawood Foundation took a step for the welfare of Burewala students by construction of Dawood Science Block in which science education is being given up to degree level.

The Dawood Foundation had awarded scholarships to talented students to promote healthy competition amongst students.

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Dawood Prize For Literature
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In January 1959, writers from across Pakistan gathered for the “All Pakistan Writers Convention” to safeguard common interests. All delegates took part in proceedings of the Convention and unanimously founded ‘Pakistan Writers’ Guild’. With signatories, including Qudratullah Shahaab, Ibnul Hassan, Ibne Saeed, Jamiluddin Aali, Zamirruddin Ahmed, Abbas Ahmed, Ghulam Abbas and Qurratul ain Haider, Pakistan Writers’ Guild promised a flourishing future for literature in the region.

The Dawood Foundation extended its support towards the cause by announcing Dawood Literary Awards for writers whose contribution played a pivotal role in shaping the future of literature. Dawood Literary Awards commemorated literary brilliance, originality, and creativity of eminent writers and portrayed a role model for country’s youth.

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Health Care
Dawood Centre
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The Dawood Centre is located at the center of the city where it provides a panoramic view of its surrounding to its occupants. The building was one of the earliest high rises in the city that presented a modern image of Pakistan to the rest of the world. Equipped with the latest technology, the Dawood Centre is still one of the prominent business centers in the country and is one of the landmarks of Karachi.

The Dawood Foundation’s main source of earning is through rental income from Dawood Centre and other properties it owns.

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Religious And Community Services
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The Dawood Foundation believes that building a strong community requires harmony amongst individuals. The family has been involved in building mosques across Pakistan that play an important role in developing a culture of equality and unity in the community. Each mosque is a beautiful amalgamation of Islamic patterns and contemporary architecture.

Some of the prominent mosques built by TDF are Masjid Quba in Karachi, mosque in Al-Shifa Hospital Rawalpindi, and a mosque in Skardu.

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