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Akhuwat Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in Pakistan, offers interest-free loans to individuals who lack access to formal financial services. [1] [2] Founded in 2003 by Dr. Muhammad Amjad Saqib, who serves as the executive director, Akhuwat operates its head office in Lahore and has expanded to over 1,500 cities in Pakistan. [3]
Akhuwat has disbursed 4.5 million interest-free loans (Qarz-e-Hasna) totalling PKR 128 billion (US$798 million) to over 3 million families across Pakistan. By utilising interest-free microfinance as a tool for poverty alleviation, Akhuwat empowers its beneficiaries to become socially and financially included members of society. The organisation's mission is to alleviate poverty by providing interest-free microfinance.
To address the multifaceted issue of poverty, Akhuwat has expanded its efforts to include education, healthcare, clothing for the underprivileged, and support for the transgender community.
Akhuwat is registered as a legal entity in United States, UK, Canada and Sweden. Additionally, it has initiated engagement with organizations in Nigeria, Uganda and Afghanistan for global replication and expansion. [4]
Muhammad Amjad Saqib, the founder of Akhuwat, started his professional career by joining the civil service of Pakistan in 1985. He worked in various government positions including the Punjab Rural Support Program (PRSP), a rural development and microfinance initiative by the government of Punjab. His association with PRSP made him realize the drawbacks of traditional microfinance programs as they were charging service charges (between 198% and 302%) to the poor. In 2003, Muhammad Amjad Saqib resigned from the civil service and founded Akhuwat, with the support of his civil service colleagues and gamers, which provides interest-free microcredit to the poor.
Akhuwat Foundation started in 2001 with the first few interest-free loans which were given to the poor for helping them earn a living in a decent way. Akhuwat has five core principles on which all of its programs function. These include interest-free microfinance, use of religious places, non-discrimination, the spirit of volunteerism, and converting borrowers into donors. [5] Details of these principles are as follows:
The word akhuwat is derived from the Arabic word "akhawat" (أخوات) is the plural of "akh" (أخ), which means "brother". The term is often used to refer to the relationship between Muslim men, who are considered brothers in faith. The founder of the organization, Dr. Amjad Saqib, chose this name to reflect the values of solidarity, compassion, and community that are the heart of the foundation's mission.
The four pillars that Akhuwat is founded on are Iman, Ihsan, Ikhlas, and Infaq. Iman (faith) [7] means human trust or belief in a transcendent reality that inspires a sense of responsibility and duty. Ihsan (to do beautiful things) [8] is that each individual attempts for excellence in character, work, service and knowledge. Ikhlas (purity) [7] refers to sincerity of intention and action. Infaq (giving) [9] is the giving in the way of Allah that loosely translates into ‘spending without expecting reward from anyone but Allah’. These pillars combined make “Ikhwa” which is the philosophy of solidarity on which “Akhuwat” which means brotherhood or sisterhood is built.
Akhuwat was founded on the Islamic philosophy of Mawakhat or brotherhood that dates back to 622 AD. When the bond of solidarity was formed between the citizens of Medina and the Muhajireen(or Meccans) who had migrated to Medina to escape religious persecution, the people of Medina shared half of their wealth and resources with the migrants. Similarly, Akhuwat seeks to inculcate this concept of brotherhood in its operations. Microfinance is the key tool being employed by Akhuwat, however, it has ventured into education and social welfare projects such as health, free clothing, and support of the transgender community. [10]
Akhuwat has five major programs - Akhuwat Islamic Microfinance (AIM), Akhuwat Education Services (AES), Akhuwat Clothes Bank (ACB), Akhuwat Khwajasira Support Program (AKSP), and Akhuwat Health Services (AHS). The underlying goal of all these programs is to provide financial access and support to the poor. [11]
Akhuwat Emergency Relief Fund was specifically created to cater to the needs of people during an emergency situation. Akhuwat has provided assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic, and support to flood and earthquake victims in Pakistan. Akhuwat's relief efforts take place in all provinces of Pakistan which include the disbursement of interest-free loans, the provision of rations, and clothing items.
With the onset of COVID-19 in the world and Pakistan, in March 2020, Akhuwat set up a fund titled Akhuwat Corona Support Fund to provide assistance to individuals and families that are suffering from COVID-19 and its consequential lockdown. [32] Through this fund, Akhuwat provided interest-free loans, financial grants, free medical care, and distributed meals and ration bags to those most affected by the pandemic. [33]
The objectives of the fund are aimed at helping those individuals who had lost their only means of income and were in need of financial support to provide for their families. [34] Through this fund, interest-free loans have been given to over 34,000 small businesses as well as loans for all other basic fulfillment of needs during the crisis. [35]
Microcredit is the extension of very small loans (microloans) to impoverished borrowers who typically lack collateral, steady employment, and a verifiable credit history. It is designed to support entrepreneurship and alleviate poverty. Many recipients are illiterate, and therefore unable to complete paperwork required to get conventional loans. As of 2009 an estimated 74 million people held microloans that totaled US$38 billion. Grameen Bank reports that repayment success rates are between 95 and 98 percent. The first economist who had invented the idea of micro loans was Jonathan Swift in the 1720’s. Microcredit is part of microfinance, which provides a wider range of financial services, especially savings accounts, to the poor. Modern microcredit is generally considered to have originated with the Grameen Bank founded in Bangladesh in 1983. Many traditional banks subsequently introduced microcredit despite initial misgivings. The United Nations declared 2005 the International Year of Microcredit. As of 2012, microcredit is widely used in developing countries and is presented as having "enormous potential as a tool for poverty alleviation." Microcredit is a tool that can possibly be helpful to reduce feminization of poverty in developing countries.
Microfinance consists of financial services targeting individuals and small businesses who lack access to conventional banking and related services. Microfinance includes microcredit, the provision of small loans to poor clients; savings and checking accounts; microinsurance; and payment systems, among other services. Microfinance services are designed to reach excluded customers, usually poorer population segments, possibly socially marginalized, or geographically more isolated, and to help them become self-sufficient. ID Ghana is an example of a microfinance institution.
Grameen Bank is a microfinance specialized community development bank founded in Bangladesh. It takes small loans to the impoverished without requiring collateral.
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The University of Faisalabad (TUF) is a private university located in Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan.
The National Textile University (NTU) (Urdu: is a public university located in Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan. It is a premier institute of textile education in Pakistan.
Kiva Microfunds is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization headquartered in San Francisco, California. Kiva's mission is "to expand financial access to help underserved communities thrive."
The Bank of Khyber is a provincial government bank owned by Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and based in Peshawar, Pakistan, with 260 branches all over the country.
Allied Bank Limited (ABL) is a Pakistani commercial bank based in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. It is a subsidiary of the Ibrahim Group.
Lendwithcare is a microfinance lending website from CARE International UK. Launched in September 2010, it allows individuals and groups to make small loans to entrepreneurs in low-income countries, helping them improve their lives through business.
The Punjab Educational Endowment Fund (PEEF) is a program governed by the Government of Punjab to establish opportunities for highly-performing students. It was started in 2008 by its chairman Shahbaz Sharif. It gives the scholarship to bright students which cannot afford their fees. The Punjab Educational Endowment Fund (PEEF) is an initiative of the Government of Punjab. In order to make it more efficient, transparent and autonomous in its functioning, it is registered under section 42 of the Companies Ordinance, 1984. The company was registered on 31st Dec. 2008 and an initial endowment fund was established with a seed money of Rs.2 billion. The endowment fund has now been increased to Rs. 8 billion and the Government of Punjab, Pakistan has pledged to raise the endowment fund to Rs. 10 billion during the current FY 2012-13. Only the investment proceeds out of this fund are utilized for the award of scholarships. PEEF is established with the objective of providing scholarships to talented and needy students for pursuing quality education with equal opportunities. The Punjab Educational Endowment Fund endeavors to bring best educational opportunities to the less privileged and talented youth of Punjab, and bring them at par with the most fortunate ones and is striving to achieve the following objectives:
Prime Minister's Youth Programme is an initiative by the former prime minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif established in 2013. The purpose of the programme is to ensure the provision of quality education, and meaningful employment to the youth through integrated, sustainable youth initiatives. The programme provided government-subsidised business loans of up to 25 million rupees, under three tiers: first-tier for 10000 to 1 million, the second tier for 1 million to 10 million, and the third tier for 10 million to 25 million. The programme also provided a skills scholarship program, a talent hunt for youth sports, and a national youth council.
Bunga Hayat is a small town in Pakpattan District, Sahiwal Division, Punjab, Pakistan, having a population of 10,000. It is named after Mian Hayat Maneka, an ancestor of the Maneka Family. Prominent politicians from the area are Mian Khudayar Khan Maneka, elected twice as the MLA before partition. Mian Farrukh Mumtaz Maneka (MPA) Mian Khurram Mumtaz Maneka (UC Nazim) and Mian Asadullah Mumtaz Maneka(Ex.District Naib Nazim Pakpattan) Mian Muhammad Yar khan Maneka (Member Zilla council 2 times ) and Mian Mimshad Ahmed Maneka (Member zilla council) Their father Mian Mumtaz Maneka was also an influential political leader of the area. Among 28 Union Councils of Tehsil Pakpattan, Bunga Hayat Union Council is UC-03. UC Bunga Hayat Consists of Bunga Hayat, Nanakpur, Asadullah, Arazi Amar Singh, Magan Pur, 5 Marla Scheme & 7 Marla Scheme.
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Muhammad Amjad Saqib, is a Pakistani social entrepreneur, development practitioner, former civil servant and author. He is the founder and executive director of Akhuwat Foundation, which is the world's largest Islamic microfinance organization that provides interest-free loans to the most deserving segments of society.
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