Non Profit Organizations in Pakistan: Shahid Afridi Foundation

Shahid Afridi Foundation (SAF) is an organization truly committed to serving people with love and support. The foundation works like a family where every member is working towards a single objective-helping the underprivileged sections of society. The main focus is on helping those who are in need of a healthy life, access to proper education, and basic medical necessities. Children are indeed the future of a country and they need to be equipped with the tool of education, thus allowing them to bloom individually and contribute towards the betterment of society, hence education charities in this regard can make huge differences. Shahid Afridi Foundation – A Non-profit organization.

Purpose of SAF

SAF wants to eradicate illiteracy, especially from the rural areas of Pakistan by ensuring free education for girls. Those areas will develop only when the foundations become strong at the grass-root level, and this is why SAF is dedicated to building schools in the neglected areas of the country. Donate for child education and allow us to make a better Pakistan tomorrow than today.

The belief is simple- everyone deserves a chance to chase their dreams and wishes. SAF is fighting battles for those suffering from ill health and require treatment. It is not only an organization but instead a ray of hope for those who have stopped smiling, which has led to the birth of their motto; ‘Hope-Not Out!’.

The team organizes different charitable events and campaigns with the support of official corporate partners to raise funds for the foundation’s activities and gather education donations. Numerous medical/health-related programs have been successfully carried out, yet a lot more is expected in the future.

History of SAF

Shahid Afridi Foundation, founded in March 2014, was a step towards a better Pakistan by the famous cricketer Shahid Afridi also known as Boom Boom worldwide. The organization was established with the purpose of improving the living conditions of the poor and destitute in society. The first project of the foundation was the successful development of a hospital in Tangi Banda Village of Kohat with the name of “Sahibzada Fazal Rehman Memorial and Charity Hospital”.

The foundation also worked on the water shortage issues in the villages of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by fixing simple hand pumps. It also gave scholarships to 12 deserving students of Farabi Government School in the year 2014 and shortlists candidates each year to proceed with the tradition. SAF also displayed support for Dar-ul-Sukun (Karachi) by adopting the special children’s ward on 16th October 2015.

On 26th October 2015, the dedicated team visited victims of the Hindu Kush Earthquake in Lady Reading Hospital and provided the donation of Rs. 5 million. The foundation also played a vital part in the heat trauma in June 2015 that attacked Karachi and other areas of Sindh. They joined hands with Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center’s ward 5 to bid immediate support for the heatstroke victims. Being a sports person Shahid Afridi promotes sports for the progress of a healthy life that is why he built a basketball court in a school of Karachi. And very recently SAF has collaborated with Pakistan Association Dubai to build a Fitness & Rehab Centre for the Pakistani community in Dubai.

Earlier this year Lala also came up with the idea of releasing Pakistani prisoners from Dubai central jail and with the assistance of Dubai police, 30 prisoners were sent back home. With the passage of time not only the SAF community has expanded but the charities collected from fundraising events have also multiplied. The team is enthusiastic to continue these operations further with advanced plans and techniques.

VISION of SAF 

Shahid Afridi Foundation (SAF) has a vision to create an ocean of love, happiness and peace for the needy and destitute in Pakistan through the support and encouragement off its followers and donors. The objective is to establish a healthy, stable and secure life for the underprivileged people of the country, especially children. They aspire to transform the lives of their people by generating rays of hopes through their services and programs.

MISSION of SAF

Similar to other Non-Profit organizations, Shahid Afridi Foundation (SAF) also has a simple vision to help the world enjoy peace and equality through the improvement of health and education. SAF wants to see Pakistan and its people educated and healthy in the upcoming years, saved from all social evils.

The goal of SAF is to go global and create an alliance with other reputable foundations to serve people irrespective of race, religion, national origin, and color.

SAF’s mission and vision is based on five core values that are followed throughout the organization by each member both seamlessly and religiously.

Faith:

Performing activities and programs in a way that builds faith amongst the public, donors, and Corporate Partners.

Charity:

Striving to generate funds for deserving and vulnerable groups in order to elevate their morale and generate hope.

Eternity:

Providing a source of help and sustenance for life with the model of empowerment.

Community:

Engaging volunteers, leaders of community, public figures and other non-profit organizations to develop successful programs and plans that ultimately provide benefits to the deserving citizens.

Equity:

Contributing to ensure fair and impartial practices in the belief that all humans should be treated equally in society, and in terms of access to healthcare, education, living standards and rights.

ABOUT SHAHID AFRIDI

Shahid Afridi, a cricketer of Pakistan requiring little introduction, was born on 1st March 1980. Affectionately known as ‘Boom Boom’, he has a huge fan following from all over the world. He enjoys a record of taking the most wickets and is also known for his longest sixes of any form internationally. Shahid Afridi has always exhibited a philanthropic side, and has been regularly associated with different charitable activities from a very early age. Towards the end of his international cricketing career he decided to establish a foundation of his own. In March 2014 he inaugurated the Shahid Afridi Foundation with the mission of providing basic healthcare and educational facilities to the people of Pakistan.

How he came to form Shahid Afridi Foundation

Initially, his support system was family and friends who made investments for this noble cause. Later the circle expanded and he now has a team of support globally. The very first project was a charitable hospital in Kohat (KPK) named the “Sahibzada Fazal Rehman Memorial and Charity Hospital”. These efforts to strive towards helping people in his motherland were not a publicity stunt, but instead a token of his love for Pakistan, and the will to pay back his country that had earned him respect from all over the world. This organization is just not a Child help foundation but has a proper vision and certain goals that can be achieved by poverty charities and charities for children.

The three keywords he often uses to describe the concept behind his foundation are Health, Education, and Sports where he wants to support the existing health and education system of the country and promote sports amongst the younger generation. He wants to save children from the evils of society and use their talent for the betterment of the country. The other major issue targeted by the organization is poverty, which is what largely grabbed Shahid Afridi’s attention and brought alive the philanthropist within him. This, in turn, motivated him to build a welfare trust for the betterment of society.

Natural Disaster Aid & Community Development

The organization has played a vital part in preventing the loss of lives during times of natural disasters, such as frequent floods, earthquakes and monsoons, which especially impacted the rural areas of Pakistan.

Shahid Afridi Foundation has also joined hands with Dar-ul-Sukun to support abandoned, orphaned, homeless and disabled children. Campaigns are frequently carried out for Internally Displaced People (IDP) in different regions of the country such as Baluchistan and KPK. Shahid Afridi is the ambassador for the Polio campaign in Pakistan and has joined hands with Rotary’s “This Close” campaign to support bringing an end to polio.

The recent expansion of the organization in countries such as Dubai, the United Kingdom, and the United States has resulted in a larger supporting community. The result of this expansion has helped pave the way for the establishment of a dental unit at the “Sahibzada Fazal Rehman Memorial and Charity Hospital”. It is not only a Children’s hospital foundation but instead a platform that is striving hard to uproot evils from society. The organization regularly hosts fundraising events not only in Pakistan but globally, where funds are raised for the purpose of enabling further work being carried out by SAF on the ground. Shahid Afridi started this journey alone and today he is followed by a trail of people who are there to back him up whenever required. SAF requests people from all over the world to support this cause and through their charity for healthcare and education, they can all make a difference in the lives of people who are looking for hope.

Shahid Afridi’s Vision – Shahid Afridi Foundation – NGO

“My dedication is towards supporting individuals in acquiring appropriate health facilities and facilitating them with better educational opportunities. Not only within Pakistan, but I also want to focus on the people of Asia, Africa, America & Europe. Providing clean drinking water and healthy food are also amongst my top priorities.”

YOUNGEST PLAYER TO SCORE A TEST CENTURY

At the age of 18 years 333 days, Shahid Afridi scored his 1st Test hundred. That makes him the 7th youngest batsmen to score a century in Test cricket history.

4TH FASTEST TEST FIFTY

In 2004, Shahid Afridi scored a half-century against India at Bangalore on just 26 balls. That was 4th fastest fifty in Test cricket.

3RD MOST run OFF ONE OVER

In 2005, Shahid Afridi smashed 27 runs in an over off Harbhajan Singh in the Lahore Test. That was the joint 3rd most runs in an over of Test match.

HIGHEST STRIKE RATE IN AN INNINGS

In 2010, Shahid Afridi scored 31 runs in 15 balls, with a Strike Rate of 206.66. The venue was Lords and the opposition was Australia. This was the 15th highest Strike Rate in an inning of a Test match.

3RD FASTEST ODI CENTURY IN THE HISTORY OF ODI’S CRICKET

In 1996, Shahid Afridi smashed his 1st ever Century against SriLanka, facing just 37 balls. That was the fastest ODI’s century in the history of cricket for more than 16 years.

YOUNGEST PLAYER TO SCORE A CENTURY IN ODI

Shahid Afridi is the youngest player ever to score a One-day International century. He scored the first century of his International career at the age of just 16-years and 217-days, against Sri Lanka in 1996.

JOINT 5TH FASTEST FIFTY

Afridi has scored a half-century in just18 balls fifty-three times in ODI’s. His recent fastest fifty was against Bangladesh in the Asia Cup, 2014. Afridi smashed a fifty off 18 balls comprising of 6 sixes. Boom Boom has scored 3 fifties in his ODI career.

MOST SIXES IN ODI 

Shahid Afridi has a very unique record of hitting the most sixes in One Day Internationals. Boom Boom smashed 476 sixes in his incredible ODI career.

LONGEST SIX IN HISTORY

Shahid Afridi smashed a six 158 meters long. This was scored against South Africa in the 3rd ODI at Johannesburg on March 17, 2013.

HIGHEST STRIKE RATE IN ODI CAREER

Shahid Afridi has the 6th highest strike-rate in One-Day Internationals. He Scored more than 8064 runs at a strike-rate of 117.00 per 100 balls.

MOST WICKETS IN SINGLE WORLD CUP AS CAPTAIN

In the ODI World Cup of 2011, Afridi made another World Record. He took 22 wickets during the World Cup., This was the most number of wickets by any Captain in the history of ODI World Cups.

ONLY PLAYER WHO TOOK 350 WICKET AND SCORED 8,000 RUNS

With more than 8,000 Runs in ODI’s, and 395 Wickets. Shahid Afridi is the only player in the history of One Day cricket who had achieved this milestone.

ONLY PLAYER WHO TOOK 5 WICKET + SCORE A FIFTY-THREE TIME.

Shahid Afridi has performed this magic three times in his career. He has accomplished this against England, Sri Lanka and the West Indies.

ONLY PLAYER WHO HAVE MORE THAN 1,000 RUNS AND 50 WICKETS

Boom Boom has more than 1,000 runs in T20 internationals. He completed his 1,000 runs in world t20 in 2014.

ONLY PLAYER TO HIT MORE 400 SIXES IN INTERNATIONAL CAREER

Afridi smashed 52 sixes in Tests, 333 in ODI’s and 42 in T20 internationals. His total number of sixes in international cricket is 427.

10,000 RUNS AND 500 WICKETS

Shahid Afridi is the only Pakistani and the 2nd Player in cricket history who has scored more than 10,000 runs and taken 500 plus wickets in his International Career. The record was achieved by Shahid Afridi vs. Australia at the World T20. Glenn Maxwell was his 500th victim.

MOST WICKETS IN T20

Shahid Afridi has 97 Wickets in his T20 career. He has played 98 T20s, and thrice he has picked up 4 wickets in a match.

MOST WICKETS IN T20 WORLD CUPS

Shahid Afridi has taken 39 wickets in variousT20 World Cups. This is still a World Record.

Shahid Afridi Foundation – NGO in the Community

To celebrate the spirit and the message that Earth Day carries with it, Shahid Afridi Foundation carried out a plantation drive on 21st April 2016 at Business Centre, located in P.E.C.H.S, Karachi.

Shahid Afridi Foundation joins hands with Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center’s #TheWard5Project in a bid to bring relief to the needy and deserving.

As many as 12 deserving children in 9th grade from the Farabi Government School, (Karachi) were awarded the FREE scholarship for their further education by Shahid Afridi Foundation (SAF). Shahid Afridi is renowned for his charitable ventures and philanthropic activities (as much as he is for his swash back batting).

Afridi lives and dies by the sword on a playing field not following the conventions of an ‘orderly’ game and method of batting. However, at Dar-ul-Sukun he made his entry at least 10 minutes earlier than scheduled! Boom Boom is greeted with an earth-shaking reception whenever he enters the playing arena.

A grand fundraising event was hosted for Shahid Afridi Foundation (SAF) organized by Mount Cricket Club, Batley, West Yorkshire (UK). Shahid Afridi was the guest of honor at the day-long event. Mr. Afridi’s day started with a visit to the beautiful Medina Masjid in Batley.

Shahid Afridi Foundation (SAF) is pleased to announce the Chairman and founder, Shahid Afridi had been nominated amongst the Top 20 most charitable athletes of 2015.

Read More: Health in Pakistan: Understanding the Major Issues