More than a decade ago, a group of professional Pakistani women in the US envisaged a stronger foundation for their home country that enabled it to better integrate with the global community.

Recognising the significance of education in economic and social progress and the enormous dearth of basic literacy in Pakistan, this dream culminated into the inception of Developments in Literacy (DIL) – a charity focused on providing literacy for girls in the most under-developed regions of Pakistan.

Ten years on, DIL has come a long way in realising its dream - it recently saw DIL Trust UK launch in London. DIL Trust UK shares the same vision upon which the organisation was founded – every Pakistani child, no matter how poor or under-privileged, should be given access to quality education.

DIL Trust UK’s launch and fund raiser took place on 19 November 2007 in Belgravia, London. It was hosted by Dr. Maleeha Lodhi, Pakistan’s High Commissioner to the UK. The guest speaker was Her Royal Highness (HRH) Princess Sarvath El Hassan of Jordan, who is recognised internationally for her efforts in women’s education. Mr. Shahid Malik, MP Dewsbury, as well as prominent entities from the professional and business community also attended the event.  

The key objective of the evening was to introduce DIL Trust UK and invite their participation in promoting the educational advancement of young girls in Pakistan.

The evening was kicked off by an introduction from DIL Trust UK Chairperson, Ahmereen Reza. She provided an in-depth view of the primary goals of DIL Trust UK in terms of raising funds for schools, setting up vocational and teacher training centres, and creating mentor systems for the under-privileged to enable access to local businesses.

This was followed by a talk from Dr. Maleeha Lodhi, who has been a strong advocate of DIL’s efforts for over nine years. She emphasised the importance of empowering women through literacy and reiterated her support for DIL Trust UK’s initiatives.  

The pivotal point of the evening was HRH Princess Sarvath El Hassan’s thought provoking talk on the subject of literacy as a human right. Her Royal Highness shared her views on the importance of investing in education for women in order to build an informed and enlightened society.

She also highlighted the current challenges faced by developing economies such as Pakistan and how the broader community can implement practical solutions to encourage upward mobility on the economic ladder.
  
The guests were also given a comprehensive video presentation that demonstrated the transformation brought about by DIL schools in the lives of hundreds of children in rural Pakistan. Filmed at the various school locations, the video provided a thorough insight into the challenging tasks undertaken by DIL volunteers for ongoing and upcoming projects for raising literacy awareness in some of the most remote parts of Pakistan. This was followed by a presentation focused on the objectives, framework and operations of DIL Trust UK as well as the structure of the various DIL schools.

The launch received an overwhelming response – there were more than 170 attendees that not only included Pakistani expatriates but also several British supporters. The speakers succeeded in engaging and inspiring the guests who pledged to provide support to DIL Trust UK.

The trustees of DIL Trust UK are extremely grateful for the generosity of those who underwrote the cost of the evening as well as for the generous donations from guests and friends which helped raise more than £5,500 from the launch. The trustees aim to channel these funds towards establishing and running a school in Orangi, Karachi.

DIL Trust UK is actively soliciting corporate funds for its ongoing projects which include creating computer labs and libraries for every school, setting up teacher training centres, developing English language and Maths programmes and providing vocational training for graduating students amongst others.

As the organisation evolves, DIL Trust UK aims to introduce many more initiatives and hold fund raisers to update donors about these initiatives as well as plans for future expansion. In that regard the DIL Trust UK team is looking forward to the continued support of donors to make a difference in the lives of the less privileged children in Pakistan.

Four trustees govern DIL Trust UK with support from the Executive Board in the US. The trustees include Ahmereen Reza, Chairperson, Rubina Riaz, Vice Chairperson, Ruha Khandwala, Treasurer and Jameela Fakhri, Founding Member.

With credible monitoring of the projects and complete financial transparency as the cornerstone of its operations, DIL trustees are responsible for reviewing and approving annual plans and budgets, ensuring strict adherence to financial accountability. and overseeing all fundraising efforts.

DIL Trust UK is currently in the process of being registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. Upon completion of the registration, DIL Trust UK will be able to avail of all standard UK charities tax benefits.