About

Dear brothers and sisters, 1. In the spirit of helping those less fortunate, this charity - named the Leeds Chevening Charity 2019 - aspires to raise more than £350 where the ENTIRETY of it will be donated to a charity known as the Positive Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (PAFRAS) which is a charity based in Leeds of West Yorkshire whose vision is to end the “enforced destitution of asylum seekers and refugees and creating a more just society”. For further details, log onto: https://www.pafras.org.uk/vision/ After consulting PAFRAS, they said that a donation of £175 is enough to feed ONE WEEK's worth of meals for the asylum seekers and refugees under their support. Therefore, my target is to achieve more than £350, so we can provide TWO WEEK's worth of meals which I believe is doable and achievable! 2. Objectives. The objectives of this charity are: • To alleviate poverty and destitution and ease the plights and challenges endured by those less fortunate especially asylum seekers and refugee children who have lost or are separated from their parents/guardians. • To give back to an underprivileged community regardless of nationality, race and religion. • To promote volunteerism and altruism amongst international students studying in the United Kingdom and shape compassionate future leaders who have greater care for their community. • In spirit of the Islamic month of Ramadhan, the charity also enables the Muslim volunteers to reap the many blessings of the holy month. 3. Why refugees and asylum seekers? As a student of international relations who reads about the destruction in the wake of wars and conflicts, I am fortunate to have grown up in a peaceful environment. But not everyone around the world are as fortunate. Refugees and asylum seekers are focused because even when they have settled in the UK, we need to remember that most of these refugees may be forced to leave their home countries and take the risk of moving into an unfamiliar community, culture and language. It is challenging enough for some internationals students to settle down abroad – imagine how much harder it is for the refugees. Therefore, this charity hopes to contribute towards noble charities such as PAFRAS that can help these refugees and asylum seekers especially those who have lost or are separated from their parents/guardians transition and settle down easier in the United Kingdom. For more information on the charity, feel free to contact the Leeds Chevening Care coordinator, Azim Kassim at azimsorianokassim@gmail.com and through WhatsApp at +447943117992. He is a student at the University of Leeds and a recipient of the UK FCO Chevening Scholarship 2018.