Al-Tazid Foundation
Al Tazid Foundation was established in 2005 to celebrate the life of the late Tazid Ali; his life and work. Al Tazid Foundation is based at Ipswich in Suffolk. The Foundation has been undertaking charitable activities in Sylhet, Bangladesh for nearly 15 years.
Al-Tazid Foundation works among the poor in north-east Bangladesh, centring on villages and outlying hamlets in the Sylhet district. These villages and many of the inhabitants are known personally to family members of Al-Tazid Foundation.
The Foundation raises funds partly through links with organisations and villages in Suffolk in the United Kingdom. It is also funded directly by family members and individual donations. Administrative costs are minimal. Family members oversee each project. They meet their own travel expenses and other out of pocket expenses while ensuring that costs are kept as low as possible and funds are properly and fairly distributed.
Boshor Ali founded Al-Tazid Foundation in memory of his father. Tazid Ali had been passionate about helping the poor of the villages near his home. He had sent clothes and money to families in need whenever he could. Boshor identified new ways in which Al-Tazid Foundation could give help. “To us, who are fortunate enough to live in the developed western world, poor living conditions and lack of education are familiar third world problems. Was there any way in which I could be sure that the Foundation could give the right kind of help in the places where it was most needed?”
Boshor needed to find a way of monitoring that identified suitable projects, helping people in those areas where the needs were greatest. Family members and volunteers in Bangladesh monitor progress. As a result, regular reports are received from Bangladesh. The trustees in the UK decide which projects are to be funded. At the same time Boshor and his family concentrate on fundraising. Events such as charity lunches and dinners are organized on a regular basis. Schools and local business associations provide venues and support. Several village communities in the UK are particularly active.
“We encourage the people we meet at our fundraising events to commit themselves to making regular donations to the Al-Tazid Foundation. A guaranteed income is so helpful when it comes to planning for the future work of the Foundation.”
