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Media Release
Making change through education

Launch of South Asia Assistance for the Impoverished in Education (SAAIE)

On the auspicious occasion of Australia Day, I am pleased to announce the launch of South Asia Assistance for the Impoverished in Education (SAAIE).
SAAIE is an organisation that will provide financial assistance to the impoverished children of South Asia. The financial assistance will be awarded in the form of scholarships to those children who could not bear the expense of their study/schooling.
Syed Atiq ul Hassan, feeling the pain and need of the time, has made a mission to devote his long-term professional expertise in establishing an organisation that will provide financial assistance to orphan, poor and the most talented children of South Asia commencing from Pakistan. Therefore, Mr. Hassan has established an organisation – South Asia Assistance for Impoverished in Education (SAAIE) – that will fulfil his noble dream.

SAAIE has a mission which requires long term steady hard work and support of sponsors, donors and philanthropists. In the first step, SAAIE’s focus will be to create scholarships for the primary and secondary school children in Pakistan.
SAAIE will receive funds from its donors. SAAIE’s donors can be individuals, groups, companies, autonomous bodies and government agencies. However, the major funds will be generated by organising various public events. Chand Raat Eid Festival (CREF) will be a prime donor of SAAIE. All the profit of Chand Raat Eid Festival will be donated to SAAIE.

The management of SAAIE is planning to award five scholarships to the selected children this year. The opening ceremony of SAAIE and the commencement of first group of scholarships will be announced at CREF 2010 which will be held on Thursday 9th of September, Whitlam Leisure Centre Liverpool, NSW (Australia). For further information & details please visit our website; www.saaie.org  or contact the undersigned.

Support and Make a change through education.

Sarwat Hassan,
Director Promotion, Media and PR,
South Asia Assistance for the Impoverished in Education (SAAIE)
Mobile:  0414 204 093
Email:

Dated: 25th of January, 2010

South Asia – A Shared Vision

South Asia is home to the most ancient civilizations, beautiful cultures, age old traditions, important markets, major agriculture cultivation areas, significant industrial centres, pool of some of the most talented people and attractive tourist locations. Nevertheless, it has been the most unfortunate region in the present time. Territorial conflicts, dictatorship, feudalism, tribalism, communal riots, misleading concepts and religious fanaticism have dragged down the region into instability, insecurity and disharmony.


The situation of the governments of the South Asian countries is hopeless. The corrupt politicians only look after their vested interest rather than work for the betterment of the common people.  Governments spend more money in buying dangerous weapons from the West and less money on providing basic necessities to the people. Instead of making efforts for the welfare of the people by improving the quality of life, accelerating economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the region the ruling forces of the individual countries spend money on the name of territorial safety.

South Asia has a population of 2 billion people. The region becomes home to one-fifth of the world's population and 40 percent of the world's poor. Only in India almost 800 million people live below the poverty line of one dollar a day. In Pakistan, the budget deficit is similar to that of India, with almost more than 50 million poor people. Pakistan spends more than 70% on defence and less than 20% on education and health. The situation of Bangladesh is not different either.

Today, South Asia has emerged as the most illiterate region in the world. It has the highest levels of illiteracy, with over 600 million uneducated people which is the four times the totals for Africa, Latin America, and Europe/Eurasia combined. Illiteracy in the region disproportionately affects women and girls. South Asia has the highest rate of female illiteracy in the world at 57 percent, and in East Asia illiteracy is two and a half times higher among women than men. It has 243 million illiterate women, two-thirds of the region’s adult female population.

Most of the region is governed by some of the world's most closed and repressive regimes and are considered slave nations. Inadequate economic opportunity, the lack of education and skills training, together with corrupt and authoritarian governance, contribute to a disillusioned, isolated, and under-employed populace. In combination with high illiteracy rates-and with post-9/11 hindsight-it seems clear why the region became a nexus of intolerance and an exporter of terror. In Afghanistan, years of civil war, compounded by Taliban rule devastated the country.

Pakistan faces serious challenges to correct its social inequities, devolve political and economic authority to its provinces, and raise its basic health and education indicators.

India is the world’s largest democracy but corruption and backwardness is too high compared to many small countries.

Bangladesh, although recognized for its continued democratic transfer of power and its significant social development progress in recent years, remains one of the poorest country in the world. The situation in Sri Lanka is not different as well.

To deal with these gigantic problems one thing can make change and that is proper education to the common people. A prosperous, healthy, educated population able to participate in democratic processes reduces the risk of terrorism, civil conflict, and regional instability. And this can only happen through proper education - Education from the grassroots.

The only thing that can create a light in the tunnel is education. Proper education can create the sense among the people what is right for them and what is wrong. Proper education can get them away from wrong ideas and concepts.

Syed Atiq ul Hassan,
CEO,
South Asia Assistance for Impoverished in Education (SAAIE),
(Australia)