By Khalid Hashmani

January 22, 2011 – The directors of the Saharo Foundation, USA held an open meeting today in Washington D. C. to announce that their organization had secured the securing of 501(C)(3) designation from the U.S. government. The directors included Mr. Ali Nawaz Memon, Mr Hanif Sangi, Mr. Husnain Shaikh, Mr. Zhid Shaikh, and Mr. Sirhandi, The meeting was held at a local restaurant and was attended by several members of local Sindhi community.

The organizations having section 501(c)(3) exemptions are referred to as charitable organizations and are eligible to receive US tax-deductible contributions from US taxpayers. Such organizations commit to direct all funds they collect for charitable causes and are not permitted to be used for the benefit of private interests and no part of their net earnings can be spent for the benefit of any private shareholder or individual.

According to the official web sites of the Foundation (www.saharo.org and www.saharofoundation.blogspot.com), the goals of the foundation include:

“include but not limited to providing scholarship to the poor and brilliant students around the world, provide access to the health resources and disease prevention, empower women and bring gender equality in developing countries, sponsor orphans from crawl, walk until the run, provide clean drinking water, reduce pollution and enrich the life of the deprived.”

The web sites also say that “Saharo Foundation is a non partisan, non political, not for profit foundation based in the World with it’s headquarters in United States. This Foundation is not based on religion, race, color or origin.”

Following the announcement, an open discussion followed where the Saharo Directors told attendees about recent projects and upcoming plans to provide several scholarships and start a new sewing training center for women in the city of Hyderabad in the province of Sindh (Pakistan). They also briefed about their existing sewing training center in Shikarpur, where Saharo Foundation has donated 40 sewing machines. This center has trained many women, many of whom are now engaged in providing financial support to their families. A Saharo director showed the latest income statement of foundation that grouped budget in four project areas: Scholarships, Support to individuals in need of help in USA, Support to individuals in Sindh (Pakistan), and donation to the victims of floods in various cities in Pakistan. Some attendees volunteered their services in specific areas such as larger projects that would be good candidates for a US Aid grant. The directors appealed to larger Sindhi community for donations and some donations were collected in the meeting.

Saharo Foundation, PO Box 6173, Columbia, MD 21045

OR

Online at: www.saharofoundation.blogspot.com

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