'Dreams of My Father'

TCF depends on the hard work and dedication of our supporters to raise awareness of our cause and mission, and to raise vital funds for the maintenance and construction of existing and new schools.  Atif Ali is one such exceptional supporter. Here, Atif recounts how he raised over £95,000 for TCF in less than two years.

“It had always been my father’s dream to build a school in Pakistan. On 4th August 2008, I helped him realise this dream, as together we inaugurated the TCF Ilam Din & Allah Ditta primary school in the Mian Channu district of Pakistan.

I first heard about TCF in the spring of 2006, at a time when I had recently graduated from university and was looking forward to embarking on a career in investment banking. A friend had returned from a trip to Pakistan with stories about these great schools that were having a tremendous impact on their local communities. We had enjoyed and took for granted educational opportunities, he said, that were denied to most young people in Pakistan.

His stories made me think of my father. I did some research into TCF and met with the FTCF team, which proved to me that it was indeed a good charity to support. And so my friends and I decided to raise enough money to fund a new TCF primary school. At the time, this required £55,000 and so we certainly weren’t lacking in ambition. We just needed a plan…

	CV Boosters Applying for graduate jobs, we had found that there was a real lack of career support and advice available to students. Seeing this as an opportunity, in November 2006, my friends and I started CVBoosters (CVB), a social enterprise which aimed to fill this gap whilst at the same time raising funds for TCF. We started off as a CV checking service. I still remember my first job – I made £5 for 45 minutes’ work. It wasn’t much, but it wasn’t bad either for something that had only been an idea a couple of weeks before.
Fate was smiling on us too - our first customer turned out to be the President of Imperial College’s largest student society! Today, CVB holds interview workshops and finance lectures at universities across London and is run by finance and management professionals, all of whom volunteer their time. To date, CVB has worked with over 500 students, many of whom have landed their dream jobs at top investment banks and accountancy firms. With all profits from CVB donated to TCF, the venture has raised close to £10,000 for the cause.

The Dragon’s Den I had always been struck by the famous line from Paulo Coelho’s ‘The Alchemist’: “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it”. It rang especially true in March 2008, when Credit Suisse announced it was to hold its inaugural ‘Dragon’s Den’ competition. The competition was inspired by a television show of the same name where contestants present business ideas to a panel of wealthy entrepreneurs. In this case, Credit Suisse employees were invited to pitch on behalf of the charities they supported. CVB had already raised nearly £45,000 for TCF and we had our eyes on the first prize of £50,000. Winning it would mean enough money to complete our primary school and part fund a secondary school. With the stakes so high, we spent countless hours drafting and re-drafting the application and, to our delight, were invited to the final. Finally, the moment arrived and we found ourselves in front of the ‘Dragons’. We needn’t have worried – CVB and TCF won them over and we left that evening with some unforgettable memories and a cheque for £50,000!

Return to Pakistan
I visited the Ilam Din & Allah Ditta Campus earlier this year with my father and uncle. The school building is superb, and the teachers are truly dedicated. But by far the most inspirational thing about the school was the infectious enthusiasm and confidence of the students. They are proud to come school, and show up every day, beautifully turned out in their uniforms and keen to learn..While it is true that TCF gives them the invaluable opportunity to fulfill their potential through education, it is ultimately the kids who make it the success that it is – through their hard work, commitment and energy.

Visiting Pakistan (for the first time in 23 years) gave me a much better understanding of what TCF is trying to achieve. Having lived in London all my life, I have grown accustomed to structure and order – on the roads, in schools and in hospitals. In Pakistan, things are different. I was amazed at the huge number of privately run schools. There was almost one on every street corner! The problems of education in Pakistan are complex: the state education system is poorly funded and dysfunctional. The myriad of private schools that have sprung up to fill the gap only cater to those students whose families can afford the fees. These are just some of the problems that TCF is trying to address. By building a trusted brand and replicating the system all over the country, TCF is giving children from all backgrounds access to the same high quality education. TCF teachers are trained at its own training centre, the curriculum is designed to provide a well-rounded education, and all students have access to textbooks and school supplies. The secondary schools are even equipped with libraries, and computer and science labs.    

Mohammad Ali Jinnah once said: “With faith, discipline and selfless devotion to duty, there is nothing worthwhile that you cannot achieve.” As I reflect on my experiences of the last two years, I realise the immense truth of these words. Choosing to support TCF has impacted me in a profound way. I’ve been humbled by the dedication and generosity of CVB’s volunteers and inspired by all those working for TCF. And as I look to the future, it is with the firm belief that Pakistan is a country of unrivalled potential, which can be unlocked by the provision of a high quality education for all. I encourage all my friends to get involved with TCF in whatever way they can, for I can confidently tell them that they will not regret it.”
 
Atif Ali is a Research Analyst at Credit Suisse and the Co-Founder of CV Boosters. He can be contacted at atif@cvboosters.com

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'Dreams of My Father'

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