Glimmer of Hope lends helping hand

THROUGH their outreach programme in 2017, Non-Government Organisation (NGO) the Glimmer of Hope Foundation was able to purchase school supplies for 236 children. This year, the foundation is only filling approximately 50 book lists.

However, it’s not for the reason you might think. President and founder, Zahir Ali told Newsday that through the organisation’s empowerment programme, almost 200 of the families they helped last year can now help themselves.

“Last year we assisted 236 children but this year we only got about 46 requests so far because the people who we helped are now helping themselves,” Ali said.

He said the foundation has helped families in getting jobs or becoming self-employed so the cycle of poverty does not continue.

“Just last week, the father of a child we helped in 2017 dropped off a bag of stationary for us to help someone else. We have been able to get jobs in supermarkets, in construction and through working with various councillors to get work for them in corporations, some of them are planting produce and selling to provide for their families.”

Ali has been involved in volunteer work for about three years and said there is real joy in teaching people to sustain themselves.

“It gives you a sense of joy when people call you and they can talk about the things they are growing and the way their lives have changed- it is much more important to teach a man to fish than to give him a fish for a day.”

Ali said the foundation’s executive is made up of people from all walks of life which allows them to help families in a holistic manner.

“We have an attorney, a housewife, geologists, engineers, consultants, people who work in education, a journalist, accountants- it’s someone from every walk of life and we do assessments on families when we are called in to help to determine the best way to allow them to sustain themselves- I wish more NGOs would take the time to do proper assessments and not just give to families and leave them dependent on the next handout.”

In partnering with an international outreach programme from Bulgaria called the One World Foundation, Ali said full education scholarships have been awarded to ten underprivileged children.

“This funding will take them up to university level- so they will get full funding for books, uniforms, transport and even extra lessons- and the rest of the family will benefit from monthly hampers.”

In the coming months, the foundation will host functions in observance of Divali and its annual Christmas treat for children.

“People always say we have opened a lot of eyes to the levels of poverty we have in TT and if we sit and do nothing, it will always continue- we have to be the change to leave a better nation for our children.”