This report illustrates major activities

over the last six months pertaining to

Sahara Fund Programme, which was
initiated to assist the affected families
soon after the tragic suicide attack on
Islamabad Marriot Hotel on
September 20, 2008

PROGRESS REPORT

Social Welfare Department

Table of Contents

1.

INTRODUCTION..2

2.

RELIEF AND REHABILITATION .................................................................. 3

3.

SUMMARY REPORT OF TOTAL FAMILIES ............................................... 3

4.

ACHIEVEMENTS ............................................................................................ 4

5.

MONTHLY PAYMENT DETAIL .................................................................... 4

6.

DONORS AND DONATION............................................................................. 5

7.

TOTAL DONATION RECEIVED AND FUND DISBURSEMENT ................. 5

8.

PROGRESS ....................................................................................................... 6

9.

MAJOR FINDING OF THE SURVEY ............................................................. 7

1.

INTRODUCTION

Hashoo Group and Hashoo Foundation (HF) initiated the Sahara Fund to provide relief
and rehabilitation to those affected by the Marriott Hotel Islamabad bomb blast of
September 20, 2008, which killed at least 54 and injuring at least 266 people.
The management of Hashoo Group and Hashoo Foundation took immediate action by
devising a concrete plan for relief and rehabilitation of the victims. These efforts were
coordinated and executed within the overall relief and rehabilitation plan in collaboration
with governmental, non-governmental and international organization donors. Under the
Sahara Fund Programme plan, a mechanism for fund disbursement was prepared, which
ultimately disbursed medical, financial and educational assistance to 59 families since
2009.
Each familys position has been evaluated in an attempt to abet a return to the same
family income level as before the explosion. Specific policies and procedures have been
developed by the Social Welfare department of Hashoo Foundation for the recipients of
the affected families to collect disbursement from the Sahara Fund. Based on individual
interviews with family members and thorough review of number of dependents and level
of poverty, distinct groups have been created to assist families in accordance with their
needs. These groups are then used to categorize recipients.

The categories of victims were grouped under the following categories:

A. Deceased hotel staff
B. Deceased outsiders
C. Injured staff with disabilities
D. Injured outsiders with disabilities

2. RELIEF AND REHABILITATION

Hashoo Foundation took the following relief and rehabilitation measures immediately
after the tragic incident:
1. Hashoo Foundation supported all affected staff and outsiders in terms of medical
treatment in government as well as in the best private hospitals.
2. Hashoo Foundation provided transport to injured staff and outsiders from Islamabad
to their homes in remote areas.
3. Hashoo Foundation developed a support system for the families of the affected staff
and outsiders who died and to those who became disabled and are unable to work.

The relief and rehabilitation measures were taken as per the criteria executed as
followings:
A. Nature of disability and severity of injury of the staff and outsiders.
B. Number of dependents and economic condition of the family in terms of family size
and a reliable source of income.
C. Extent of families needs.
3. SUMMARY REPORT OF TOTAL FAMILIES
S.N

Categories

Base line
Number

Current

Deceased Staff

31

30

Injured Staff

Deceased Outsider

17

Injured Outsider

63

43

5
6

Pearl Continental Peshawar

Deceased Staff
Total

4. ACHIEVEMENTS

1 beneficiary was given a lump sum amount to initiate a small business and he has
been running the business successfully.

3 beneficiaries successfully phased out from Sahara Fund after they were found
financially sound and independent.

1 beneficiaries son received a scholarship for ACCA (Associated Certificate of Charter

Accountant) at a London based university.

1 beneficiary got a job in a renowned national school at Islamabad, Pakistan, and

earning sufficient income to sustain himself and his family.

A statistical survey was conducted regarding the satisfactory level of Sahara Fund
beneficiaries in relation to the monthly financial assistance.

According to the findings based on the survey, all educational and class grades of the
beneficiaries children and family information were updated.

CVs of all higher qualified beneficiaries children were collected for any future job
opportunity.

43 out of 63 families are still getting support.

MONTHLY PAYMENT DETAIL

Monthly Payment details from January to June, 2013

Months

Total Amount in PKR

USD Value
US $1= PKR. 104

January

608,620

5,852.12

February

608,620

5,852.12

March

617,620

5,938.65

April

611,520

5,880.00

May

670,520

6,447.31

June

659,520

6,341.54

7,376,420

70,927.12

Total

5.

DONORS AND DONATION

Donors

Marriott International

Donation Received PKR.

USD Value
US $1= PKR. 104

23,632,730

227,237.79

Hashoo Group

1,201,921

11,556.93

Hashoo Group Employee

3,950,800

37,988.46

UCH Power ( Pvt) Ltd

500,000

4,807.69

Pakistan Bait-Ul- Mal

2,000,000

19,230.77

Others

6,489,602

62,400.02

37,775,053

363,221.66

Total

6. TOTAL DONATION RECEIVED AND FUND DISBURSEMENT

Fund

Total fund received

Fund disbursed till December,
2012 since inception
Fund disbursed from Jan to June,
2013
Total fund disbursement

Total Amount in PKR

USD Value
US $1= PKR. 104

37,775,053

363,221.66

29,207,186

280,838.33

7,376,420

70,927.12

36,583,606

351,765.44

7. PROGRESS

Social Welfare Programme (SWP) team periodically conducts assessment of the Sahara
Fund beneficiaries. The prime objectives of the assessments are to evaluate the
effectiveness of the programme and to measure the impact of the financial assistance on
the lives of the beneficiaries. Similarly, SWP team conducted a statistical survey recently
from all the current Sahara Fund beneficiaries regarding their level of satisfaction with
SWP services, financial assistance, team behavior and overall sufficiency level of the
support to archive statistical and quantitative outcomes of the first time programme. The
survey was conducted via post by sending structured questionnaire to all 43 existing
beneficiaries of Sahara Fund Programme. The survey outcome shows that most of the
beneficiaries (39%) are strongly satisfied with the services, financial assistance, teams
behavior with beneficiaries, felt sufficient level of assistance in meeting their urgent
needs, and had timely delivery of the monthly financial assistance. 28% beneficiaries are
satisfied, 22% showed that they were somewhat satisfied while 11% beneficiaries were
dissatisfied. Most of the beneficiaries have requested an increase in monthly financial
assistance while some suggested delivery of the monthly financial assistance be made
earlier.

8.

MAJOR FINDING OF THE SURVEY

66.67% of respondents were strongly satisfied with our team attitude/behavior and
treatment at all levels whenever coordinated/communicated.

45.2% of respondents were strongly satisfied of the welfare support provided by HF.
and are dependent on the support in relation to their food and children education.

35.71% of respondents were somewhat satisfied with the welfare support that
brought improvement in their lives to great extent.

50% of respondents were of the view that their situation would be worsening without
timely supported from HF.

11.9% were strongly dissatisfied with the question showing that there would be no
effect on their lives if not supported by HF.

54.8% were somewhat satisfied with the assistance provided by HF and felt it was
enough to meet their urgent needs.

4.8% were strongly dissatisfied and felt the assistance was not meeting their needs.
47.6% were strongly satisfied that they had been receiving a check and support
timely.

42.5% were somewhat satisfied with the question that some improvement is needed
in the programme.

Those who see the need for improvement in the programme have come forward with
written request in the additional comments section to increase their monthly financial
assistance.