Dr. Amjad Saqib received the Ramon Magsaysay Award for his exceptional achievements in the eradication of poverty in the South Asian country. He is a Pakistani philanthropist and founder of the Akhuwat Foundation.
The Ramon Magsaysay award is considered one of the most prestigious awards in Asia which is given to people for their exceptional work in developing Asian societies annually.
The Ramon Magsaysay Award has also been received by the following Pakistanis:
- Akhtar Hameed Khan.
- Abdul Sattar Edhi.
- Bilquis Edhi.
- Shoaib Sultan Khan.
- Asma Jahangir.
- Dr Adibul Hasan Rizvi.
- Tasneem Ahmed Siddiqui.
- Dr Ruth Pfau.
- Ibn Abdur Rehman.
Prime Minister Imran Khan congratulated Dr. Amjad Saqib, founder of the Akhuwat Foundation, on receiving this year’s Ramon Magsaysay Award on Tuesday (31 August).
The Prime Minister said on Twitter, “Have been told this year’s Ramon Magsaysay Award, Asia’s highest honor, has been given to a Pakistani, Dr. Amjad Saqib, Founder Akhuwat.”
Imran Khan added, “Congratulations to him. We are proud of his achievement as we move forward in creating a welfare state based on Riasat e Madina Model.”
Dr. Amjad Saqib received the award for offering interest-free loans to alleviate poverty. The Akhuwat Foundation has granted Rs 150 billion in interest-free loans to people from the lower social classes.
This award is annually received by people who have made extraordinary contributions towards the eradication of poverty and carrying out development in the society of Asia.
This award has been given to 10 distinguished Pakistanis till now, and this award is said to be equal to the Nobel Award in Asia.
What is Akhuwat Foundation?
The Akhuwat Foundation was founded by Dr. Muhammad Amjad Saqib in 2001 which is a non-profit organization that is aiming to create a poverty-free society. The head office of the Akhuwat Foundation is in Lahore, and it has over 800 branches that have been scattered across 400 cities of Pakistan.
Over 3 million families in Pakistan have received 4.5 million interest-free loans (Qarz-e-Hasan) totaling PKR 128 billion (US$798 million) through the Akhuwat Foundation. The foundation uses interest-free microfinance as a tool for the alleviation of poverty that benefits the beneficiaries in becoming included members of Pakistan’s society.
The issue of poverty is multidimensional which is why the Akhuwat foundation has branched out in the fields of:
- Education.
- Health.
- Giving clothes to the underprivileged.
- Supporting transgender community.
Akhuwat is a legal entity in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Sweden. Furthermore, it has begun collaboration with groups in Nigeria, Uganda, and Afghanistan in order to achieve worldwide expansion.
