Nasreen & Alam Sher Foundation

The Nasreen & Alam Sher Foundation, commonly known as NASF or the N.A. Sher Foundation, is a United States-based nonprofit organization established in February 2007 by Alam Sher and Nasreen Akhtar Sher. The foundation describes its central purpose as helping people in need through programs focused on health, education, humanities, peace, human development, freedom, human rights, and improvements in the quality and equality of ordinary people's lives. It operates as a nongovernmental, nonreligious, nonpolitical, and nonprofit organization and has undertaken projects in Pakistan and other South Asian countries, while relying on donations and volunteer participation. The foundation's work has been especially visible in Pakistan. Its education initiatives have included supplying furniture, books, and computers to Government High School in Mozang, Lahore, an institution associated with Alam Sher and earlier generations of his family. The school's refurbished library was named Sher's Den, and later support helped establish a computer laboratory. At Fatimah Girls School in Lahore, NASF funded playground equipment and supported the naming of the site as Begum Naseem Rehman Memorial Park in memory of Alam Sher's late sister. The organization has also provided scholarships, including support for students from Pakistan and India, and sponsored a directory of 2012 Doctor of Pharmacy graduates from the University of Karachi to improve links between graduates and potential employers. Health care has been one of the foundation's most substantial areas of activity. In 2010 and 2011, its medical teams organized several eye camps in Pakistan and reported performing more than 1,000 cataract-removal surgeries, in addition to examinations and treatment for other illnesses. The organization also helped arrange a corneal graft for a twelve-year-old girl who had been blind since birth. In 2011, NASF collaborated with the Tanzeem Sehat Samaj Sangat Gadap to establish the Aisha Bibi Memorial Hospital near Karachi. The facility included maternity and eye-care services and subsequently offered dental care, childhood vaccinations, laboratory services, and family-planning assistance without charge. Related projects included the Bhriaee Pandhi Maternity Home and the Dr. Sultan Ali Free Eye Clinic. During Pakistan's 2010 floods, NASF supported medical camps in several locations, temporary shelter, mosquito nets, and medical supplies. It later sponsored free medical camps at Aisha Bibi Memorial Hospital that treated more than 2,000 patients over two weekends, according to the organization's published account. The foundation also organized mass weddings for 25 couples affected by the floods, providing household goods, clothing, food, sewing machines, and bicycles. Peace and cultural activities have complemented the foundation's relief and development work. NASF supported a 2012 peace camp in Srinagar organized by Standing Together to Enable Peace. Its fundraising has included The Taste of South Asia cultural variety show and a music compilation titled Hope, featuring Sufi music in Punjabi, Urdu, and English. The foundation has also received recognition from academic and humanitarian circles, including a 2010 humanitarian award from the Department of Pharmacognosy at the University of Karachi's Faculty of Pharmacy and its own 2011 Humanitarian of the Year award. Public information about the foundation's current leadership, finances, headquarters, and present operating scale is limited.

NASF was founded in February 2007 by Alam Sher and Nasreen Akhtar Sher. The founders chose to place Nasreen's name first, reflecting the ordering convention of traditional Punjabi love stories and honoring the couple's relationship. The organization was established as a nonprofit, non-governmental, nonreligious, and nonpolitical body intended to assist disadvantaged communities through health, education, humanitarian, and peace programs. After obtaining 501(c)(3) status, the foundation began accepting donations. Its governance was described as a ten-member board of directors, with representatives and vice presidents associated with work in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. Decisions were reported to be made by majority vote. The foundation's documented projects have been concentrated in South Asia, especially Pakistan, while its fundraising and organizational base have been in the United States. Education was an early and continuing priority. In 2007, NASF supplied chairs for teachers at Government High School in Mozang, Lahore, where staff had reportedly been using desks or student benches. It also funded a library refurbishment, naming the library Sher's Den. In 2008, the foundation supplied computers for a school computer laboratory. At Fatimah Girls School, it donated playground equipment and supported a memorial park named for Alam Sher's late sister. NASF also awarded scholarships to students from Pakistan and India, including support for a student pursuing chartered-accountancy studies, and helped sponsor a directory of University of Karachi pharmacy graduates. The foundation's medical program expanded significantly between 2010 and 2011. Its eye camps in rural Pakistan offered examinations, treatment, and cataract surgery, reportedly completing more than 1,000 cataract removals. The organization also helped a young girl receive a corneal graft after a donor became involved in her case. In 2011, NASF partnered with the Tanzeem Sehat Samaj Sangat Gadap to open Aisha Bibi Memorial Hospital in Konkar Village near Karachi. The hospital provided free maternity and ophthalmic services and later added dental treatment, vaccinations, laboratory work, and family-planning services. A maternity home and a free eye clinic were also established as related facilities. The 2010 floods in Pakistan prompted a major humanitarian response. NASF-supported medical teams worked in five locations, treating people with waterborne, skin, and respiratory conditions. The foundation supplied tents, mosquito nets, syringes, gloves, gauze, and related materials. It subsequently arranged mass weddings for 25 couples whose communities had been damaged by the floods, supplementing the ceremonies with food, clothing, household goods, bicycles, and sewing machines intended to support household livelihoods. Fundraising and public engagement included the annual Taste of South Asia cultural variety show and the Hope CD, a compilation of Sufi music. NASF also supported a 2012 peace camp in Srinagar organized by Standing Together to Enable Peace. Its work received coverage in newspapers in Maine and Pakistan, and the Department of Pharmacognosy at the University of Karachi recognized the foundation with a 2010 humanitarian award. In 2011, NASF presented its first Humanitarian of the Year award to Syed Irfan Qasim Ali for his role in the Karachi medical camps. Current information about the foundation's active programs, leadership roster, finances, and legal status is not sufficiently documented in the available reference material.

• 2012

  Peace-camp support

  [1]Nasreen & Alam Sher Foundationen.wikipedia.org

  NASF supported an annual peace camp in Srinagar.

• 2011

  Aisha Bibi Memorial Hospital established

  [1]Nasreen & Alam Sher Foundationen.wikipedia.org

  NASF partnered with TSSS to establish a free hospital near Karachi.

• 2010

  Pakistan flood-relief response

  [1]Nasreen & Alam Sher Foundationen.wikipedia.org

  NASF organized medical relief and provided shelter and supplies after severe flooding in Pakistan.

• 2008

  Computer laboratory supported

  [1]Nasreen & Alam Sher Foundationen.wikipedia.org

  The foundation provided computers for Government High School in Mozang.

• 2007

  Foundation established

  [1]Nasreen & Alam Sher Foundationen.wikipedia.org

  Alam Sher and Nasreen Akhtar Sher established NASF in February as a donor-supported humanitarian nonprofit.

• 2007

  Lahore school support begins

  [1]Nasreen & Alam Sher Foundationen.wikipedia.org

  NASF donated teacher chairs and supported library improvements at Government High School in Mozang.

A donor-supported, cross-border humanitarian foundation combining practical health and education projects with disaster relief, community development, cultural fundraising, and peace-oriented initiatives.

• Community healthcare facility · 2011

  Aisha Bibi Memorial Hospital

  A free hospital established in 2011 in partnership with Tanzeem Sehat Samaj Sangat Gadap in Konkar Village near Karachi. Its documented services included maternity care, ophthalmology, dental treatment, childhood vaccinations, laboratory services, family planning, and general medical camps.

• Ophthalmic clinic

  Dr. Sultan Ali Free Eye Clinic

  A free eye-care service named for NASF medical director Sultan Ali. The clinic provided eye examinations, eyeglasses, and cataract-removal services for people unable to afford treatment.

• Fundraising music album

  Hope

  A NASF fundraising CD compiling Sufi songs performed in Punjabi, Urdu, and English. It was created as a cultural fundraising product rather than a commercial music release.

• 2012Annual Peace Camp

  India

  NASF supported a peace camp organized by Standing Together to Enable Peace in Srinagar.

  Source
• 2011Free medical camps at Aisha Bibi Memorial Hospital

  Pakistan

  NASF sponsored two weekends of free medical camps with local and visiting clinicians.

  Outcome. More than 2,000 patients were triaged and treated, with medicines supplied for approximately one month.

  Source
• 2010Pakistan flood relief

  Pakistan

  NASF medical teams worked in five locations after the floods, treating illnesses and distributing tents, mosquito nets, and clinical supplies.

  Outcome. The foundation reported treating more than 600 patients and providing emergency materials.

  Source
• 2010Taste of South Asia

  United States

  An annual cultural variety show and fundraiser featuring South Asian food and music, with proceeds directed to humanitarian work.

  Outcome. Funds from the 2010 event supported flood-relief food, water, medical supplies, and mosquito nets.

  Source

• 2011

  Expand from mobile care to permanent community facilitiesStrategy

  Background

  NASF's eye camps and other medical outreach identified continuing unmet health needs in communities near Karachi.

  Action taken

  The foundation partnered with TSSS to establish Aisha Bibi Memorial Hospital and related maternity and eye-care services.

  Aftermath

  The hospital later added dental care, vaccinations, laboratory services, and family planning.

  Source

• 2011

  Honor Malala Yousafzai through a girls' school laboratoryOther

  Background

  The foundation sought to support awareness of girls' and women's education.

  Action taken

  Its board approved naming a science laboratory at a girls' high school in Kamalpur, Punjab, the Malala Yousafzai Science Laboratory.

  Aftermath

  The laboratory received equipment and furniture for chemistry, physics, and biology instruction.

  Source

• 2012

  NASF supports Srinagar peace camp[1]Nasreen & Alam Sher Foundationen.wikipedia.org

  Campaign

  The foundation supported a peace camp in Srinagar organized by Standing Together to Enable Peace.

• 2011

  NASF conducts free eye camps in Pakistan[1]Nasreen & Alam Sher Foundationen.wikipedia.org

  Campaign

  Five eye camps held during 2010–2011 reportedly delivered more than 1,000 cataract-removal surgeries along with examinations and treatment.

• 2011

  Aisha Bibi Memorial Hospital opens near Karachi[1]Nasreen & Alam Sher Foundationen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  NASF and Tanzeem Sehat Samaj Sangat Gadap established a free community hospital with maternity and eye-care services.

• 2011

  Free medical camps treat more than 2,000 patients[1]Nasreen & Alam Sher Foundationen.wikipedia.org

  Campaign

  Two weekends of medical camps at Aisha Bibi Memorial Hospital treated more than 2,000 patients and distributed medicines.

• 2010

  Foundation responds to Pakistan floods[1]Nasreen & Alam Sher Foundationen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  NASF supported medical camps, temporary shelter, mosquito nets, and medical supplies for communities affected by severe flooding in Pakistan.

• 2010

  NASF holds flood-relief mass weddings[1]Nasreen & Alam Sher Foundationen.wikipedia.org

  Campaign

  The foundation organized weddings for 25 couples from flood-affected villages and supplied household and livelihood items.

• 2008

  NASF adds computer equipment to Government High School in Mozang[1]Nasreen & Alam Sher Foundationen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The organization provided computers that helped establish a computer laboratory at the Lahore school.

• 2007

  NASF begins education-support projects in Lahore[1]Nasreen & Alam Sher Foundationen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The foundation supplied teacher chairs and later supported a refurbished library at Government High School in Mozang, Lahore.

1. 1Nasreen & Alam Sher Foundationen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Nasreen & Alam Sher Foundation official websitesherfoundation.org