By: Anam Khan

In today’s Thinking big interview series, The NewsRun talks to the founders of Be The Change to learn more about the organization’s mission, services, impact, and future plans. The founders also walk us through the steps they took to launch their charity. As an added bonus, the interview includes some helpful advice for aspiring nonprofit founders.

Launched in May 2018, Be The Change is a nonprofit organization that raises funds for low-income families and marginalized groups in Pakistan. The organization is based in Lahore. It was Ramzan when both founders decided to do some charity work. They started distributing bags of grocery rations to roadside labourers every Friday, and quickly realized these men are amongst the most needy – and most overlooked – part of society:

“…They have to work in the scorching heat, hazardous smog and freezing cold to earn a daily wage, and the days they don’t work, they can’t provide for their families. We were very moved by their stories and decided we wanted to continue this work even after Ramzan was over,” they said.

The founders started fundraising to buy and distribute a week’s worth of grocery rations for 50 families every week. They received a great response from family members and close friends. From there, they pursued small scale projects and drives while continuing to distribute rations. They eventually decided to formalize their work under an umbrella initiative called, Be The Change, which could give people outside their immediate circles a chance to donate and get involved.

The nonprofit aims to help labourers and alleviate their plight in whatever way it can, because:

“It’s their broken backs and calloused hands that have built the walls and roads of urban Lahore…they have no paid leave, no environmental protection, no health benefits or insurance, no retirement packages. They catch dengue, pneumonia, malaria, hepatitis, typhoid and a host of other diseases. So many of the labourers we have come across have lost an eye or a limb due to the nature of their work. They have no steady income or job stability, and have to take on whatever work comes their way, being paid a mere Rs. 700 for a 12 hour shift. Now, with inflation skyrocketing, it’s almost impossible for them to make ends meet,” they said.

The founders also pointed out that no real government bodies or civil society organizations take care of these men, it’s just the kindness of everyday Pakistanis they can rely on for a little relief.

So far, Be The Change has managed to fundraise for 50 labourer families every week for the past year and a half. They want to draw attention to labourers and marginalized groups that aren’t on everyone’s radar. Every Christmas and Easter, the organization will make care packages for hundreds of Christian families, which include grocery rations, warm blankets, sweaters and socks, school bags, toys, and even bicycles.

Last summer, Be The Change fundraised for Ganga Ram Hospital’s Pediatric Thalassemia Centre in lahore, a fantastic initiative that provides free care and medication for thalassemic children from low-income families. During Ramzan, the nonprofit also built eleven hand pumps in the drought stricken Thar desert, providing clean water to approximately 350 families. Their next endeavour is to buy ambulances and NICU units for a hospital outside of Karachi.

Even though running a nonprofit is fulfilling work, the founders talk about one sinking realization they constantly grapple with:

“There’s always so much more required. It’s been very humbling and heartbreaking to come across so much poverty and need, but it’s been incredibly overwhelming to see the kindness and generosity with which people donate.”

Fundraising has been their greatest challenge and goal, because all of the work is donation based:

“We are both private people, so it’s been a bit tricky to step out of our comfort zone and ‘market’ our work, but we try and do so anonymously on our social media accounts, more as a means of ensuring we are as transparent as possible with our donors via photographs and informational updates,” they said.

When asked what advice they have for people who want to start their own charity, the founders said:

“If you want to help, just start. Roll up your sleeves and start today. Be consistent and make time. No cause is small enough.”

At this stage, Be The Change needs more people to help spread the word and accumulate funds so they can take on more projects. The nonprofit wants to continue helping as many people as possible. 

Anam Khan is a content strategist and founder of The NewsRun.