BACKGROUND:
Invitation to the Truth Inc. (Invitation Relief) is a non-profit corporation 501 (3) (c) registered in New York City. This courageous initiative was founded in March 2006 by Hassan Akmal, a graduate of the Forced Migration and Health Track of the Department of Population and Family Health and Epidemiology at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health. He is a professional tennis player and the Right to Play International Athlete Ambassador to Pakistan and the United States, who represents the sport of tennis as a professional and as using sport for development for disadvantaged children all over the world.
MISSION AND OBJECTIVES:
Invitation to the Truth's primary public objectives focus on Forced Migration and Refugee Relief. The organization is committed to improving the health and well-being of people affected by conflict and forced migration. The organization pursues its mission with humanitarian health workers and by using background innovative research, experience and training, and capacity-building initiatives.The organization hopes to lead by its example and to be a pilot organization for the next generation of humanitarian workers trying to be public health professionals and leaders in complex emergencies.
Invitation to the Truth pursues its public health objectives by letting people know about the reality of its emergency appeals, and the truth of those who are suffering locally and abroad. By sending out e-mail newsletters, marketing the health projects on the internet and within the society, and organizing benefit concerts for its health projects, fundraisers for its urgent appeals, and other public events which raise awareness, it firmly believes it can continue to assist underserved populations. It hopes to accomplish this by filling in the public health gaps by offering emergency relief and capacity building projects, and offer and implement solutions to improve desperate situations of need and survival. It also hopes to be a guide to the future of quality and efficacy of humanitarian response in similar complex emergencies by sharing its successful projects with the public. Invitation to the Truth defines the nature, impact, and determinants of health and social sector problems in complex emergencies and then develops effective policies to alleviate problems in the health and social sectors. The next step is to design, manage and evaluate health and social sector programs and this connects in countless ways with New York City and its extensive health, human rights and humanitarian networks that span the globe. In addition, the access to the United Nations agencies and INGOs are encouraging to help our world-class training staff stay focused on international health issues, human rights, conflict resolution, education and empowerment of the poor.
Invitation to the Truth studies the available population-based research to help understand the background and to help improve humanitarian response policies and practice. Invitation to the truth wishes to keep the concept of "Unity Through Charity, Understanding, and Moral Leadership" as its slogan. While holding on to the previous concept, Invitation to the Truth strives to help the general public in New York City as well, where it is based, in order to give back to the community what it has graciously given it, hope, direction and opportunity. While collaborating with Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and the UN Millenium Project, Invitation to the Truth hopes to improve the quality and health of the underserved areas and communities within New York City and establish development projects in needy areas to help tackle poverty, illiteracy and disease at a local level.
Invitation to the Truth offers an "Invitation of Peace" to the public. This means it extends its hand unto others and calls them to come together in unity of a charitable cause regardless of their background, religion, belief, race, color, or culture. Together, by networking and combining local efforts, it believes that it can further alleviate the suffering, hunger, illiteracy and diseases worldwide without regard to color, race or creed and to provide aid in a compassionate and dignified manner. It aims to provide rapid relief in the event of man-made or natural disasters and believes that education is the key to a better life for disadvantaged children. Accordingly, Invitation to the Truth, aims to provide vital support - including healthcare, nutritional and other basic needs - that enable children and undeserved communities to pursue educational growth.
Invitation to the Truth helps some of the poorest areas of the earth raise enough funds for educational projects, such as: building and managing schools and tutoring centers, medical treatment and support that will enable a disadvantaged child to attend school, nutritional support, support of individual children with scholarships, school supplies, uniforms, etc., after school activities focusing on the child’s individual personal growth, summer educational camps, and using Sport for Psychosocial Development.
Invitation to the Truth focuses on projects that value the individuality of each beneficiary and his/her personal growth and needs. But our outreach is not just limited to individuals. We believe that to insure real and lasting changes in each location, we must involve the entire community. We need them to participate, because the success of these projects will require their involvement. We try our best to help strengthen communities through education and enterprise. This way, we will be able to optimize preventive medical care and educational programs in underserved areas by working with existing community-based
organizations (CBO's) for self-sustaining long-term impact. We believe that native programs, infrastructure and organizations have unique strengths in identifying areas of need and opportunity. Thus, we network within communities to set up ongoing processes that will continue to grow a community's natural resources and confidence. We follow two rules to uphold these standards: 1) The quality of the project we intend to assist. 2) Volunteer work to help insure maximum donations to funding the children’s needs. This helps maximize our donors’ generosity by minimizing expenditures which do not directly benefit our target population. Not only do the majority of our field staff work on a 100% volunteer basis, most medical and field staff pay all their own expenses for project visits to the various countries in which we choose to operate. To help achieve all of these previous objectives, Invitation to the Truth implements several other different types of projects: Development Projects- Invitation to the Truth’s view is that relief, as important as it is, is only the beginning. Giving people the confidence to participate in their own development and to secure their own future without the need for continuing external assistance is the ultimate object. Therefore, Invitation finds it essential to complement relief work with development projects such as: Water and Sanitation, Health and Nutrition, Vocational Training, Education , Income Generation , Orphan Sponsorship Program andEmergency Relief Projects.
Invitation to the Truth is currently helping the people of Afghanistan, Indonesia, United States (Hurricane Katrina Relief and underserved areas in New York), Africa, and other parts of the world. Invitation to the Truth hopes to continue to provide rapid assistance in times of emergency and hopefully quickly become recognized in this field amongst international organizations such as the United Nations World Food Program (UNWFP) and the Department for International Development.
Orphans Projects: Invitation to the Truth has set up various orphans welfare program which provides care for orphans and remaining members of their family. This will include the provision of health care and education within the local communities. Domestic Projects: Invitation to the Truth has increased its focus on domestic projects greatly in the next few years. Although it is not as apparent or easily recognizable as in other countries we hope to work in, there are many communities here in the United States which remains underserved.
Whether it is the homeless population who dwell on the streets, or those who cannot afford basic health care, Invitation to the Truth sees it as its duty to aid the less fortunate in society. Invitation to the Truth hopes to be one of the leading organizations in coordination of the annual ‘Humanitarian Day' program with one of our partners, Islamic Relief. In 14 U.S. cities during the Islamic month of Ramadan, Invitation to the Truth hopes to annually provide food, clothing, medical care, and social services to people living in the most poverty-stricken areas of our nation. Humanitarian Day is now in its sixth year, and has quickly become an American Muslim tradition during Ramadan. Some of the other domestic projects include the support of the UMMA Community Clinic (a free clinic for the homeless in south central Los Angeles), toy drives for disadvantaged children, community support programs, and much more. One of the domestic projects which we hope to grow in the next few years is a financial assistance program for families in need. Working with temples, mosques, churches and community organizations, and providing educational materials which help clear the misconceptions about different faiths and beliefs, will help encourage the public to work together. Working with others, we can identify simple local disparities such as helping provide emergency financial assistance to families in need.
Public Charity Bazaar: Invitation to the Truth utilizes an online item known as the "Charity Bazaar" as an additional resource aside from grants, donations, etc. to raise funds for public health projects. Everything in the item is available for the public for donations including clothing such as t-shirts, DVDs, CDs, etc. These products will also be freely distributed at fundraising events. All of the proceeds will go directly to health projects. Invitation to the Truth has selected unique products which encourage peace, tolerance, and unity. For example, a DVDs of a peace convention event in India between Hindus and Muslims entitled "Similarities Between Hinduism and Islam" or other titles such as "The Historical Jesus", "Our Beginning, Our End", "True Success", "Perished Nations", and "The Qur'an and the Bible in the Light of Modern Science". Inter-Faith Dialogues and Peace Events: Furthermore, Invitation to the Truth organizes inter-faith dialogues and peace conventions as a courageous attempt to build understanding, reduce ignorance, and raise public awareness on serious issues which need attention locally and abroad. For example, opposition to terrorism, reducing hate crimes, and increasing awareness on issues needing further attention. This is done locally and internationally and will be organized with all major faiths willing to participate and does not discriminate towards any religious background, race, culture, or color. Additionally, issues are selected on an order of priority and relevance to the cultural sensitivity of an area we are providing health care to.
Summary: Invitation to the Truth believes actions speak louder than words. Therefore, it strives to encourage justice, equality, and alleviation of suffering by its own actions towards relief, while carrying a message of peace, tolerance, humanity, education, and teamwork as a key motivator.
SEE INVITATION'S VISION |
