Developments in Literacy (DIL) Trust UK hosted a gala dinner on 28th April 2018, held at The Dorchester in London, which raised over £120,000 for its charitable activities in the UK and Pakistan. The event was attended by several prominent personalities including Nusrat Ghani MP for Wealden and Mr. Ziauddin Yousafzai, father of Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai. Guests were welcomed by DIL Trust UK Chairman Samir Anzur. This was followed by a short speech from Nusrat Ghani MP for Wealden, who emphasised the importance of education, and highlighted her own example where she was the first in her family to be educated and managed to attain a ministerial position. Also present at the event was Lord Tariq Ahmad and distinguished British Pakistani business leaders and DIL supporters in London.
Mr. Ziauddin Yousafzai reiterated the importance of a girl child’s independence and confidence through education as well as his commitment to DIL Trust UK’s work. The star guest of the evening was DIL’s very own student Saba Farman who was specially invited from Karachi for the event. Along with Ahmereen Reza, co-founder, Saba Farman described how the work of DIL in Pakistan was bringing a positive transformation to her and her family’s life.
The evening, which featured an energetic live auction hosted by Nick Martineau of Christies which alone raised over £51,500, was a celebration of the arts and crafts of Pakistan as well as the works of Pakistan’s renowned designers and artists who had donated works for the live auction. Through direct contributions, live and silent auctions, more than £120,000 was raised during the evening which will go towards the schools that DIL Trust UK maintains in Pakistan and for projects that are run for marginalised women and terminally ill children in Britain.