From business to philanthropy
AT A time when the stance on immigration is again hardening, it is worth noting how many of those on the Asian Rich List arrived in Britain from Africa, and to a lesser extent, from the subcontinent, with virtually no money.
Having built multimillionpound enterprises within one generation, they are – having passed the baton on to the younger generation – now focusing their efforts on philanthropic causes.
Others are investing in the UK and abroad, and creating employment opportunities for many.
Sir Anwar and his son Dawood, along with Sir Lord Zameer Choudrey and his family, were at the forefront of fundraising efforts in the UK following the devastating floods in Pakistan a few months ago.
Their Bestway Group, which is Pakistan’s leading foreign investor, announced financial and material support of $1 million (£846 million) for those affected by Pakistan’s floods in September.
Bestway Wholesale’s managing director, Dawood Pervez, said, “As a company which has retained its heritage and links to Pakistan to this day, we want to do all we can to support the recovery efforts and help those that need it the most.
“The significant investment already made by the Bestway Group allows us to actively provide immediate relief; and by working in partnership with local businesses and financial institutions, we are putting in place long-term sustainable measures so we can rehabilitate the masses affected by this national tragedy.”
Lord Choudrey organised a fundraising dinner at a London hotel on September 23, with leading British politicians attending the event.
“The Bestway Group has raised funds to the tune of $2.3m [£1.94m], which will be deployed urgently on the ground in Pakistan to help the victims of those impacted by the recent flooding,” the company said. “The monies raised have been pledged to build homes (or shelters) for 5,000 families, provide usable water for more than 100,000 individuals and provide food and medical supplies to over 20,000 people.
Lord Choudrey’s son and the group’s CFO, Haider Choudrey, said, “Well Pharmacy is also donating $400,000 [£338,404] worth of medicines to support aid relief on the ground”.
Brothers Vijay and Bhikhu Patel, who made their wealth in pharmacy, have expanded into China. They have partnered with a charity in Zanzibar which aims to train health workers and provide state-of-the-art equipment for two district hospitals and their outreach centres.
Sierra Leone is another country where the brothers, with their Shanta Foundation (named after their mother) want to make a difference.
In India, they are working in Gujarat (where the family hail from) as well as Bihar in the east, to help underprivileged people access basic healthcare and education.
Pharma company Morningside’s Nik Kotecha – whose family arrived from Uganda – runs the Randal Charitable Foundation, which supports socially disadvantaged children in the UK and abroad.
Lord Verjee is another entrepreneur whose primary focus is pursuing a number of charitable causes through his Rumi Foundation.