The Cosaraf Foundation

The Cosaraf Foundation We are a grant-giving charity supporting projects in the UK and overseas.

As a new academic year begins, we’re delighted to welcome students and Sheikh Family Scholars back to their studies acro...
04/09/2026

As a new academic year begins, we’re delighted to welcome students and Sheikh Family Scholars back to their studies across the UK, Pakistan and beyond. Autumn marks an exciting moment in the COSARAF calendar, a time when pathways open, ambitions grow, and the next generation of changemakers step forward.

From early years education to postgraduate study, our Foundation is proud to support learning at every stage:

• In Mehran Town, our renewed partnership with GEAR TRUST is establishing new satellite preschools, giving children the strongest possible start.
• At Cambridge, Oxford and Warwick, our Sheikh Family Scholars are returning to world‑leading universities, including new Scholars beginning programmes in fields such as Islamic Education, STEM, social sciences and more.
• Across our global partnerships, young people continue to access digital skills, vocational training, enterprise support and leadership development.

Education is central to our mission. It is how we create pathways, expand opportunity, and build the confidence and capability needed for long‑term change. It is also a core pillar of our strategic aim: to support and develop changemakers within their communities, individuals who will lead, influence and uplift others.

To all students and Scholars beginning or returning to their studies this autumn:
We are proud to support your journey, and excited to see the impact you will make.

👉 Learn more about our education pathways: www.cosaraf.org

As the dust settles on summer and the new academic year begins, perhaps you're looking for a change in career or a fresh...
02/09/2026

As the dust settles on summer and the new academic year begins, perhaps you're looking for a change in career or a fresh start somewhere new?

Many of our peers in the Muslim philanthropy sector in the UK are recruiting. Check out Muslim Charities Forum jobs board here for new opportunities https://ow.ly/pPqt50ZHGXp

We are pleased to renew of our partnership with the University of Warwick, continuing our commitment to widening access ...
28/08/2026

We are pleased to renew of our partnership with the University of Warwick, continuing our commitment to widening access and supporting talented Muslim students through the Sheikh Family Scholars Programme.

As part of this, we are delighted to welcome a new Sheikh Family Scholar for the upcoming academic year, a Muslim student undertaking an MA in Islamic Education at Warwick. Their work will contribute to a growing field focused on faith‑based pedagogy, community learning and educational leadership within Muslim communities.

Our partnership with Warwick has been an important part of the programme’s development. Warwick Scholars have gone on to contribute to academic research, community education initiatives and leadership roles across the sector.

This renewed agreement strengthens our shared commitment to supporting postgraduate study in areas that have meaningful impact for Muslim communities in the UK and beyond. We look forward to welcoming our newest Scholar this autumn and supporting their academic journey, professional development and future contribution to the field of Islamic Education.

We are proud to continue this partnership and to support the next generation of Muslim educators and leaders.

👉 Learn more about the Sheikh Family Scholars Programme: https://ow.ly/2RBf50Zt9gv

Today, on National Women’s Equality Day, we celebrate the women and girls at the heart of COSARAF’s mission: those build...
26/08/2026

Today, on National Women’s Equality Day, we celebrate the women and girls at the heart of COSARAF’s mission: those building skills, leading enterprises, accessing education and shaping stronger communities across our programmes.

Across our partnerships, women’s empowerment is not an add‑on, it is a core pillar of our strategy. This year alone:

• In Mehran Town, Pakistan, 160 women completed literacy, digital and enterprise training, supported by a thriving ecosystem of mentors and alumni.
• Through our microfinance partnerships, 707 interest‑free loans have enabled women to launch and grow businesses — with a 98% success rate.
• At Deaf Reach and Fahmida Begum Foundation, girls are accessing education, vocational training and long‑term support that transforms life chances.
• Our UK partners continue to support women facing hardship, domestic abuse, and social isolation, ensuring dignity and stability during crisis.
• New COSARAF‑funded preschools and community infrastructure projects create safer, more inclusive spaces for mothers and girls to learn, grow and participate.

These programmes reflect our commitment to equity, dignity and opportunity, ensuring women and girls have the resources, confidence and support to thrive.

On National Women’s Equality Day, we honour the women driving change across our communities, and the partners who work tirelessly to remove barriers and expand opportunity. We are proud to stand alongside the women leading it.

👉 Learn more about our work supporting women and girls: https://ow.ly/emxN50ZtURV

We are delighted to share that the Fahmida Begum Foundation Centre of Excellence in Mehran Town, Karachi, is now almost ...
24/08/2026

We are delighted to share that the Fahmida Begum Foundation Centre of Excellence in Mehran Town, Karachi, is now almost complete, a major milestone in one of our Foundation's most significant place‑based investments.

This Centre represents a long‑held vision of our trustees: to honour the late Fahmida Begum, the matriarch of the COSARAF family, by creating a permanent, community‑led hub that delivers education, healthcare, enterprise support and social cohesion for thousands of families.

Over the past year, the Centre has already supported:
• 6,523 people through community services
• 12,525 medical appointments
• 244 children accessing education
• 160 women completing skills and enterprise training

With the building now nearing completion, we are preparing for a formal launch event at the end of October, where COSARAF trustees will travel from the UK and beyond to see the fruition of this vision, a space built with dignity, purpose and long‑term community impact at its core.

This Centre will serve as an anchor for our place‑based strategy in Mehran Town, strengthening opportunities for women, children and young people for generations to come.

We look forward to celebrating this milestone with our partners, community leaders and the families who will benefit most.

👉 Learn more about our work in Mehran Town: https://ow.ly/Q6SH50Zu9Aa

Our partner Cycle Sisters is expanding, and we’re pleased to share that the charity is recruiting a full‑time Project Co...
21/08/2026

Our partner Cycle Sisters is expanding, and we’re pleased to share that the charity is recruiting a full‑time Project Coordinator. This role will support the delivery of their London cycling programmes and the fundraising activity that enables their vital work.

Working closely with the Cycle Sisters team, the Project Coordinator will help ensure high‑quality programme delivery and positive experiences for participants, volunteers and supporters. The role is ideal for someone who enjoys relationship‑building, coordinating multiple activities and managing the administrative detail that keeps projects running smoothly.

This is an excellent opportunity to join an award‑winning organisation tackling inequality, creating inclusive spaces for Muslim and ethnically diverse women, and shaping the future of cycling in the UK.

Find out more here: https://ow.ly/SGbR50ZzOcr and apply via Cycle Sisters https://ow.ly/EEIA50ZzOcq

On World Photo Day, we’re celebrating the incredible images shared by our partners across the UK, and internationally fr...
19/08/2026

On World Photo Day, we’re celebrating the incredible images shared by our partners across the UK, and internationally from Pakistan to Zimbabwe.

Every photo tells a story: of dignity, resilience, learning, enterprise, and community. From women learning new skills, to Scholars thriving at world‑leading universities, to families observing Ramadan with dignity, these images capture the real impact of COSARAF’s work on the ground.

Our partners consistently send us powerful photographs that show:
• Women gaining physical, vocational and enterprise skills
• Children accessing education and safe learning spaces
• Communities coming together through Ramadan and interfaith events
• Scholars building confidence, leadership and academic excellence
• Families receiving support at moments of crisis

These photos remind us that behind every statistic is a person, a family, a community and a story worth telling.

Thank you to all our partners for documenting the work you do with such care and authenticity. Your images help us share the impact of COSARAF’s mission with the wider world.

Happy World Photo Day.

👉 Explore more of our work: www.cosaraf.org

We are pleased to share that we have renewed our grant agreement with St Anne's College at the University of Oxford, con...
17/08/2026

We are pleased to share that we have renewed our grant agreement with St Anne's College at the University of Oxford, continuing our long‑standing commitment to widening access and supporting talented Muslim students through the Sheikh Family Scholars Programme.

As part of this renewed partnership, we are delighted to welcome a new Sheikh Family Scholar at St Anne’s College for the upcoming academic year. They will join a growing cohort of Scholars who are excelling academically, contributing to university life, and building a strong culture of leadership and service.

Our collaboration with Oxford began in 2019, when we launched the Sheikh Family Scholarships Programme to support Muslim students facing financial barriers to higher education. Since then, we have funded Scholars across Oxford, Cambridge and Warwick, invested more than half a million pounds, and supported initiatives including Graduate Studentships, diversity programmes and outreach activities that encourage more Muslim students to pursue university pathways.

Many Scholars have gone on to lead student societies, support widening participation, and contribute to diversity and inclusion across their colleges, demonstrating the long‑term impact of this programme.

We look forward to supporting our newest Scholar as they begin their studies this autumn and to continuing our work with St Anne’s College and the wider University of Oxford community.

Welcome to the COSARAF Scholars network, we are proud to support your journey.

👉 Learn more about the Sheikh Family Scholars Programme: https://ow.ly/FuRh50Zt8YT

At COSARAF, we deeply value the opportunity to meet in person. With our trustees based across the Middle East and Pakist...
14/08/2026

At COSARAF, we deeply value the opportunity to meet in person. With our trustees based across the Middle East and Pakistan, these moments of connection in the UK are especially meaningful, strengthening collaboration, sharpening strategy and deepening our shared commitment to the communities we serve.

This week, we were pleased to welcome Advantage Africa to present their proposals to scale their work supporting young people with learning disabilities in Kenya to transition into independence and enterprise. Their vision and dedication continue to inspire us.

We were also delighted to meet with trustee Rukhsana and Dr Idris to finalise the finishing touches for the Fahmida Begum Foundation Centre of Excellence , a flagship investment that will soon open its doors and deliver long‑term impact for families in Mehran Town.

These conversations remind us how powerful in‑person collaboration can be.
Exciting times ahead.

Today, on International Youth Day, we celebrate the young people at the heart of our mission, those striving for opportu...
12/08/2026

Today, on International Youth Day, we celebrate the young people at the heart of our mission, those striving for opportunity, leadership, and long‑term change across the communities we serve.

Across our programmes, young people are building confidence, skills and pathways into education, enterprise and employment. Through our Sheikh Family Scholars programme, students who once faced financial barriers are now thriving at world‑leading universities. One in four Scholars would not have attended university without this support, and many are already giving back through mentoring, outreach and community leadership.

In Pakistan, our partners at the Fahmida Begum Foundation, SEED Ventures and King's Trust International are equipping thousands of young people with education, vocational training and enterprise pathways. These opportunities are creating a generation of confident, skilled changemakers ready to shape their futures.

In Kenya, our collaboration with Advantage Africa has supported young people with intellectual disabilities to access enterprise training, influence local education provision and demonstrate what inclusive, youth‑led development can achieve.

Whether through education, enterprise, leadership development or community engagement, COSARAF is committed to ensuring young people have the opportunity to thrive and to become the next generation of leaders, innovators and changemakers.

Happy International Youth Day to the young people driving progress across our communities. We are proud to stand beside you.

👉 Learn more about our youth programmes: www.cosaraf.org

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