World’s Next Great Leaders

Let Girls Learn, an initiative championed by First Lady Michelle Obama to help disadvantaged girls go to school, brought youth from Pakistan, Jordan, and Malawi to the USAID presentation in New York City. Mr. Halil Demir, Executive Director of Zakat Foundation of America, was honored to meet the girls and to learn about their aspirations and help them become World's Next Great Leaders.

“Pakistan comes from Pak (purity) and istan (land). The ‘-stan’ is there,” Mr. Demir said to the girls. “Pak is waiting for its owner to come, and that’s you. Malala emerged as a symbol of hope. And I know that every Pakistani girl is as strong and as brave as Malala. You are the future of Pakistan.”

Zakat Foundation of America is greatly invested in providing education for youth around the world. Last fall, Zakat Foundation of America increased support for an all-girls in Afghanistan. In addition, Zakat Foundation of America is also involved in establishing learning institutions for Syrian refugees in Turkey.