First time i visited Mahak, i was really amazed with the wonderful efforts they’re doing. The Mahak Society to Support Children with Cancer is a non-governmental organisation in Tehran , mega capital of Iran, dedicated to helping Iranian children with cancer. It runs an 18000 sq m hospital in the north of Tehran.
The organisation was founded in 1991 by Saideh Ghods. Somedays ago, she has been chosen as one of 50 women in the world to watch by Wall Street Journal:
When Saideh Ghods’s two-years-old daughter was diagnosed with cancer nearly two decades ago, Ms. Ghods learned that some lower-income families in Iran, particularly those from remote provinces, were quietly letting their cancer-stricken children die.
They couldn’t afford the cost of treatment or the expense of traveling to the children’s hospitals in Tehran where treatment is available. In response, Ms. Ghods, 57, founded in 1991 a charity called Mahak to support the treatment of children with cancer. From the initial handful of volunteers the charity has grown into one of the largest nongovernmental organizations in Iran, helping some 12,000 Iranian children since its inception, as well as thousands of Iraqi and Afghan refugee children with cancer.
Now, Ms. Ghods aims to continue expanding her efforts with the help of funding from Iranian-Americans and others in the U.S., but first she must win permission from the U.S. Treasury for contributions to Mahak from donors in the U.S. Such contributions currently are blocked by U.S. sanctions against Iran. Source
Mahak is really doing good and they’re very well organised. It has been officially recognized by UNHCR as the organization which helps refugee children (Afghan and Iraqi) with cancer both in and out of refugee camps.
In 2007, the organisation was presented with the Swiss SGS NGO Benchmarking award for the best and most transparent NGO in the Middle East.
Saideh Ghods received the 2008 IDB prize from the Islamic Development Bank for her work with Mahak. (Source Wiki)
She has written a good novel, “Kimia Khatoon” focusing on Molana Rumi’s real life which has always been eclipsed by the mystical aspects of his life.
Saideh Ghods is one of those great women that i really admire.
November 17, 2008 at 1:39 am
Waw! what a strong and intelligent, and caring woman! After contemplating all the evil on the planet, it’s good to read there are also some truly estimable humans around to save the human race!
November 17, 2008 at 1:51 am
Aafke, She is really a wonderful woman. And yes, in this crazy world, one can be hopeful when such people are around.
November 17, 2008 at 3:26 am
masha Allah
god pless her
and hope they do well and better in sha Allah
I always find this blog interesting
thank you sister
November 17, 2008 at 2:22 pm
Manal, welcome to my blog. Thank you for your comment and compliment.
November 17, 2008 at 10:27 pm
Thats wonderful , a project that is created by a woman . Woman who can make a change , I watched a documentary about Iran , this charity was mentioned .
November 19, 2008 at 1:19 am
Smiley Amal, Thank you amal. I am happy you saw this. This charity center is so well organised. Exactly better than those centers which are managed by men!
November 19, 2008 at 1:40 am
Hats off to this remarkable woman! My praises! The world needs more active women like her! Love this story!
November 21, 2008 at 11:05 am
[...] highlights Saideh Ghods, an Iranian woman who appeared on The Wall Street Journal’s list of “50 [...]
December 28, 2008 at 2:05 pm
dear shahrzad
i,m social worker in mahak charity. i can,t write and speak english well.but only i can say honestly ,she is best in iran, she helps all the children that they have cancer in iran, i love her very much and i kiss her hands