About Us
organization • people • mission • vision • values
History
Impak was founded in the Spring of 2004 by three individuals of Pakistani descent, living on three separate continents. Sarah Karim (Pakistan), Mustafa Hadi (UK) and Bilaal Ahmed (US) had each independently formulated the idea for a program that brought youth and professionals living abroad closer to Pakistan and to the humanitarian issues facing the developing world. Through chance meetings, they shared perspectives and found a common purpose that became Impak.
In June 2005, Impak successfully launched its ambitious Pilot Summer Program (PSP), in which fifteen diverse participants from the US and UK spent nine weeks volunteering in, traveling around and experiencing Pakistan. Their time abroad became an experience to remember, where each person had an opportunity to make an impact, whether through volunteering, engaging with locals and doing their own projects, or simply through the exposure they had.
Impak is still a very young and small organization. Yet it remains ambitious in its hopes of creating an exchange focusing on service and humanity with Pakistan and the rest of the world. While maintaining its mission and core values, Impak hopes to continue to grow and sustain an effort that has already made a difference in the lives of a few.
Operations
Impak is currently a volunteer-run organization, supported by a network of individuals spread out all over the world. In Pakistan, volunteers recruit organizational partners from the non-profit and private sector that fulfill its requirements for creating a substantive working environment for its program placements. In return, Impak provides volunteers from abroad who can work effectively and provide a useful skill set. While overseeing volunteer placements, Impak supplements the program with workshops, field trips, and extensive excursions. In North America and the UK, Impak recruits potential candidates who have a desire to work in Pakistan through a rigorous selection process.
Impak also engages in other activities such as fundraising, outreach and networking with communities abroad, including the Pakistani diaspora.