Over a 120 people came together for an Eid celebration with a purpose, to help Africa at Payal Banquet Hall, Mississauga on Friday Sept 9th, 2011, just before the CIDA deadline to match funds raised for this purpose.  
 
According to the UN reports, hundreds of people are dying because of the famine they are currently facing.
 
"We are a group of friends who came together with the purpose of doing something for the people in the world who are suffering," says Urz Heer, VP and director of The Care Factor.
 
"By having these events we are able to bring communities together with the purpose of helping others who needed it most," says Iffat Syed, president of The Care Factor.
 
The Care Factor Community Services Inc is a not-for-profit organization, founded by a group of young professionals from the GTA. Since 2005, through their volunteer efforts, they have raised over $1 M for various humanitarian and disaster relief causes including Haiti, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Swat, Mali and Gaza.
 
Other directors and volunteers for TCF include Billal Qureshi, Shireen Khan, Sameer Akhtar, Tausif Sabir, Omair Butt, Nadia Polani, Meghan Emery and Rabia Idrees.
 
Sponsors of this event for Africa included Danial Wills & Estate Law and SEIU Local 1's Sharleen Stewart, president. CLC and TD were also present in support.
 
The charitable of choice for Africa was IDRF, the International Development Relief Foundation (www.idrf.ca)
 
Also in attendance were Jake Dheer and Dipika Damerla, political candidates for Ward 5 and Mississauga East Cooksville in the upcoming elections.

 
This event was held just before the CIDA deadline of Sept 16th, where the Canadian government will be matching funds raised for Africa.
 
For more information about The Care Factor, please visit www.thecarefactor.ca


Photo credits: Mohsin Saleem, An Epic Photography
Flyer graphics: Henry Lima

Hi Everyone,

This will be our last post before the event tonight.  We've had an amazing response from our committed friends, and look forward to seeing you all tonight.

Entertainment Updates: 
Jemini will be performing LIVE

Press Updates:
Our official event press release can be seen here

The Care Factor, in association with the International Development and Relief Foundation (IDRF) humbly request your attendance at an event benefiting the men, women and children dying everyday of malnutrition and starvation in the worst drought to hit the Horn of Africa in over 60 years.

Join us for an evening filled with stories, entertainment and dinner as we embark on a journey to help save those on the brink of starvation.

Details of the Event

When: Friday, September 9, 2011
Where:  Payal Banquet Hall (3410 Semenyk Crt, Miss, ON)
Time: 7:00pm
Tickets: $60 before September 1st ($80 thereafter if available)
Benefiting: The International and Development Relief Foundation (IDRF)

Current Situation (as explained by IDRF):IDRF has moved forward with its first contribution to the 2011 Horn of Africa Crisis. The current food crisis in the Horn of Africa is said to be the worst in 60 years and is affecting the livelihoods of close to 12 million people. On July 20th the United Nations declared a famine on the worst affected areas, largely southern Somalia.

For this current initiative IDRF has partnered with the Himilo Relief & Development Association, a Somali organization with extensive experience working in refugee camps inside Somalia. The project aims to provide emergency food relief for families with a focus on nutritional supplements for children under the age of 5 in the Doomey IDP camp in Hiiran Province, Somalia. Hiiran province borders the hardest hit areas of the famine.

Entertainment: Jemini Performing Live