Imam Qasim Rashid Ahmad

Qasim Rashid Ahmad is the founder and chairman of Al-Khair Foundation (AKF), and also the CEO of IQRA TV. Since 2003, Ahmad has managed AKF from concept to delivery of projects, from fundraising to feedback reports, managing donors, staff and volunteers around the world. There he engaged in counselling and teaching the offenders, looking after their welfare and helping them to reform and not return to criminal activity after their release from prison. He created and managed AKF as an Islamic school in Croydon in 2003. It evolved into a service organisation to the UK community first, with an initial focus on education, and also charity work. The Islamic school began with five enrolled pupils. By 2013, the school grew into a primary and secondary school with over 350 pupils. Later, AKF began to build schools overseas, which lead to their water aid, medical aid, and livelihood programmes. Today, Ahmad is largely involved in AKF's work in the UK, and internationally. He oversees many of the charity's aid and development programmes.

AKF's ’Let's Rebuild Pakistan’ campaign was one of the largest international relief efforts in the Foundation's history. In 2011, Ahmad cycled from John O’Groats in Scotland to Land's End in Cornwall over thirty days. This was shown on the Foundation's dedicated television channel, IQRA TV, helping to raise £2,000,000. Ahmad was named Fundraiser of the Year 2011 by JustGiving.