About us
Our story
Hashim Welfare Hospital Appeal (HWHA) was founded in 1999 by Dr Idrees Awan, then a urological surgeon at St Peter’s Hospital in Chertsey.
Dr Awan’s journey
Born into a modest farming family in Pindi Hashim, a small village in the Punjab province of North Pakistan, Dr Idrees Awan was the first in his family to attend university and later qualify as a surgeon. Having witnessed the hardships faced by the underprivileged in accessing quality healthcare, especially in rural areas, Dr Awan was committed to utilising his own achievements to make a difference. He envisioned a small hospital in his village that would repay the support he received from his family and community throughout his education.
The Hospital
Dr Awan initially consulted with colleagues in the UK and medical professionals in Pakistan to plan the hospital. With land donated by his family and support from St Peter’s Hospital NHS Trust, building commenced on 9th April 1999. Hashim Welfare Hospital then welcomed its first patients in June 2003.
To learn more about Hashim Welfare Hospital, visit our dedicated page.
The Charity
HWHA began as a means by which Dr Awan could recognise his vision of establishing a medical facility in Pindi Hashim.
Traditionally, fundraising for local projects in Pakistan is conducted in person and usually in cash. Money is often donated by diaspora communities with family ties to the village where the projects are based, and the projects are typically managed by families or groups of villages, stepping in to fulfil needs that struggling local or national institutions cannot meet.
Creating a charity in the UK allowed for transparent, formalised fundraising efforts that could then support healthcare initiatives in Pakistan, including Hashim Welfare Hospital alongside other projects.
Our future
Since opening, Hashim Welfare Hospital has expanded into a multi-department facility and plans are in place for further development.
HWHA continues to support Hashim Welfare Hospital, working in partnership with Hashim Welfare Association (HWA) in Pakistan. HWA, established to oversee the build and provide support locally, now manages the day-to-day running of the hospital in addition to other projects.
With your help, we aim to continue Dr Awan’s vision of bringing sustainable healthcare solutions to those that need them most.