History

On Saturday, the 4th of May, at the very peak of this struggle, I began to reflect deeply. I asked myself: if one day I am able to overcome these challenges and become stable or well-to-do, what can I do to support people who may be facing the kind of situation I am in now? At that time, I had no knowledge of what an NGO was, but the idea that came to my mind was simple and practical: to open a bank account and commit to depositing a portion of whatever I might be earning in the future.
Those funds, I thought, could be used to support the small businesses of less privileged people through interest-free loans, designed in a way that the resources would revolve to benefit many families over time, while I continued contributing to the
account.
I named this idea “Murmushi,” meaning “smile,” with the vision of bringing back the smile or creating one where there was none. I documented this vision and kept it as a personal pledge to myself and to those I hoped to serve. From 2002 to 2016, before Murmushi became a formally registered organization, I supported poor families and individuals in any way I could, through feeding programs, livelihood support, scholarships for children, health assistance, and so on. A close friend who observed the consistency of my efforts encouraged me to take the step of formalizing the initiative as a non-governmental organization. That encouragement led to the official registration of Murmushi People’s Development Foundation (MPDF) on the 29th of June, 2016. What started from my personal struggles and a promise I made during hardship has grown into a foundation dedicated to restoring dignity, providing opportunities, and creating smiles for countless people in vulnerable communities.