Charitable Activities
Since 1999, Begum Inaara has been supporting micro-loans and third world development projects through the German foundation Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe. The foundation funds micro-loans to families and single parents to promote self-reliance and to end the vicious circle of poverty in developing countries, which include Cambodia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Montenegro, Pakistan, Romania, Thailand and Vietnam.
Begum Inaara has committed time to charitable causes; in particular those involving women’s rights, educational projects and the improvement of opportunities and living conditions for people of all faiths and origins in developing countries. In January 2002, Begum Inaara became the Honorary President of Focus Humanitarian Assistance, the crisis response agency that is an affiliate of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) and which provides relief and support services during and following natural and man-made disasters, primarily in Asia and Africa. In this capacity, Begum Inaara supported a number of projects for the repatriation of Afghan refugees to their homeland and rebuilding civil society in Afghanistan.
In addition the Begum Inaara continued to contribute to numerous UNESCO projects, particularly in the area of welfare for women and children, for example UNESCO's "Passport for Equality" project. Amongst others, she accepted the patronage of the Innocence in Danger Gala event for 2003 in Berlin in order to help victims of child sexual abuse.
Together with her mother Renate Thyssen-Henne and her stepfather Ernst-Theodor Henne, the Princess founded in 2003 the German aid organization "SOS Projects for People and Animals" to help mentally-ill, handicapped and traumatized children with the support of animals, particularly dogs, to bring fun and joy into the children’s lives, and to overcome their pain and suffering.
Since 2004, Begum Inaara has become intensively involved in the fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic and supports the German AIDS Foundation.
In order to respond in a more effective way to the above mentioned humanitarian programmes Begum Inaara founded an umbrella organization, The "Princess Inaara Foundation", in 2004. The purpose of the foundation is to provide philanthropic assistance to the causes and charitable organizations whose work represents the humanitarian goals that Begum Inaara has long supported.
In 2009, Begum Inaara became Ambassador for FIFA Football for Hope to promote a high-quality, sustainable social and humanitarian development programme, centred around football, which focuses on the fields of health promotion, peacebuilding, children’s rights and education, anti-discrimination, social integration and the environment.
Begum Inaara’s motto is: “Charity begins in the family”. Being raised in a warm and caring environment, Begum Inaara and her brother, Joachim Thyssen, learned from their mother the values of commitment, courage, fair play and the need to help and protect those who are less fortunate and weak. The Princess and her mother are very close and the Princess regards her as best friend and role model.
One of the Begum Inaara's hobbies is music and singing. During her first years of studies at the LMU University in Munich, she recorded several songs. She enjoys singing now and then for her children, friends and on special occasions.
Read more about this topic: Inaara Aga Khan
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