I’m still in disbelief every time my family & I discuss my late grandfather’s life….
He was orphaned by the age of 10, and he had two younger siblings that he had to work to support.
He single-handedly raised them, and eventually, when he married, he had four kids of his own.
My father was his youngest child.
My father grew up in Pakistan, but he moved to the U.S. to attend the University of Houston.
He would not have been able to immigrate if it were not for his elder brother, who helped him throughout the process, housed him, helped feed him, etc.
My dad studied hard, but the economy was going through a downturn when he graduated.
Though he’d majored in engineering, he was not able to find a job in his field.
He ended up selling insurance instead, and eventually, he opened his own agency.
That agency was the start of his entrepreneurial journey, and from there, he built a series of multi-million dollar businesses.
That is not, however, the most impressive thing my father achieved.
I think, deep down, he never forgot his father’s struggle, so as soon as my father had the funds, he helped build a school in Pakistan for children in poverty.
The Jamil Campus is now open and running in partnership with The Citizens Foundation, and it is not only a way to honor my late grandfather….
It is the most inspiring thing my father has done, and I hope to be able to follow in his footsteps to help those in need at every opportunity.