BIBI NOOR FOUNDATION (THE LEGACY OF GIVING)

Founded in 2022 by Nooruddin Jalal in loving memory of his late mother, Bibi Noor.

Three young women in graduation gowns and caps standing in front of a banner for Alkhidmat Foundation School, Qutaiba Campus in Chitral Tower.
Group of men seated in front row at an outdoor event, dressed in formal attire with some wearing black academic gowns with purple accents.
Group portrait of a man standing with a group of girls in school uniforms and headscarves, outdoors with green hills in the background.
Group of boys dressed in traditional white attire with black vests and feathered hats standing in line on stairs indoors.

A tribute to his late mother, Bibi Noor. Her kindness, compassion, and ability to touch lives left an everlasting legacy, one that Noor carries forward with every step of his journey.Today, the Bibi Noor Foundation is Noor’s way of honoring his mother’s legacy. Built entirely through self-donation, the foundation reflects his belief that true wealth is not found in saving money but in using it to bring light to others’ lives.Through the Bibi Noor Scholarship Program (BNSP), the Dast Aman Scholarship Program (DASP), and the Bibi Noor Care (BNC) initiative, Noor carries forward her lessons into every valley of Chitral, ensuring that no one is forgotten.

Blue curtains with white fringes framing a commemorative plaque in Urdu celebrating an event held on May 21, 2023.

The Last Hug!

It was an ordinary Thursday Fall 1993, yet it would become the most unforgettable day of Noor’s life. In Pakistan at the time, Thursdays marked the start of the weekend, and Noor, a seven year-old boy living in central Chitral with his grandfather Dast Aman for his schooling, would return home at the end of each month to see his mother. This day, however, was unlike the others it would be their last meeting.As the blue Jeep rattled into the village over the rough, uneven terrain, Noor’s heart raced with excitement. He had been missing his mother deeply, counting down the days until he could see her. When the Jeep came to a halt, he stepped out and looked up, scanning for her familiar figure. There she was standing on the rooftop, her presence radiant against the afternoon sky. Without hesitation, Noor dropped his school bag and ran towards her, his small feet pounding the dirt path. Going through the stairs as fast as he could, he reached her, and she scooped him into her arms, holding him close she hugged him tight as all mothers would.  After a few moments, her expression shifted. Still holding his hand, she turned him toward the nearby Jamat Khana, the village prayer hall. Near the heavy wooden door, chained shut, sat an elderly woman named Bibi Xuri. She was blind, her frail hands lightly beating the chains as tears streamed down her face.Bibi Noor knelt beside her son and asked softly, “Did you bring anything for her?”

A family portrait with a woman in a white headscarf, a smiling man wearing a traditional hat, and a young boy standing behind them with his hands on the man's shoulders.

Confused, Noor shook his head, his innocence evident in his wide-eyed gaze. Without a word of disappointment, his mother rose, took his hand, and led him to a nearby store. At the shop, she carefully selected a few small items: soap, sweets, and other essentials. Placing them in his hands, she said gently, 

“Take these to her,” she said softly, “and tell her they are a gift from you. Then ask her to pray for you.”

When they returned his mother stood firm on the same rooftop, her eyes following her son with silent focus as he walked toward the crying elderly woman. Step by step, he approached her and repeated her mother’s words.“Here,” he said, offering the gifts to her. “These gifts are for you.”
The woman’s sobbing slowed as she accepted the bag with trembling hands. Her tears turned into gratitude, her lips moving in a quiet prayer for the boy who had brought her a moment of solace.
From the rooftop, Bibi Noor stood in silence, watching intently. She didn’t speak, but her presence conveyed everything; this was her son’s moment to learn, to act, to give.
When he returned to her side, she embraced him again, holding him close as if trying to etch the moment into both their hearts. They walked inside together, and life resumed its usual rhythm. But for Noor, it was the last time he would feel the warmth of her hug, the softness of her kiss as he called it the last hug of my mother, a memory with purpose that will remain forever with me.

Smiling woman wearing a headscarf holding a young boy in a striped shirt with arms crossed.

A Lesson That Endured

At seven years old, Noor didn’t fully understand what his mother had taught him. It was only years later, as he reflected on that day, that the weight of her lesson became clear. She could have given the gifts to Bibi Xuri herself, but she didn’t. She chose to teach her son the importance of empathy and action, of recognizing need and responding with kindness. In what would be their final meeting, she gave him a lesson not just for a moment but for a lifetime. Noor realized that his mother had planted in him the seeds of a mission—to reach out to those in need, to see giving as a responsibility, not an obligation. That memory, etched deeply in his heart, became the foundation of his life’s work.

The Legacy Of Giving

Bibi Noor Foundation

Woman in academic gown and cap receiving an award plaque from another woman wearing a maroon shawl, both wearing face masks.
Graduate in cap and gown receiving a large scholarship check for 150,000 PKR from a man at the Bibi Noor Scholarship Program 2024 event.
A woman in graduation gown and cap receiving a large ceremonial check for one lac rupees from a man in traditional attire during the Bibi Noor Scholarship Program 2024 event.
Two men holding a large ceremonial check for the Bibi Noor Scholarship Program 2024, with an amount of PKR 20,000 payable to BNSP Student of the Year.

Today, the Bibi Noor Foundation is Noor’s way of honoring his mother’s legacy. Built entirely through self-donation, the foundation reflects his belief that true wealth is not found in saving money but in using it to bring light to others’ lives. Through the Bibi Noor Scholarship Program (BNSP), the Dast Aman Scholarship Program (DASP), and the Bibi Noor Care (BNC) initiative, Noor carries forward her lessons into every valley of Chitral, ensuring that no one is forgotten.

For Noor, giving is not something to wait for; it is something to do now, when it matters most.

Group of schoolchildren and two adults posing outdoors on grass with hillside in the background.

The Bibi Noor Foundationstands as a testament to the enduring bond between a mother and her son, and the power of a single act of kindness to inspire a lifetime of compassion. “A Legacy of Giving” is not just a tagline—it is the heartbeat of the foundation and the promise Noor strives to fulfill every day.

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Portrait of a woman wearing traditional attire with a decorative black and gold headpiece and a pink patterned shawl, with a rocky background.

About the foundation

About us

Empowering lives through education, care, and opportunity.

Founded in 2022 by Nooruddin Jalal in memory of his mother, Bibi Noor, the foundation supports scholars and people with special needs across the valleys of Chitral.

Our story

A tribute to a mother's love

Nooruddin Jalal, founder of the Bibi Noor Foundation
  1. His rootsNooruddin Jalal comes from the Karimabad valley of Chitral. He built a successful business career in the United States, but his heart always stayed with the valleys, the people and the memory of his mother, Bibi Noor.
  2. His motherBibi Noor had no formal education, yet she raised her son with deep wisdom and a strong sense of duty. Her kindness and compassion touched many lives and left a lasting legacy.
  3. The returnAfter seventeen years away, he came back to Chitral to visit her grave. There he decided that her memory would not stay only in his heart, but would become the foundation for the future of Chitral's children.
  4. 2022: the foundationThat resolve became the Bibi Noor Foundation. Built entirely through self-donation, it reflects his belief that true wealth is not found in saving money, but in using it to bring light to other people's lives.
  5. The programsThe Bibi Noor Scholarship Program began at his own childhood school, the Al-Khidmat Foundation School, Qutaiba Campus, and is meant to continue forever. In 2024 he added the Dast Aman Scholarship Program for boys, named after his late grandfather, and Bibi Noor Care now supports people with special needs.
  6. Every valleyThrough all three programs, he carries his mother's lessons into every valley of Chitral so that no one is forgotten. In his view, a book, a scholarship, an encouraging word and a chance can change a child's whole life.

Our beginning

2022

The year the foundation began. Since then it has honored scholars from five educational clusters of Lower Chitral.

Bibi Noor Foundation event in Chitral

Our reach

Where we work

We work across the valleys of Chitral in northern Pakistan. Our ceremonies and activities are held at the Al-Khidmat Foundation School, Qutaiba Campus, in Denin, Lower Chitral.

  • Chitral
  • Lotkoh
  • Karimabad
  • Kalash
  • Drosh

Our approach

How we work

Scholarship ceremony on stage with a large award cheque

Merit, recognized

Scholarships honor outstanding academic results, and many recipients are top performers in their cluster.

Guests seated in the front row at the scholarship ceremony

Celebrated in public

Awards are presented at open ceremonies with families, teachers and local leaders, so the whole community can celebrate.

Young volunteers holding potted plants during the flower planting activity

Supported by Qutaiba Campus

Our ceremonies are hosted at the Al-Khidmat Foundation School, Qutaiba Campus in Denin, whose support makes each gathering possible.

Our belief

True wealth is not found in saving money, but in using it to bring light to other people's lives.
The belief behind Nooruddin Jalal's giving

Gallery

Moments

Bibi Noor Foundation event in Chitral
Dance performance on stage at a Bibi Noor Foundation event
Bibi Noor Foundation community moment
Bibi Noor Foundation event in Chitral

What guides us

Our values

LoveThe foundation began with a mother's love.
ServiceGiving back to the community we come from.
HumilityQuiet generosity, without a need for credit.
CompassionCare for those who need it most.
DignityEvery life is valued.
InclusionNo one is forgotten.

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