Masarrat Misbah is a woman who brought hope, who inspired many around the world to contribute to her foundation, Depilex Smile Again. Depilex Smile Again was set up to help women disfigured by acid burns. It would find them a new life and help pay for expensive reconstructive surgery. Her foundation captured the imagination. The idea was simple. Depilex Smile Again would employ disfigured women to work in a beauty salon.
But alas, Misbah is a fraud who pocketed the money she collected to help these women. In 2006, she received over $3 million to build a hospital specialized for acid burn victims. An altruistic landowner gave her, without charge, the land to construct the hospital. Two months later and nothing had been done.
Manzar Mian, a former coordinator at the foundation, began to suspect something was up. The money continues to arrive in cash only. There is no trace. Mian says over $ 1 million is missing. Authorities ask Misbah to hand over the accounts. But the books are gone. Stolen says Misbah.
In 2008 she used a photo of a disfigured woman to raise funds. The money was intended to send the woman to the United States where she would undergo surgery. Misbah got the money. But the woman never saw any of it and instead was forced to sell her own home.
If this is indeed true then Misbah deserves a lengthy prison sentence. To take advantage of burn victims and use their misfortunes for personal gain is perhaps indicative of a larger problem around aid. It is big business. And where there is money, there will always be someone like Misbah.
The link to Smile Again USA tells it all. Click here to see what I mean.
Read more here (in French).
