York College Students Raise Money to Build Wells in Pakistan
Looking for ways to complete acts of service, one of York College’s student organizations came together to run a fundraiser to help provide new sources of clean drinking water in Pakistan.
At York College of Pennsylvania, a variety of clubs and organizations are available for students to join. From sports and Greek Life to academic and service, York College students are sure to find a place where they can belong and explore their passions with others who share their interests.
Amongst the clubs and organizations offered at York College is the Muslim Student Association (MSA), a spiritual life organization that serves as a safe space for York College’s Muslim student community to meet and connect with others who share their faith.
“We do have a fairly large population of Muslim students here at the College,” said Dr. Dominic DelliCarpini, Naylor Endowed Professor of Writing Studies and MSA faculty advisor. “And like any group, it needs opportunities for both social and cultural connections. In this case, religious connections with other people who share social justice values.”
This past year, the MSA took on a special service project. Together, they helped raise $2,100 for the Paani Project, a nonprofit organization, to build three wells in a small community in Pakistan. The wells were constructed over the summer, and thanks to their efforts, a small community will have access to clean drinking water.
Wells for Pakistan
Looking for other ways to expand their reach and bring people together, the MSA considered how they could do something fun yet meaningful. During Ramadan, a month of fasting and prayer in Muslim culture, people take time to reflect on themselves and ways they can improve and benefit the world. The group wanted to hold an event that would give back to those who need support now more than ever.
“Islam, as a religion, has five main pillars, and charity is one of them,” said MSA President Naimo Mohamed ‘27, a Biology Major with a Psychology minor. “So we wanted to make the event more about trying to benefit people who needed our help.”
The MSA decided to hold a fundraiser and donate to a nonprofit called the Paani Project. Named after the Urdu word for “water,” the Paani Project provides aid to Pakistan, and the MSA chose to direct the money they raised toward building wells for areas in need of clean water. Once the wells are built, a plaque is attached to them, dedicating them to the donors or to a person of the donor’s choice.
Not only had Dr. DelliCarpini and his wife, Rabiya Khan, built a well in honor of her parents, but Naimo had also seen on social media people who dedicated wells to their loved ones. In their eyes, the two saw the act as doing something good while giving to someone important to you.
“It’s also important religiously for us because we see good deeds as something that can continue even after you leave this world,” Naimo said. “So something like building a well is really central to our religion because it’s not only good at the moment, but it continues years after because people continue to benefit from it.”
They also worked with a second nonprofit organization, Helping Hand for Relief and Development (HHRD), to organize an event where artists, Muslim students, and other community members could come together to create artwork and crafts. Participants could come and learn about the different charities they could support and how their art pieces would be sold to raise money and awareness.
The art workshop was held in late March 2026, and it had a high turnout. In the following days, the MSA held their fundraiser selling the completed art pieces outside the Johnson Dining Hall along with some baked goods. Not only could donations go towards the Paani Project, but people could also look at the various charities and campaigns on the HHRD website that they were connected with and donate however much they wanted to them.
Between the two efforts, the MSA raised about $2,600, which went toward building three wells and supporting the needs of those suffering around the world. The well construction was completed in June 2026 and was dedicated to the MSA of York College, as noted on their plaques.
The MSA was very happy with the turnout and the amount they raised at one of their first major fundraisers. Even though seeking a reward here on this earth isn’t why Muslims serve others, they were happy that the effort lets people know about the MSA’s work.
This was especially meaningful because building wells honors one of Islam’s principles, which teaches that water is a sacred blessing.
“Offering that particular blessing to communities in Pakistan without access to clean water is also a blessing on those who gave, and there were a lot of people who gave and were generous with their donations,” said Naimo.
Continuing Charity
The MSA hopes to hold an annual spring fundraising event and may collaborate with other departments to bring people together to create art and raise money for one or multiple charities. They will continue to brainstorm ideas throughout the semester until then.
The student organization is also considering other events they can hold during the school year. Some ideas include having a speaker from a domestic violence awareness group come in to give information specifically geared towards the Muslim community, collaborating with other clubs on projects, planning a trip to a mosque, and assisting with service work beyond campus. All while sharing bits of their faith with other participants who may be unfamiliar with their religion and culture, and want to learn more.
“I think the idea of helping to make people aware of the various cultures of our students would be really wonderful,” said Dr. DelliCarpini.
Doing these types of projects is important. Not only does it open a door to talking more about Islam and the Muslim community on campus, but it also helps the Muslim community feel like they belong. Creating a connected York College community means acknowledging our neighbors and having the chance to learn more about what matters to them, which is most effective when it’s done through a means that gives back to those who need our support most.
“Even for our students on campus who aren’t Muslim, it would give them a learning opportunity, a moment to see what Islam really is like, because we know that oftentimes it is misrepresented in the news, ” Naimo said. “So it would be nice for people [to] have a chance to meet someone who is Muslim and see how they practice their religion and what things are common in our religion.”
For Naimo and many of her peers, exploring the pillar of charity in Islamic activism is important. It taught her how to raise funds and dedicate her work to building structures that can help others, such as the wells. And whenever they can encourage non-Muslims to participate, they can share these lessons and hope that it helps them gain a better understanding of Islam, especially regarding its values of social justice, generosity, and hospitality. All who wish to be part of the MSA are welcome–including non-Muslims. It is a wholly inclusive organization.
