Intelligent, vibrant, caring and generous, from a very young age Leila was passionate about many issues, including human rights, the environment and sustainability. This led her to become a solicitor specialising in representing vulnerable people. Sadly, Leila left this life in October 2019 aged just 35 in tragic circumstances.

In Leila's memory, as an act of sadaqah jaairyah (ongoing charity), we, her family, want to do something positive and constructive to benefit people in need. So, we are raising funds to build a water well providing clean water to a whole community, a right we know Leila cared about deeply.

The type of well we want to raise money for is solar-powered. Solar water pumping is ideal for rural areas in that there is no need for an external power source, and it is more sustainable, more eco-friendly and cheaper than mains electricity. Also, after the initial system cost, there are minimal ongoing operating costs.

We want the well to be built where it is most needed. Among the countries in need and where it is feasible to build a solar-powered well are Mali, Niger, Somalia, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Typically, a water well takes between 9-12 months to build, but this may vary due to the current pandemic. However, updates will be posted to let everybody know how the project is going and once the well is built, we will provide pictures.

The cost of building a well of this type varies from £2,000 to £8,000 (depending on the size and location of the well), so we have set a provisional target of £4,000, but will increase this target if we get enough donations. Any donations received in excess of the cost of the solar powered water well will go towards another water project aimed at helping communities most in need.

Please contribute what you can to help create an enduring legacy in memory of Leila.