Imtiaz Sooliman

Imtiaz Sooliman is the chairman and founder of Gift of the Givers. The origins of Gift of the Givers are deeply spiritual. Imtiaz recalls that the inspiration came from a spiritual teacher who contacted him on August 6, 1992. “At exactly 10p.m. on a Thursday night, my teacher spoke to me fluently in Turkish, a language I don’t understand. But because of the spirituality of that event, I understood every word.”

The teacher said, “My son, I’m not asking you; I’m instructing you to form an organisation. The name in Arabic will be Waqful Waqifin, translated as Gift of the Givers.” Imtiaz was told that this organisation would serve people unconditionally. “You will serve all people – of all races, religions, colours, classes, and cultures, regardless of geographical location or political affiliation,” he explains. His teacher emphasised that he would be serving without expecting anything in return, ‘not even a thank you’, adding that the directive was lifelong, and that Imtiaz should, “Remember whatever you do is done through you, not by you.”

Imtiaz’s purpose was clarified further: “You are here to serve mankind and humanity, focusing on the teachings of Islam.” He references a title given to the Prophet Muhammad, “Rahmatul lil ‘Alamin,” meaning ‘a mercy to all creation’, which guides him to serve people of all faiths and care for animals, the environment, and all creation. “That has been my focus for 32 years with Gift of the Givers, and even before that in smaller ways,” explained Imtiaz.

At the time, Imtiaz was a doctor with three surgeries in Pietermaritzburg. Gift of the Givers was born in 1992, and by June 1994, he had closed all three of his practices. “It wasn’t possible to do two professional jobs at the same time,” he reflects.

Imtiaz said that the teacher explained, ‘You will know what to do.’ He added, “For 32 years, I’ve known exactly what to do, what not to do, what to touch, and what not to touch.” Over the years, disasters and crises have appeared, shaping the organisation. Gift of the Givers has expanded into 21 categories of projects. “People would come to our home, and I’d speak to my wife about their needs. For example, we realised some people needed counselling, so my wife set up our counselling service.” Today the organisation provides services from educational bursaries to drought relief and has provided aid worth over six billion Rand across 47 countries.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS
Reflecting on his achievements, Imtiaz highlights Gift of the Givers’ first project. “That night of August 6, 1992, I was inspired to respond to the civil war in Bosnia. Within that month, I took 32 containers of aid into a war zone, alone,” he recalls. Just three months later, he led another convoy, carrying winter supplies into the region. One of his most notable achievements was creating the world’s first containerised mobile hospital in South Africa. “It was a product of South African engineering and technology – 28 state-of-the-art containers including operating theatres, X-rays, ICUs, and a burn unit.”

Imtiaz worked in the mountains of Pakistan after a devastating earthquake in 2005. “The military general said, ‘Do you mind not going to that quake area?’ I agreed, and instead, we set up a 400-bed emergency hospital,” he recounts. Within 24 hours, his team had revived an abandoned hospital, performing up to 75 surgeries a day, earning a presidential award from then-President Pervez Musharraf.

Another proud moment was in Haiti, during the 2010 earthquake. “On January 20, eight days after the earthquake, my team heard sounds in the rubble of a collapsed Catholic church. After three hours of digging, they pulled out a 64-year-old woman alive.” Her first words to the rescuers were powerful: “She said, ‘I love God Almighty. You’ve brought faith and hope.’”

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Imtiaz and his team supported 210 hospitals across South Africa with medical equipment, infrastructure upgrades, and food parcels. “We built an entire high-care ward in Makhanda, set up Covid-19 testing teams across the country, and distributed hundreds of thousands of food parcels,” he says.

A CONSTANT BALANCING ACT
Imtiaz commented, “The biggest challenge is that the requirements always exceed the resources.” Requests come from hospitals, schools, communities, and individuals, forcing difficult choices. “We often find a compromise between where the donors want to place their funds and where the need is greatest,” he explains, describing a constant balancing act.

“My inspiration to continue comes from my faith,” says Imtiaz. “The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, served humanity unconditionally.” According to Imtiaz, his team’s motivation is rooted in the work itself. “They’re motivated when they see the impact of what they do,” he explains. Many feel a deep sense of purpose and fulfilment from their work. “They’ll shut down their practices, take leave from their jobs, and come back again because they feel spiritually charged.”

His family’s example has also influenced his path. “My father and grandfather ran a general store and would extend credit to struggling families. My mother started an employment bureau to help people find dignity.” Imtiaz’s in-laws have supported Gift of the Givers from its inception. “They offered their factory, vehicles, staff, and financial support before it was even formally established. They’re still supporting us, 32 years later.”

Imtiaz’s vision for KwaZulu-Natal and South Africa is rooted in community cooperation. Reflecting on the challenges faced, natural disasters, economic strain, and socio-political divides, he says, “Prosperity comes when there’s good human relations.” Imtiaz highlighted that there’s more willingness to engage across diverse groups in recent years. For Imtiaz, the road to prosperity also involves critical public- private partnerships. He calls on corporate South Africa to join in tackling infrastructure and service gaps, especially in sectors like healthcare, policing, and education.

Imtiaz summarises his philosophy with a personal motto: “The best among people are those who benefit mankind.” For Imtiaz, a commitment to collective responsibility is essential for a prosperous South Africa, a stronger continent, and a brighter future for all.