Our Scholarships

Adib Bam Scholarship Established

Family Starts Scholarship in Boy's Memory

By Jason Kandel, Staff Writer, Los Angles Daily News, 11/27/04

Here is the powerful story of a new scholarship named after a generous young child. Adib Bam was just 7 when he collected $290 for breast cancer research, going door-to-door through his Encino neighborhood as part of a fund-raising project at Woodcrest Elementary School. He also had a side project — collecting children's books he planned to send to needy children in Africa.

But the books were never sent. Adib died Nov. 23, when an electrical fire ripped through his house — also destroying the 150 books he'd collected.

Now, his family, wounds still fresh from the loss of their "Student of the Month," has set up a scholarship for poor children around the world in his memory.

"We want to see Adib's smile in other kids' faces," said his father, Hamid. "... I know he was very concerned about others. I just miss him. I practically was with him every lunchtime at school. We talked about his future, what he wanted to do. I miss him greatly."

The boy's mother, Mona Bam, suffered burns over 40 percent of her body, and is still undergoing treatment. Hamid Bam suffered second- and third-degree burns over 10 percent of his body and has returned to work as an instructor at DeVry Institute in West Hills.

The couple's 10-year-old daughter, Kimya, was uninjured.

The family has raised $20,000 for the scholarship, set up through the Mona Foundation. Donations can be sent to the Mona Foundation, 13922 64th Pl. W., Edmonds, WA 98026. For more information, go to the Web site at www.monafoundation.org

Scholarship Recipients Named

The family has now designated scholarships for two children for the duration of their schooling through high school graduation at each of these two projects, Ruaha Secondary School and ADCAM.

Story of Adib Bam – as told by a friend

Adib Bam, a 7 year old boy, angelic, sweet and innocent, born to an ordinary family, living in the midst of a crowded LA lost his tender life in a massive fire who also burned half way her mother who had rushed into the flames to save him.

What other awful catastrophe can strike a mother than to see her cherished son burn before her own eyes while she herself is burning both by the heat of the flames and the pain of her anguish? Only those who are mothers and who have given life to a child to love and to cherish and to grow to give to the world as a kingly gift can imagine such a pain and such a loss and such a grief.

And yet in the midst of tears and sorrow and weeping this matchless mother, still on the hospital bed with 40% of her body covered with 3rd degree burn, and her noble family, have the unmatched spirit of knowing and generosity to express their desire that they must now and immediately, before their beloved son is even buried, establish a living scholarship at Mona Foundation in Adib Bam's honor to benefit the deserving and needy children in different parts of the world.

Why should anyone be surprised that the son of such a mother and a father be prepared to meet his creator at such a tender age of 7? With their pure love and selfless devotion to ideals not of this world they gifted him enough in seven short years to prepare him to burn the veils of this world, and robed in shafts of light enter a place only him and his like would have been granted permission to cross.

Adib Bam scholarship will be established not only as a benefit to children who will be the lucky recipients of this unique gift, but also as a perpetual reminder to all of us that it only takes one, in this case a 7 year old, to change lives and make a better world.

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Adib Bam Scholarship Benefactors

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Ruth Gainer Scholarship

Ruth was kind, loving and always faced life's challenges and serious illness with a positive attitude. Judy Rector, her niece, was fortunate to be with her for a week before her passing last year, and chose to establish this scholarship fund because she found Mona Foundation's address written quite legibly among her things. Ruth's writing had been unreadable for the past three years, and thus the notation stood out as usual and significant. Ruth believed deeply in the importance of providing education for girls.

Ming Mei Scholarship

The Ming Mei scholarship has been established for orphans in Honduras. Our scholarship benefactor, Andrea Balsara, writes, “I wanted to let you know why Nar and I are giving right now. This is in memory of an anonymous baby girl in China who died in 1996. Her name ‘Ming Mei’ means ‘No Name’. Her death was documented and seen on the Oprah show recently, showing how the death of one can lead to changes for many. Ming Mei was left at an orphanage in China and placed in a ‘dying room’. The Westerners who secretly photographed her did what they could to comfort her. It took her ten days to die of no food, water, or love. It was the saddest thing Nar and I ever witnessed. We ask that the money be placed where it will help the most in the name of Ming Mei. God bless her”.

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Scholarship Benefactors

Dao-Le Educational Scholarship

Established by Mrs. Duy-Loan T. Le in honor of her late father, Thanh Thien Le, her husband, Tuan N. Dao, and two sons, Dan Quy-Le Dao and Don Quy-Le Dao

Wilber Lokken Educational Scholarship

Established by Mrs. Diana Samandi in honor of her late uncle, Mr. Wilber Lokken.

Frank Hickman Scholarship

Established by Mrs. Diana Samandi in honor of her beloved father, Mr. Frank Hickman.

Kathleen B. Javid Educational Scholarship

Established by Mr. Shannon & Mrs. Mahnaz A. Javid, in honor of lifelong services of Mrs. Kathleen B. Javid.

Dr. & Mrs. Atta Aflatooni Educational Scholarship

Established by Mr. Shannon and Mrs. Mahnaz Javid in honor of lifelong services of Dr. Atta and Mrs. Touran Aflatooni.

Sharon Limbocker Educational Scholarship

Established by Mrs. Sharon Limbocker.

Hosseini Family Educational Scholarship

Established by Mr. Soheil and Mrs. Khandan Hosseini.

Ghorbanali Safrnejad Educational Scholarship

Established by Mr. Siamak Safr in honor of life-long services of his late father, Mr. Ghorbanali Safrnejad.

Ghassemi Educational Scholarship

Established by Mr. Parvis and Marjan Ghassemi.

Porter Educational Scholarship

Established by Mr. K.C. & Mrs. Aimee Porter.

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