L-R: Stuart Cullum, President, Red Deer Polytechnic, Jose Mauro Barrozo Jr., RDP student-athlete, Kings Basketball, with members of the Rajan and Charania families of ZS Holdings.(Supplied)

By Josh Hall | @Vancan19

zs holdings

$50,000 donation will fund scholarships for student-athletes at RDP

Apr 13, 2024 | 1:18 PM

A generous donation will support student-athletes at Red Deer Polytechnic for years to come.

ZS Holdings has made a $50,000 contribution to RDP to establish the ZS Holdings 50th Anniversary International Student-Athlete Success Fund.

As RDP explains it was fifty years ago that Afzal and Gulzar embarked on a journey from Tanzania to Canada, laying the groundwork for what would become a successful family-run business encompassing seven hotels and two restaurants across Alberta.

Inspired by their parents’ entrepreneurial spirit and resilience, daughters Zainul and Shazma have continued to build on this legacy through ZS Holdings, a testament to the family’s dedication to community development and support.

The Rajan family’s donation celebrates Afzal’s journey to Canada and his family’s desire to give back to the community that supported them.

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For the next five years, the fund will provide scholarships for international student-athletes at RDP, ensuring they have the resources needed to succeed both in their studies and in their respective sports within the Alberta Colleges Athletics Conference.

“The opportunity for me to study in Canada, while also playing the sport I love—basketball—is made possible because of international scholarships, like the ZS Holdings 50th Anniversary International Student-Athlete Success Fund,” says RDP student-athlete Jose Mauro Barrozo Jr., highlighting the significance of scholarships for international students.

“Without the financial support of such scholarships, moving from Brazil to further my education would not have been possible.”

Shazma Charania, President of ZS Holdings, reflected on the importance of this initiative.

“To the students and athletes today and our future students: as my parents instilled in my sister and I, and our children, the importance of hard work, integrity and the pursuit of excellence, so too my parents wish to help you with your journey,” says Charania. “Their drive from humble beginnings to successful entrepreneurs exemplifies the limitless possibilities afforded by education and determination.”

Since their first partnership with RDP in 2015, ZS Holdings has contributed more than $160,000 to various programs and events.

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