Faraan Alumni Network

How to use this document

This SOP defines how the Network is organised, who does what, and how decisions are made.

Purpose

Faraan Alumni Network is the volunteer arm of the Faraan Alumni Educational and Charitable Trust. The Trust is the registered legal entity. The Network is the operating community — alumni and well-wishers of Faraan College, Faraan High School, and Lilly Rose Primary & Higher Primary School who come together to serve real people in need.

The Network runs a production mobile-first app at faraan-alumni-network.web.app, which is the community and fundraising hub. This SOP sits around that app — describing the governance and processes that the app supports but does not replace.

Audience

This SOP is internal. It is read by:

• Members of the Executive Council
• All Category Conveners and Co-Conveners
• Geographic Conveners (Gulf, Country, State, City)
• The Women's Wing Convener and her team
• The Convener of the Network
• The Meeting Coordinator

Volunteers receive a simpler Volunteer Handbook derived from this document, which omits internal decision-rights and confidentiality rules.

Document set

A note on titles

Inside the volunteer ecosystem, leadership is referred to by two visible names: the Executive Council (a flat group of 10–15 senior volunteers) and Conveners at the head of each Category, Geography, and the Women's Wing.

The single ultimate authority is the Convener of the Network — a role known to Heads and Council members, mentioned in this SOP and in the admin panel where applicable, but not displayed on the public app.

The word Trustee is reserved strictly for Trust deed, banking, and statutory filings. It does not appear in the app, in volunteer-facing communication, or in donor-facing material.

Governance & Executive Council

Flat, collaborative leadership. Distributed authority. No visible single leader.

1.1 Leadership layers

The Network operates with a flat, collaborative leadership model. Authority is distributed across the Executive Council, with the Convener of the Network as the internal final-escalation role.

1.2 The Executive Council

The Executive Council is the visible governing body of the Network. 10–15 members at any time. Composition is fluid by design — as Conveners are appointed or rotate, Council membership updates accordingly.

Default composition

• All 12 Category Conveners
• The Women's Wing Convener
• The Gulf Convener
• The Country Convener — India
• Optionally, 1–2 senior alumni co-opted by the Council

Council decision-making

• Routine operational decisions within a Convener's domain do not need Council approval.
• Decisions are made by simple majority of members present, provided at least 60% of current members participate.
• Major decisions — annual budget, removal of a Convener, launching a new category, refusing a major donation — require a clear majority of at least two-thirds.
• If the Council is unable to reach a clear decision after two attempts on the same matter, it is referred to the Convener of the Network.

Council meetings

The Council meets formally once a month. Async discussion in WhatsApp or email handles between-meeting matters. Minutes are kept by the Meeting Coordinator. Every decision is recorded with who voted and how.

1.3 The Convener of the Network

A single senior role responsible for the overall health of the Network. Presently held by Dr Shakeel. The role persists when the person changes; succession is decided by the Executive Council with at least two-thirds majority.

Responsibilities

• Final escalation point — when the Executive Council cannot resolve a matter, the Convener decides.
• Approves financial transactions and case approvals above the Council's standing limits.
• Final authority on legal and regulatory matters — Trust compliance, banking, audits, statutory filings.
• Final authority on reputational matters — press, partnerships, controversial donations.
• Chairs the monthly Executive Council meeting (or appoints a Council member to chair).
• Reviews and signs the annual report, audited financials, and major external commitments.

Visibility of the role

• Visible in this SOP.
• Mentioned in the README, internal documentation, and (in future) the admin panel as Charity Head or Convener of the Network. The two terms refer to the same role.
• Not displayed on the public side of the app. Public "About" / "Who We Are" content shows only the Executive Council.
• In external legal and banking matters, the same individual acts using the appropriate Trust title.

1.4 Super admins (existing app reality)

The production app already has a "super admin" role implemented as a Firebase custom claim. Three people hold this role:

• Dr Shakeel — Convener of the Network
• Md Ahmed Zubair — Finance & Fundraising lead within the Council
• Mohammed Zaheeruddin — Technology & Operations lead within the Council

1.5 Decision rights summary

Anything not listed defaults to the Executive Council.

1.6 Advisory Council (optional)

The Executive Council may invite 5–10 respected alumni, scholars, or domain experts to form an Advisory Council. The Advisory Council has no decision-making power and is consulted on specific matters — religious questions, medical opinions, legal advice, strategic direction. Their names may appear publicly on the app with consent.

1.7 Terms & continuity

• Category Conveners, Geographic Conveners, and the Wing Convener serve a one-year renewable term.
• Renewal is automatic unless the Council or the Convener decides otherwise.
• Every Convener must nominate a Co-Convener or backup within 30 days of appointment.
• The Executive Council reviews its own composition every year — adding new members as new Conveners come in, retiring inactive ones.
• The Convener of the Network is a long-term role, reviewed by the Executive Council every two years.

Causes & Category Conveners

The twelve causes the Network operates, and the leaders who run them.

2.1 The twelve causes

Each has one Convener and one Co-Convener. Volunteers indicate the causes they care about inside their Profile in the app. A cause may stay dormant if no suitable Convener is found — better to delay than to appoint a Convener who cannot deliver.

2.2 How causes appear in the app

The existing app is a community + fundraising platform. The 12 causes are integrated through a "Causes I care about" section inside each member's Profile. Members indicate up to three causes they want to contribute to. The Convener of each Category can later see and reach these interested members through the admin panel.

Initiatives in the app may be tagged with one of the 12 causes (see Appendix A). Cases (people in need) are managed through the lightweight workflow in Appendix B, not through a dedicated case-management module at this stage.

2.3 Selection of a Category Convener

The Executive Council looks for these qualities:

• Genuine interest in the cause — preferably with personal or professional background
• Availability of 4–6 hours per week, with ability to respond within 24 hours to urgent matters
• Trust and reputation in the alumni community
• Reasonable communication skills in English, Urdu, Hindi, or Kannada
• Willingness to follow the documentation and reporting discipline of this SOP

2.4 Responsibilities

• Plan — prepare a quarterly activity plan with target number of cases and indicative budget.
• Engage — identify alumni who have marked this cause in their Profile.
• Receive — review cases brought to attention (WhatsApp, calls, or in-person; via the app in future).
• Verify — assign a local volunteer (or Geographic Convener) to physically verify the case.
• Decide — approve, reject, or escalate within 7 days.
• Execute — ensure help reaches the beneficiary, with proper acknowledgement and photos where appropriate.
• Report — file a monthly summary by the 5th of the following month.
• Coordinate — stay in touch with the Co-Convener; ensure handover when unavailable.
• Participate — attend Council meetings.

2.5 Limits of authority

2.6 Monthly reporting

Every Category Convener submits a one-page monthly report by the 5th of the following month. Covers: cases received, cases closed, cases in progress, funds spent, volunteers active, one story of impact, any issues escalated. Until a reporting module is added to the app, reports are emailed to the Meeting Coordinator and shared with the Council.

Geographic Conveners

Causes are universal but help is delivered locally.

3.1 The geographic layer

Geographic Conveners make local delivery possible. They are not above Category Conveners — they work alongside them. A Healthcare case in Dubai is owned jointly by the Healthcare Category Convener (who decides) and the Dubai City Convener (who executes locally).

3.2 Structure

3.3 Reporting flexibility

If an intermediate Convener is absent, slow, or the case is urgent, a volunteer may route one level up directly. For example, a Dubai volunteer can reach the Country Convener — UAE if the Dubai City Convener is unreachable. This is official policy to avoid bottlenecks.

3.4 Responsibilities

• Build the local volunteer team — recruit, welcome, orient.
• Verify cases on the ground — visit homes, hospitals, schools as needed.
• Coordinate local activities — health camps, ration drives, community meetings.
• Maintain local partnerships — orphanages, clinics, ration shops, vendors.
• Report monthly to their reporting line, with copy visible to the Executive Council.
• Local fundraising in coordination with the Fundraising team (SOP 07).

3.5 Category–Geography coordination

When a case is identified, the relevant Category Convener and Geographic Convener coordinate directly. The Category Convener decides whether to approve, and the Geographic Convener arranges verification and execution. If they disagree, the matter follows the escalation path in SOP 09.

Women's Wing

A fully-fledged parallel structure, not a sub-team.

4.1 Why a separate Wing

Women alumni and supporters have asked for a dedicated space where they can serve without mixed-gender coordination. The Women's Wing is the answer.

4.2 How the Wing appears in the app

The Women's Wing is set up as a dedicated Group inside the existing Community module of the app. The group is private — joining is by request and approved by the Wing Convener or Co-Convener. Only women members are admitted.

The Wing has its own admin presence within the group, with the Wing Convener as group admin. Wing-specific Initiatives, when launched, are tagged so they can be tracked separately within the same fundraising module.

4.3 Structure of the Wing

The Women's Wing mirrors the main Network internally. The Wing Convener is a member of the Executive Council by default.

4.4 Operating principles

• The Wing manages its own communication inside the group, plus a WhatsApp group of Wing members for live coordination.
• The Wing handles cases involving women and children where female access is sensitive (widow homes, marriage assistance interviews, women's health, girls' education).
• On joint or larger cases, the Wing coordinates with the corresponding main-Network Category Convener — usually directly, Convener to Convener.
• Budget, approvals, and audit follow the same SOP — there is one Trust, one set of finances. The Wing has its own line item in the budget but uses the same approval flow.

4.5 Reporting

The Women's Wing Convener submits a consolidated monthly report covering all Wing activities, just like a Category Convener.

Volunteers

The door stays open. No fee, no exam, no minimum commitment.

5.1 Joining the Network

Joining is open to all Faraan alumni and well-wishers. Sign-up is on the app via phone OTP or Google. There is no fee, no exam, no minimum commitment. The tone of onboarding is welcoming, never pushy. A member can join, browse, and remain inactive for as long as they like.

Verification — a separate step in the app — confirms alumni status. Verified alumni can post on the wall and shoutouts. Non-alumni well-wishers can still join, browse, donate, and participate; they cannot post on alumni-only surfaces.

5.2 What a volunteer can do

• Browse the community, memories, groups, and initiatives in the app.
• Pick up to three causes inside Profile — "Causes I care about".
• Indicate availability — local volunteering, remote help, donations only, or just observing.
• Bring cases to attention through the relevant Category or local Geographic Convener.
• Verify cases when asked by a Convener.
• Participate in drives, camps, events.
• Donate to the general fund, an initiative, or a tagged cause.
• Apply to become a Category, Geographic, or Wing Coordinator after a period of active contribution.

5.3 What is not expected

5.4 Conduct

All volunteers act with honesty, respect, and discretion. The few firm rules are:

• Beneficiary dignity is non-negotiable — no photos that humiliate, no public naming without consent, no social-media posts about cases without Category Convener approval.
• Money handling — a volunteer never holds beneficiary funds personally. All disbursements go through official channels or approved local vendors.
• Speak the truth — false claims about cases, exaggerated needs, or doctored documents are grounds for immediate removal.
• Confidentiality — beneficiary details, internal financial figures, and Council decisions are not shared outside the Network without permission.

5.5 Growing into leadership

A volunteer who has been active for at least 6 months may be considered for a Co-Convener, Coordinator, or Geographic Convener role when one opens up. The Executive Council makes the appointment, normally on a recommendation from an existing Convener.

Case Management Workflow

The six-stage flow. Target shape for any future case module.

This SOP describes the desired full workflow for managing cases of people in need. The current app does not yet have a dedicated case-management module — Initiatives are fundraising-shaped, not case-shaped. Until that module is built, cases are managed using the lightweight process in Appendix B.

6.1 The six stages

6.2 Documentation required

Each case must have at minimum:

• Proof of identity of the beneficiary (or family elder).
• Proof of need — medical report, school fee notice, ration appeal, etc.
• Verification note from the assigned volunteer.
• After execution: receipts of expenditure and a closure note.

Until the app's case module is ready, the Category Convener stores these in a shared drive folder organised per case.

6.3 Confidentiality of beneficiary data

6.4 Rejection of a case

A case may be rejected if: the need is not genuine after verification, the beneficiary is already being supported by another organisation for the same purpose, or the cause does not fit any category. Rejection is always polite, always private, and always with a brief written reason. The submitter is informed; the beneficiary is not approached unless they had directly applied.

6.5 Closure & follow-up

Some cases are one-time (a surgery, an exam fee). Others are recurring (monthly ration, monthly scholarship). The Category Convener distinguishes between them and reviews recurring cases every 6 months to confirm the need still exists.

Fundraising & Donor Relations

Every rupee, dirham, riyal is receipted, accounted, and reported.

7.1 Principle

All funds belong to the Trust, not to individuals. Fundraising is not a separate empire — it is a function that serves every cause.

7.2 Structure

Fundraising is led by a dedicated Finance & Fundraising portfolio within the Executive Council (presently Md Ahmed Zubair). The team includes:

• Fundraising Coordinator — plans and runs campaigns, drafts donor communication.
• Donor Relations Coordinator — keeps in touch with major donors, sends thank-you notes, year-end statements.
• 80G Compliance Coordinator — ensures every eligible donation gets a valid 80G receipt promptly.

Gulf, Country, and City Conveners also raise funds locally, in coordination with the Fundraising Team. All financial controls, banking, and audit are signed off by the Convener of the Network.

7.3 Channels of giving

7.4 Today's reality (app limitation)

• Donors who use the app see the Initiative and are guided to make payment through the Trust's bank account or UPI handle.
• The Finance & Fundraising lead manually records each donation and issues a receipt.
• 80G receipts are issued within 7 working days, manually, against Trust registration details.
• Monthly transparency figures are compiled and shared in the Initiatives module or as an admin broadcast.

Bringing this online — automated payment gateway, automated receipt PDF — is a high-priority Phase 2 item.

7.5 Local fundraising campaigns

A Geographic Convener may run a local campaign (city iftar, community dinner, charity walk). The campaign is registered with the Fundraising Team before it starts. All money is deposited in the Trust account — never collected in personal accounts.

7.6 Refusing donations

The Executive Council may refuse donations that come with unacceptable conditions, from sources with reputational concerns, or that would compromise the Network's neutrality. The Convener of the Network has final say on contested refusals. The decision is recorded with reasons.

Meeting Coordination

Few but useful. Decisions in writing, owners with deadlines.

8.1 The meeting rhythm

8.2 The Meeting Coordinator role

A dedicated Meeting Coordinator (one person, can be a senior volunteer) handles logistics for all internal meetings:

• Scheduling — finding a slot that works across time zones (India, Gulf, others).
• Sending invites with the agenda at least 48 hours in advance.
• Recording attendance.
• Taking minutes — decisions, owners, deadlines.
• Sharing minutes within 24 hours of the meeting.
• Tracking action items to closure.

8.3 Meeting discipline

• Every meeting has a written agenda.
• Every meeting starts on time and ends on time.
• Decisions are recorded in writing.
• Action items have a named owner and a date.
• If a Council member or Convener misses three consecutive meetings without intimation, the Council reviews their continuation.

8.4 Online vs offline

Given the geographic spread (Gulf, India, others), most meetings are online (Google Meet or WhatsApp video). Annual Review and occasional special gatherings are held in person, usually rotating between cities.

Escalation & Conflict Resolution

Quickly, fairly, and without damaging the mission.

9.1 Principle

9.2 The escalation ladder

Issues climb the ladder only if the lower step cannot resolve them. Each step has a target turnaround time.

1. Direct conversation between the two parties3 days
   Volunteer to volunteer, volunteer to Convener, Convener to Convener.
2. The next-higher Convener5 days
   e.g. Category Convener, or Geographic Convener one level up.
3. A panel of two7 days
   The relevant Category Convener and the relevant Geographic Convener.
4. Executive Council discussion / vote14 days
5. Convener of the Network — final and binding21 days

9.3 Specific scenarios

Case dispute — Category Convener vs Geographic Convener

If they disagree on whether to approve or how to execute a case, both write a short note. The Executive Council reviews and decides within 5 days. If the Council cannot agree, the Convener of the Network decides.

Volunteer misconduct

Reported to the relevant Category or Geographic Convener. The Convener investigates discreetly, speaks to the volunteer, and either issues a warning, suspends, or escalates to the Executive Council for removal. Serious misconduct (financial impropriety, harassment, public defamation) bypasses the ladder and goes directly to the Council, with the Convener of the Network informed immediately.

Beneficiary complaint

Treated with the highest priority. The Category Convener investigates within 48 hours. If the complaint is against a volunteer or Convener, the next level up takes over. Findings are recorded.

Donor complaint or query

Donor Relations Coordinator handles within 48 hours. If unresolved, the Finance & Fundraising lead steps in. If the issue is reputational, the Council and Convener of the Network are informed immediately.

In-app moderation

The existing app has a Reports system. Reports are reviewed by admins through /admin/#reports. Content moderation decisions follow standard community guidelines. Cases escalate to the Council only when they involve a Convener, a sensitive cause, or potential reputational harm.

9.4 Removal of a Convener

Removal of a Category, Geographic, or Wing Convener is a serious step taken by Executive Council vote (two-thirds majority), with the Convener of the Network's final review. Grounds include: persistent non-performance, breach of conduct, conflict of interest, prolonged unreachability without intimation, or actions damaging the Network's reputation. The Convener is informed in writing and given a chance to respond before the decision is finalised.

Confidentiality & Communication

What the public sees, what Conveners see, what is strictly internal.

10.1 The confidentiality rule

Inside the volunteer ecosystem, leadership is referred to by two names: the Executive Council (publicly visible) and Convener of the Network (mentioned in SOP and internal channels, not displayed publicly in the app). The word Trustee is reserved for the Trust deed, statutory filings, audit reports, and bank records. It does not appear in any volunteer-facing communication, in the app, in the README, or in donor-facing material.

10.2 What the public sees

• Causes, their Conveners (name, photo, brief intro).
• Anonymised stories of impact, with consent.
• Monthly transparency figures (totals, allocations) when published in Initiatives or admin broadcasts.
• Executive Council members (names and photos), shown as a flat collective.
• Advisory Council members, with their consent.
• Trust registration number (required for 80G claims).
• Charity contact: "Charity Head (presently Dr Shakeel)".

10.3 What Conveners & Council see (internal)

• All of the above plus the role of Convener of the Network.
• Full case details, beneficiary information, financials, audit logs.
• Council discussion and voting history.

10.4 What is strictly internal

• Beneficiary personal details (full name, address, contact, medical records).
• Donor lists and amounts (unless the donor publicly authorises).
• Internal financial figures beyond the published transparency view.
• Council meeting minutes and disciplinary discussions.
• Mapping between the Convener / Council roles and underlying legal Trust positions.
• Super admin identities — known operationally to the three current super admins; not announced to volunteers.

10.5 Communication channels

10.6 Breach handling

A breach of confidentiality (sharing beneficiary photos publicly without consent, leaking donor lists, revealing internal leadership structure inappropriately) is treated under SOP 09. First instance: written warning. Repeat: suspension. Severe or wilful: removal.

10.7 Final note

Required Changes to the Existing App

Small, targeted changes to bring the production app in line with this SOP.

A.1 README

Change the Contact line from "For operational questions or to be added as a super admin, contact the Trust via Dr Shakeel" to "For operational questions or to be added as a super admin, contact the Charity Head (presently Dr Shakeel)." Scan the repo for occurrences of "trustee" / "Trustee" and replace with the appropriate role title.

A.2 "Causes I care about" in Profile

Add a section inside the Profile screen titled "Causes I care about". 12 tappable chips, max 3 selections, stored on users/{uid}.causes.

Firestore schema

/users/{uid}.causes: string[]   // array of cause keys, max length 3
/causes/{key}: {                // one document per cause
  key, name, shortDescription, longDescription,
  icon, color, convenerUid, active, sortOrder
}

A.3 Women's Wing as a Group

Create a private group inside the existing Community/Groups module. Visibility: private — discoverable but joining requires approval. Admins: Wing Convener + Co-Convener. Membership rule: women alumni and supporters only.

A.4 Optional: cause tagging on Initiatives

Tag each Initiative with one of the 12 cause keys. Add an optional causeKey field to /initiatives/{id} documents and a small filter in the Initiatives screen.

A.5 No CEO / single-leader display on the public side

Confirm that no public-facing screen names a single leader of the Network. The Executive Council can be listed (with names and photos as a flat group) if desired; the Convener of the Network is not displayed.

A.6 Phase 2 — Case Module (future)

When ready, add a Cases module to the app that implements SOP 06's six-stage flow. Suggested Firestore collections:

/cases/{caseId}: {
  publicRef, title, description,
  causeKey, geographyKey,
  submittedByUid, assignedVerifierUid, ownerConvenerUid,
  status, priority,
  beneficiaryName (private), beneficiaryArea,
  requestedAmount, approvedAmount, spentAmount, currency,
  approvalLevel,             // category_convener | council | convener_of_network
  publicSummary,             // consented anonymised story, optional
  createdAt, updatedAt
}
/cases/{caseId}/documents/{docId}: { type, fileUrl, uploadedByUid, visibility }
/cases/{caseId}/activity/{eventId}: { actorUid, action, note, createdAt }

Operating Without a Full Case-Management Module

Interim process until the Cases module is built.

B.1 Tools used

• WhatsApp groups — one per cause, one per active city/country, one for the Executive Council, one for the Women's Wing.
• Google Drive (or equivalent) — a shared folder per cause containing one sub-folder per case.
• Simple Google Sheet — maintained by each Category Convener, one row per case.
• Email — formal communication with donors and partners.

B.2 Case sheet columns

Access to the sheet is restricted to the Category Convener, Co-Convener, and members of the Executive Council. The Finance & Fundraising lead has read access to all sheets for reconciliation.

B.3 Approval flow without an app

1. Volunteer submits a case via WhatsApp to the Category Convener (copying the local Geographic Convener).
2. Category Convener adds it to the case sheet, status Received.
3. Geographic Convener assigns a verifier. Status moves to Verifying.
4. Verifier visits, uploads documents to the case's Drive folder, writes a short verification note.
5. Category Convener decides. Within the per-case limit: approves directly. Above the limit: posts a short summary to the Executive Council WhatsApp asking for thumbs-up/down. A clear majority approves.
6. Funds released through the Trust's official channel (bank transfer or UPI from the Trust account) — never from personal accounts.
7. Receipts collected by the Geographic Convener, uploaded to the case folder.
8. Case marked Closed in the sheet with the closure note.

B.4 Monthly roll-up

By the 3rd of each month, each Category Convener exports a copy of the sheet (or filters that month's rows) and sends a summary email to the Meeting Coordinator. The Council reviews these in the monthly Council meeting.

B.5 When to stop using this process

The moment the Cases module in the app is live and stable (see Appendix A.6), migrate active sheets into the app. Closed historical cases remain in Drive as the archival record.