Mata Gujri Ji Endowment Fund
Supporting the Future of Women’s Health Research
In honor of the 400th birth anniversary of Mata Gujri Ji in 2024, the Sikh Society Calgary has partnered with the Alberta Registered Nurses Educational Trust (ARNET) to establish the Mata Gujri Ji Endowment Fund. This fund is a tribute to the strength and resilience of Mata Gujri Ji, the revered matriarch who played a pivotal role in Sikh history.
Mata Gujri Ji (1624–1705), the wife of Guru Tegh Bahadur and mother of Guru Gobind Singh, was a beacon of courage and faith. Her unwavering support and guidance during one of the most turbulent times in Sikh history have inspired generations.
The Mata Gujri Ji Endowment Fund aims to empower and uplift future generations by providing scholarships for research in Women’s Healthcare. By supporting this initiative, you commemorate a historical figure and invest in women’s health and well-being worldwide.
Join us in making a difference and raising $200,000. Your generous donations will enable aspiring researchers to pioneer advancements in Women’s Health, continuing Mata Gujri Ji’s legacy of nurturing and protecting life.
I am writing to express my gratitude as I was a recipient of an ARNET Scholarship. I became a nurse because of my wonderful mother, who exemplifies many of the qualities that are often associated with the profession of nursing, including empathy, compassion, and advocacy. As a first generation Sikh Canadian and daughter of a single immigrant mother, we often struggled financially.
To imagine a day in which I would receive such a tremendous and prestigious award would have been unimaginable. Yet, I sit here today writing this letter of gratitude. I understand that no words could possibly convey how much this scholarship will mean to me over the course of my academic career.
I can say with great confidence that my pursuit of higher education would not be possible without your kindness and generosity. I am certain that this scholarship will not only influence my academic career, but also my personal life.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
Randip Dhaliwal, RN, Doctoral Student
(Left to right) Randip Dhaliwal, ARNET Scholarship Recipient, Marilyn Wacko, ARNET Executive Director, and Shireen Bell, ARNET Board Chair
ARNET is known for reliable and responsible fund stewardship. We value relationships with donors, partners, stakeholders, and nurses, emphasizing trust and collaboration with our provincial community. Pay-it-forward stories from recipients highlight the impact of donor funds on patient and family care. We're honored to partner with Calgary Sikh Society in developing the Mata Gujri Ji Endowment fund for women’s health research in Alberta and look forward to its positive impact on our communities.
Shireen Bell, Board Chair of ARNET
I am so grateful to ARNET and their donors for allowing me to pursue my dreams of becoming a nurse scientist. The ARNET funding I received as I began my academic career helped me stay focused on my studies, instead of worrying how I was going to pay my bills. Because I had the support to excel as a student, I was able to transfer from a Master of Nursing program to doctoral studies, supported with funding from two prestigious ARNET scholarships. I never imagined that I’d be able to pursue my passion with the support of a philanthropic community like the one ARNET has built. My research explores how children experience having a serious, life-threatening or life-shortening illness. This is often emotional and heartbreaking work, but I am encouraged to continue knowing that ARNET and their donors knew that my research could make a difference in the lives of children and their families. I have just begun a new position as an Assistant Professor (Research) at the University of Calgary. Truly, my dreams are now reality, and I can spend the rest of my career researching how to improve the lives of children with serious illness – I have ARNET donors to thank for that.
Kate Wong, RN, Doctoral Student