Mother Establishes Charity in Memory of Daughter Who Drowned

A mother whose daughter drowned after being swept out to sea in the Netherlands has announced her intention to fulfill her daughter’s “dreams come true” by establishing a charitable organization in her honor. Afaf Ahmed passed away in August while swimming with companions off the Zuidelijk Havenhoofd, located near The Hague. The 18-year-old, a resident of Coventry, was an accomplished singer and pianist, having pursued her studies at Pattison’s College. Her mother, Dr Hanan Abdelaziz, has founded the charity Afaf Above The Water in her daughter’s memory, with the aim of assisting public organizations within the Coventry area. The teenager, who participated in a street dance performance for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in 2023, was last observed by her mother struggling in turbulent water during a holiday. Dr Abdelaziz described her daughter, who had received an offer to study medical science in Liverpool, as a “talented, clever girl.” “I had a devastating heartbreak and am still passing through very painful and heart-breaking grief,” she said. “She was a bright girl.” “As a mum, I would like to stand tall and make my daughter’s dream come true in helping her community, be a role model for our youth’s health, wellbeing, talent and achievements – for a healthier community in Coventry & Warwickshire and all of the UK”. The charitable organization bears the name Afaf Above The Water, chosen as a tribute to the final moments Ms Ahmed was seen alive by her mother. Its launch will occur via an event scheduled for 14 and 15 December, located behind Primark in Coventry city centre. “Through all the pains and the tears , I have created a charity in my daughter’s name,” Dr Abdelaziz said. “The last scene I’d seen was her floating on the water. “We then lost her at the scene for two days. “It means a lot for me, as above the water, for me, means above the struggle.”