The Indian Minority Education Society of Australia Inc (IMESA) organised education awareness programmes in a number of cities in India during the month of December 2024 and early January 2025.
The purpose of IMESA is to increase the educational levels of poor minorities in India, including Muslims.
Mr Zahid Jamil, during a private visit of India, travelled to a number of cities where IMESA is running its projects to educate underprivileged children.
The project coordinators organised events to create awareness about IMESA’s charitable programmes among locals. The august gatherings in each city included local Muslim leaders, professionals and businessmen.
Mr Jamil also visited the project sites to meet children and their parents. The events were held in Delhi on 12 Dec, Saharanpur on 13 Dec, in Dehradun on 14 Dec and in Bangalore on 4 and 5 Jan 2025.
In his inaugural address at all the events, Mr Jamil introduced IMESA’s objectives and various activities. He requested the audience to extend their support to IMESA’s work to uplift the education level of the Indian Muslim community.
A video showcasing IMESA’s aim and goals, a description of the problem, its work on the ground in India, the beneficiaries and how the audience can be part of the noble work was screened.
Mr Jamil said that the Muslim community face the highest poverty among various religious groups of India. The poor Muslims live in a large number in slums and very poor localities of towns and cities across India.
Charity begins at home and the Non-Resident Indian Muslims of Australia feel obliged to support their community back home.
Mr Jamil said all project expenses at various IMESA centres are met through the funds raised in Australia. He appealed to the local Muslims with means, including professionals and business people, to sponsor the poorest children and their struggling families.
The key component of IMESA’s Taleemi Jamaat project is to run after-school centres to provide free tutoring and other support to underprivileged children.
Mr Jamil equated IMESA’s humanitarian work to the concept of Haqooq ul Ibad under Islamic Principles.
At Saharanpur event, Dr Qudsiya Anjum, a retired Principal, spoke of importance of education for Muslim girls.
Dr Gufran Ahmad, Principal of Islamia Inter college, invited Mr Zahid to his school to address a class of 12 boys the next day.
Prof Majid Jamil, the chief coordinator of Saharanpur project, described the issues of indiscipline among Muslim children and lack of awareness among their parents.
Other speakers included Mrs Safiya Soobohi, Director, Brown Wood College, Mr Rashid Jamil Advocate, social activists Mr Jalal Umar, a retired Principal, Quazi Shauqat Hussain and journalist Shahid Zuberi.
During children, parents, and teachers event in the afternoon, children’s performances included recitation of poetry, Nasheeds and talks.
The parents paid their gratitude to the IMESA team in Sydney for their support.
The Dehradun event was held at Tasmiya Academy. Reputable Muslim philanthropist and industrialist Dr Syed Farooq was presented with an IMESA souvenir.
Other speakers at the event included social activists Dr Ajmal Farouqe, Mr Shakeel Ahmad, Mr Sajid Farman and Mr Farman Iqbal, Chied Manager at Bank of India.
Mr Jamil thanked Project Coordinator Mr Mohammad Shueb and Mrs Afroze for their tireless efforts in running the project.
Mr Zahid Jamil and Prof Majid Jamil also addressed parents, children and teachers at the project site in the afternoon.
The Bangalore event was held at the Sir Syed Ahmad Khan Hall of the famous Muslim Orphanage in Bangalore on 4 Jan 2025.
Mrs Tasneeem Shahjahan, the president of the National Women’s League, addressed the audience and described the importance of education in human development.
Madam Tasneem, daughter of the renowned Muslim personality late Ibrahim Sulaiman Saith, quoted famous Urdu couplets and emphasised Muslim children be educated. She spoke of Muslim women’s empowerment through education.
The renowned educationalist Madam Tasneem Abdul Hamid gave an inspirational talk asking Muslims to be resilient in their efforts towards education.
Dr Jawad A Sarkar of Canada spoke of his own life experiences as an orphan. Mr Rouf Mohammad, a Congress party activist, applauded IMESA’s efforts in educating the poorest children.
Mr Naveed Ahmad Khan, in charge of the Orphanage, applauded IMESA’s efforts in educating the poorest children. He said that the children of his orphanage are encouraged to contribute to the charitable body after they have grown to enter the workforce.
Mrs Mona Zahid, in her vote of thanks, applauded the efforts of IMESA’s Bangalore team including the project coordinators Mrs Waheeda Parveen, Mrs Sayeeda Saud and Mrs Noor Arshiya Khanum for their efforts in running the Bangalore project.
The Bangalore project team organised a major event for project children and their parents the next day. Performances of project children received repeated applause.
Mr Zahid Jamil gave a inspirational talk to stress that Muslim children should excel in education to have proportionate representation in professional jobs.
The editor-in-chief of Bangalore Urdu newspaper Salar Mr Iftekhar Sharieff, in his motivating speech, encouraged children and parents to focus on education and hard work.
Mrs Waheeda Parveen thanked her team for their hard work and dedication in running the project.
At all the events, the attendees were impressed with IMESA’s work and promised their support to the cause.
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