R100 000 Media Centre Refurbishment Transforms Overport’s Islamic Guidance
A R100 000 media centre refurbishment project at Islamic Guidance, in Overport, Durban, has opened the door to a whole new world of learning for young people attending the facility.
Islamic Guidance was losing the battle to keep up with advances in technology for the benefit of those it serves, until the South African Muslim Charitable Trust intervened recently, providing the operation’s flagging media centre with a comprehensive upgrade.
Commenting on the refurbishment project, SAMCT representative, Mr Shabir Chohan, said: “This facility upgrade, complete with IT equipment and furnishings, will provide for not only the upliftment, but – more importantly – the educational empowerment of all those who utilise it into the future, enabling them to broaden their horizons.”
Islamic Guidance was to be applauded for focusing its requirements around upgrading its media centre to meet the evolving technology needs of today.
“Given that many of those attending Islamic Guidance are unable to enjoy the benefits of effective study facilities, there can be no question that these young people are greatly disadvantaged by their circumstances, placing them at an even greater disadvantage by comparison to their better-off counterparts. We, at the SAMCT, hold dear the need to improve educational facilities in KwaZulu- Natal – especially those involving the implementation and utilisation of technology,” he stressed.
He said it was hoped that the SAMCT’s assistance would assist appreciably in Islamic Guidance’s efforts to ‘better empower young women, assisting them to become meaningful contributors to the Ummah and to this country’s broader community.”
Mr Shabir Chohan added: “Keeping abreast of technological advancements is critical in a learning environment, as it is so easy to be left behind. Accordingly, the South African Muslim Charitable Trust was very pleased to be in a position to allocate R100 000 towards the upgrade of the Media Centre here. I believe the provision of desk-top PC, projector, screen, printer and networking facilities, coupled with the delivery of books, chairs and other carpentry-related items has transformed the centre.”
The South African Muslim Charitable Trust was created in 2008, the result of a partnership between Old Mutual Unit Trusts and Al Baraka Bank for the creation, marketing and distribution of a suite of Shariah Funds. This partnership ensures that the SAMCT is the beneficiary of these Shariah- compliant funds in order to provide funding, services and other resources for the improvement of the lives of the vulnerable, deprived and disadvantaged.
“Pleasingly, our organisation has been singularly successful in delivering sizeable assistance solutions throughout South Africa – irrespective of race or religion – and continues to work to support needy organisations in the fields of health, social development, poverty alleviation and – of course – education,” added Mr Shabir Chohan.
“Through our modest contribution, it is my hope that we have assisted in filling Islamic Guidance’s existing accessibility gap and adding to the learning experience by bringing on-stream facilities conducive to prevailing faculty and student needs in a collaborative space,” he concluded.
ends
For more information about SAMCT or its Islamic Guidance Media Centre refurbishment initiative, please contact:
Rasheeda Motala
Social Responsibility Officer
Tel: 084 506 2280
Email: samct@samct.co.za