By TCN News,
Aligarh: Ironically named Maulana Azad Nagar, the vast slum area in the neighborhood of Aligarh Muslim University is dark both literally and educationally. Predominantly inhabited by poor Muslim laborers, the area behind Jamalpur locality has about one lakh residents but it doesn’t have a government school. All India Graduates’ Association (AIGA – a registered NGO) has come up to illuminate this dark slum near India’s largest residential university – AMU.
AIGA on Friday (21st Oct) opened a free coaching and guidance centre “AIGA Islamic Centre” at the basement of locality’s Masjid Bagh-e-Jannat. The two-hour class commencing from Monday (today) will run for six days a week (Monday-Saturday). The facility will be for school-age children.
The inaugural of the coaching centre featured many dignitaries including Amanullah Khan, Secretary, Muslim Education Trust (MET), Prof. Razaullah Khan, Dept. of Civil Engineering, ZHCET, AMU, Dr. Mohsin Raza, Senior Consultant Surgeon, Dr. Shariq Aqil, CMO, UHS, AMU, Dr. Suhail Sabir, Provost, MM Hall, AMU, Dr. Shahid Malik, Senoir Hony’ Students Councellor, IDB Scholarship Programme in India, besides local people, IDB students and AIGA members.
The coaching centre in Maulana Azad Nagar has been set up by the Uttar Pradesh chapter of AIGA. At the inaugural, Dr. Kashif Razi, President, AIGA – UP chapter, informed the audience about the aims and objectives of AIGA. He emphasized that if the result of this centre remains positive and encouraging, AIGA can expand its field of activities in the area. On Sundays, AIGA will run AIGA Charitable Clinic at the site. The group has been organizing “Free Medical Camps” in the area on every 3 months. The NGO has in the past organized “Social Awareness Camps”, ”Equipment Distribution for handicaps”, “Dental Check-up Camps”, “Seminars on Social issues” etc in the area.
Dr. Kashif Razi, President, AIGA UP Chapter delivering the introductory speech
In his concluding remarks, Amanullah Khan said that since AIGA has set up a centre in this area, it is the responsibility of the local population to send their children to this centre.
Dr. Rashid, convener AIGA, informed the guests that this centre is established from the monthly contributions of the AIGA Members and the NGO is still short of many things in order to function properly. Dr. Shariq Aqil promised to donate a blackboard, while Prof. Razaullah Khan promised an almirah for the books. Dr. Suhail Sabir also promised to arrange some funds for this centre. As an immediate token of appreciation, Dr. Mohsin Raza contributed some money.
Maulana Azad Nagar residents at a medical camp by AIGA
About AIGA
All India Graduates’ Association (AIGA) is a registered NGO under the Societies Registration Act 1856. AIGA was formally registered on July 21, 2003. It is the Alumni Association of all the IDB Scholarship Beneficiaries of India, who have graduated in their respective fields. AIGA has a network of state chapters extending all over India.
About Maulana Azad Nagar
Maulana Azad Nagar is a vast slum dwelling behind the Jamalpur area of Aligarh. It is a predominantly Muslim inhabited area with a total population of more than 1 lakh. A vast majority work as labourers in the lock industry of Aligarh with daily income of around Rs 100-200 only. There is no government school or a primary health centre in the whole area and mostly the children end up as school drop-outs. There are no facilities, not even the basic ones like clean drinking water, electric supply, proper waste disposal, roads etc. The whole area becomes unreachable even with a light rainfall. Infectious diseases and malnutrition is rampant in the area.
Contact:
Dr. Mohammad Kashif Razi
Junior Resident, Dept. of Radiation Oncology, JNMCH, AMU
President, AIGA-U.P. Chapter
Vice-president, AIGA-India
Mobile: +91 9412562870
Fax: +91 0571 2720016
email: [email protected]
[email protected]
Website: www.aiga-vision.org