Umm Muhammed Umar

The Ulwazi Skills Centre held its graduation this week. The Ulwazi, launched in 2010, is an initiative of the Lenasia branch of the Jamiatul Ulama. Over the years, many ladies have been educated in sewing, computer literacy, baking, cooking, and arts and crafts. Radio Islam spoke to an educator at the Ulwazi Skills Development, sister Amina Mayet.

Sister Amina said that there were two branches, one in Lenasia, which is with Madrassah Ayesha, and one in Zakariya Park, which is the Ulwazi Skills Development. She said, “we offer basic courses in computers, sewing, cooking and baking, arts and crafts. And we did offer massage therapy for this term as well.” She added, “Each term is four months, and every four months we have those students graduate.”

There were roughly 20 ladies doing the courses in each centre. Sister Amina said, “they come in the morning, they do morning classes and then in the afternoon, Monday through Thursday. You either do sewing, or computers. So, this term we had a range of skills which they completed, and they are ready to go out and find jobs.”

Sister Amina said that while the ladies do have a choice, most of them choose to do every course and then decide what they would like to do with what they have learnt.

The vision behind offering the courses was to empower women to be able to earn a living for themselves, and to support the families. Sister Amina said that they received ongoing feedback as to how the skills they impart has benefited and assisted people in getting a source of income. She said, “there’s always students coming in who say that ‘we work here’’, or ‘we’ve started our own  home industry business’ or (are) in management positions – they work themselves up, so the feedback has been amazing.”

Sister Amina said that anybody who wanted to donate anything was welcome, nothing specific was asked for. She also said that anyone that had a skill that they were willing to teach others was more than welcome to do so.