THE YMA

THE YOUNG MUSLIM ASSOCIATION

An Organization Profile

For more than three decades the Young Muslim Association has been actively engaged in programmes and projects in the field of Education, Orphan and Child Care, Youth Development, Dawah, Relief, Water and other social welfare activities. All these accomplishments would not have been possible without the generous support of hundreds of donors and well wishers, who give their time, energy and money to change the lives of the less fortunate members of our society.

GARISSA MUSLIM CHILDRENS’ HOME HELPING ORPHANS

Garissa Muslim Children’s Home, a fully fledged institute located in Garissa, caters for the needs of Orphans, destitute and needy children. Since its inception in the early seventies, the Home has been instrumental in providing shelter food and education up to secondary level. To date over 1,600 children have gone through the system and are gainfully employed and living as respected citizens of Kenya. The current number of children at Garissa Muslim Children’s Home is 300.

CHILD CARE & DEVELOPMENT

The Association has gone a long way in reinforcing the general development of the child through CHILD FEEDING under its Duski Education programmes and has also developed in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and Kenya Institute of Education an Islamic Intergraded Education Programme (IIEP) which has been adopted as a component by the Ministry of Education for Pre-school-Madrassa Integration. Currently the Association is running three projects under the scheme.

YOUNG MUSLIM ASSOCIATION PRIMARY SCHOOL

Adjoining the Garissa Muslim Children’s Home, are the primary schools facilities, consisting of 16 classrooms, and administration block and playing fields. The current enrollment of the school is 970, and provides free education up to primary level.

YOUNG MUSLIM ASSOCIATION HIGH SCHOOL

Having attained self sufficiency in the primary school education and the increasing demand to provide quality secondary education within the same environment, the Association embarked on the construction of a major school project for the development of Education; the construction costs of the building was sponsored by the Islamic Development Bank. The Construction work was completed in November 2002 and the first intake of Form one structure started in January 2003.

NAKURU ISLAMIC CENTRE

A fully-fledged project dedicated to the Hifz-Ul-Qur’an Programme. To date, 36 boys have memorized the Holy Qur’an and are taking higher Islamic Studies in various institutions. Currently, 24 boarding and 11 day students are undergoing the vigorous training.

ISLAMIC RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

A project to provide Islamic Religious Education to students in Government Primary and Secondary Schools in Kenya. The Young Muslim Association is meeting the salaries of numerous teachers under this programme, however considering the gigantic nature of this project and the financial involvement, the Young Muslim Association appeals to all people of good will for their generous support.

PUBLISHING

In addition to the books for the teaching of IRE, the Young Muslim Association also publishes regularly Islamic pamphlets, handouts and booklets in various local languages and dialects currently it is also involved in the translation of Islamic works from English to Kiswahili.

MADRASSAS

The need to impart religious education to our children remains an ardent task of the Association. Some 75 Madrassa teachers are supported in the rural and underprivileged communities of Kenya. Without this assistance hundreds of Muslim children will remain deprived of basic Islamic knowledge.

EDUCATIONAL BURSARIES

Northern part of Kenya which is predominantly Muslim inhabited lives in abject poverty. To alleviate the suffering of poverty stricken students in secondary schools and colleges, the Association provides financial assistance to many deserving cases to facilitate them complete their education.


TRAINING YOUTH

To train Youth, the Association organizes seminars and training workshops and supports the efforts of Muslim students groups in the universities, colleges and schools. Hundred of Youth have thus been saved from going astray and lead the Islamic way of life. The Association also conducts Counselling and Career guidance programmes for Form 4 students – Has conducted Youth seminars on creating awareness on HIV / AIDS, Drug Abuse and Child Abuse.


SOCIAL WELFARE

This is a vast and very elaborate program under which the following activities are carried out: -

Regular assistance to poor, needy and wayfarers
Regular assistance to widows in slums and poor areas
Monthly rations to the OLD LADIES HOME in Pumwani
Water development programs in the ASAL areas; i.e. Sinking of shallow wells, installing hand and mechanic pumps.
Distribution of emergency relief in drought affected areas.
Organizing IFTAR & SIYAM programmes in poor rural areas.
Collection and distribution of Zakat Ul Fitr
Organize udhuya (Qurbani) programme during the month of Zul Hija


NATIONAL INITIATIVES

The Association participates at National Forums/committees to sensitize and create awareness on various issues as they affect the members of the Muslim Community.

The Association participated in drafting the amendments to the Children’s Bill.
Developed memorandum on Laws related to Women.
Member of the Drafting Team which prepared the first Kenya Country report on the Convention on the Rights of Children.
Member of the Caucus on the Affirmative Action and Gender Equality Bill.
Member of the Education Emergency Response Committee, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, UNICEF/UNESCO.
Executive Board member of Kenya Alliance for the Advancement of Children and the National Children’s Caucus.
Member of the Elimu Yetu Coalition.
Appointed Member on the Task Force on Legal Issues Relating to HIV/AIDS by the Attorney General - 1999 to 2000.
Founder member of Pastoralist Childrens Education Caucus – Now under Arid Land Management.
Executive Committee Member of National Council of NGOs.

REGISTRATION

1964 – First Registered under the SOCIETIES ACT NO. 1441

1993 – Registered under the NGO CO-ORDINATION ACT NO. OP.218/051/9396/125

PIN NO: P000607212K