The Asa Majeed Learnership Centre (AMLC) in Tafelsig is committed to empowering the youth by moulding them into future leaders.
As Muslims across the world celebrated the end of Ramadaan with Eid on Monday, founder and chairman of AMLC, Zane Rinquest, said their purpose is to make people better Muslims and bring them closer to Allah.
“We equip our students to serve their communities and humanity at large. AMLC runs on the back of a highly committed team of staff, instructors, volunteers and a professional board of trustees endorsed by Sheik Ebrahim Gabriels, former chairman of the Muslim Judicial Council (MJC).”
Mr Rinquest said the centre was opened in April 2013 and that the vision of AMLC was to become the largest and most beneficial free Islamic learning system in South Africa.
“We provide the youth with necessary skills they previously did not have access to. We also provide a platform for learning and shape the lives of all people seeking to empower themselves with knowledge,” he said.
“We envision our learning system replicated in several communities and being accessible to all people who seek to gain a deeper understanding of Islam. Our purpose is to educate the masses and raise leaders from among them who will serve their communities and humanity at large,” he said.
Mr Rinquest said the centre provided a safe and secure learning environment for the youth of Tafelsig; conducted outreach programmes such as soccer clubs, outings to the aquarium and surf walks; hosted awards ceremonies where children are commended for their hard work and offered free internet access to children of the community who needed to complete homework and projects.
The centre also runs adult classes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Mr Rinquest said the AMLC conducted various outreach events in the community.
“On Friday evenings we host movie nights for the entire community and we host a charity run four times a year where we hand out groceries and a hot meal to the entire community. At these charity runs we also hand out fresh fruit such as apples, naartjies and oranges with sweeties to the children of the community. We also host an annual year-end function which typically involves a braai, playing soccer on the beach and an award ceremony. This event is sponsored by our network of corporates.”
As Youth Month draws to a close, Mr Rinquest encourages youth to stay in school. “You have the power to change your circumstances by empowering yourself; education is that empowerment vehicle,” he said.
