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‘This will no doubt be a life changing and character-shaping event for them’.
by SALEEMAH JAFFER
ON the July 1, 2024, 26 South African youth joined the 19-day Madina Institute Global Youth Leadership Programme in Türkiye.
The South African cohort included 14 girls, and 12 boys, aged 12-18 from six South African cities: Cape Town, Durban, Gqeberha, Pretoria, Johannesburg and Rustenburg. They joined over 100 young people from Australia, Canada, England, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Norway, Puerto Rico, Türkiye and the United States.
The programme was coordinated by the Madina Institute in collaboration with Insan Ve Irfan Vakfi and Ibn Haldun University. The programme took place in Istanbul and Konya, and included a number of cultural experiences, historical site visits, workshops, tours and learning opportunities.
Shaikh Muhammad bin Yahya Al Ninowy, founder of Madina Institute Global, emphasised the importance of our youth taking up leadership roles within our communities. He highlighted two aspects key to leadership: education and mercy. The idea of bringing youth from different countries together for this programme was built on the hope that bonds would be forged between them, developing an international network for young emerging leaders.
Academic and researcher Safiyyah Surtee’s twin daughters joined the programme from Johannesburg. She said: ‘I am so impressed by all the exposure the kids are getting during the programme. They are really immersed in the history, culture, arts and most importantly, spiritual traditions of Türkiye. Their perspectives are being enriched by the scholars, workshops, dhikrs and halaqas, in addition to interacting with students from many different countries.
‘This will no doubt be a life changing and character-shaping event for them’.
Safiya Variawa, also a parent from Johannesburg, shared a similar sentiment: ‘This was an amazing opportunity and phenomenal experience for my 13-year-old daughter. This leadership programme provides a blend of cultural immersion, historical exploration and personal development opportunities all in an Islamic context. The meticulous detail in every session and the regular updates to parents were so comforting. Alhumdulilah, so grateful for this.’
Updates, pictures and videos were shared with parents daily via Whatsapp. Madina Institute Türkiye also shared updates on Instagram and Facebook daily so that parents, siblings and families could keep abreast of the activities the youth were participating in.
Zahier Parker from Cape Town said: ‘Hats off to the Madina Institute and Insan ve Irfan Vakfi for initiating and spearheading this initiative. Logistically, it’s not easy to arrange the housing, feeding, transporting, safety etc of the learners, but you have done a splendid job.
‘At first, we were hesitant to send our daughter on this leadership programme, but after looking at the number of learners from South Africa, there was no looking back – and this opportunity comes but once in a lifetime.’
Juwairiyyah Jhetam (16) from Durban shared: ‘I found learning a few aspects of Ottoman history inspiring and fascinating as it helped us (or me) understand the complexities of the past and appreciate what was left behind for us.’
The programme included workshops in Arabic calligraphy, Islamic illumination, Ebru marbling, book making, tile painting, felt making and other traditional Turkish arts. Youth also participated in Quran classes, athaan workshops, archery and horse riding.
The cultural immersion experience included dhikr gatherings, Sama gatherings with whirling dervishes and visits to different masajid and Islamic schools.
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Youth Coordinators from Norway, United Kingdom, United States, India and South Africa joined the team on the ground to ensure youth were well taken care of, and to bridge the gaps between youth from different countries.
Isa Banderker (17) from Cape Town said: ‘The youth leadership programme was truly an enriching experience for me! It deepened my understanding of my faith and helped me grow as a leader. I felt a sense of a united ummah and got the opportunity to make friends with like-minded individuals from diverse backgrounds across the world.’
Aalia Brey (17) from Cape Town added: ‘This programme wasn’t just a summer journey, it was a journey of self-discovery, spiritual growth and leadership development. It showed me that I have the power to change our world for the better and that I am not alone on this journey.’
Jibraan Najjaar (14) from Cape Town reflected: ‘The friendships and memories I made from this programme will always be cherished. My favourite part about this programme was making new friends from all over the world… This trip couldn’t have been possible without the help of the Turkish and Madina [Institute] coordinators and I would like to thank them for making this trip possible.’
This programme was the first global youth project by Madina Institute and involved project leaders and coordinators from ten cities. More exciting projects are in the pipeline InshaAllah!
For updates on upcoming programmes please visit madinainstitute.ac.za or follow @madinasouthafrica on Instagram
- Saleemah Jaffer serves as the South African Regional Coordinator for Madina Institute Global Youth Projects and has a keen interest in youth development and faith-based education.
This article was first published in the August 2024 print edition of Muslim Views.
