Johannesburg, 13 February 2024 – Today marked a momentous occasion as the Africa Muslims Agency (AMA) orchestrated a live cross-over event to inaugurate the Aman School of Excellence South Africa in Finetown, Johannesburg. This visionary initiative, geared towards delivering exceptional education to children from underprivileged communities, represents a collaborative triumph between AMA and benevolent donors from across South Africa.
The Aman School of Excellence South Africa unveiled its doors as a beacon of hope and opportunity for underprivileged children, offering them access to a transformative education and a pathway to realizing their fullest potential. The launch event was livestreamed, inviting individuals to partake in this empowering, educating, and inspiring moment.
Distinguished speakers and stakeholders graced the opening ceremony, underscoring AMA’s collective commitment to revolutionizing the educational landscape. The esteemed panel included AMA Director Imraan Choonara, AMA’s Head of International Relations Ashraf Gangraker, Radio Islam host Moulana Suliman Ravat, and Khadijah Mia, director of Enigma Human Capital. The event also featured a captivating live crossover to the Aman School of Excellence in Lebanon, emphasizing the global impact of this groundbreaking educational initiative.
MC for the event, Safeeyah Mohamed, expressed, “This school is providing children from impoverished communities access to a first-class education, made possible only through the generosity of donors in South Africa.”
Imraan Choonara, Director of AMA, delivered a compelling and heartfelt speech emphasizing the paramount importance of education and community support. “We are not who we are by ourselves as we are made up by our experiences, influences, advice, and of people who have sowed and ploughed into us over decades,” proclaimed Choonara. “Each level of us should be so humbled by this experience because it’s never us, but because of others.”
Choonara stressed the significance of nurturing a supportive learning environment for children, stating, “Children do not care how much we know until they know how much we care,” underscoring the pivotal role of empathy and compassion in educational endeavors.
In January 2024, Africa Muslims Agency proudly announced the launch of the Aman School of Excellence in Finetown, Johannesburg. This initiative underscores AMA’s longstanding commitment to building schools and universities across Africa and the world, recognizing education as a catalyst for breaking cycles of poverty.
The Aman School in Finetown, catering to Grades 1 to 3, offers state-of-the-art facilities including a library, computer room, and play area, providing a conducive environment for learning and growth. Experienced teachers are poised to guide these bright young minds on a journey of discovery and enlightenment.
Situated at the historic Al Furqaan Islamic Centre, the Aman School of Excellence builds upon a legacy of community service spanning over three decades. Ashraf Gangraker, AMA’s Head of International Relations, emphasized the school’s familial ethos, stating, “The Aman school is all about family… The community needs this—they are desperate for a good quality of education which can make a meaningful impact in the future of the entire family.”
The school caters to children of various backgrounds and also offers Islamic Studies as part of the curriculum, fulfilling a critical need for Muslim children in the area and serving as a means of Da’wah, a historic mission of the centre, inviting families to the peace and joy of Islam.
Mohammed Tahir Hamid, Operations Manager at the Al Furqaan Centre which houses the school, shared his heartfelt sentiments, “Al Furqaan has always been a centre close to my heart… When the decision to start the AMAN School of Finetown was announced, it gave me great joy to be part of AMA’s milestone deliverable in establishing yet another sustainable project which will earn every single individual in the process the opportunity of perpetual reward thus offering our creator gratitude for the immense blessing he has bestowed upon us.”
In South Africa, every child that receives an education and becomes employable assists not just their nuclear family, but often, extended families, and so the impact of educating a single child has far-reaching effects that change multiple lives.
We look forward to watching the growth of the school, and working with our loyal donors and volunteers to ensure that this school becomes the essence of quality education and the heart of the community.
Best wishes from The Fordsburg and Sandton Independent Newspapers to the Africa Muslim Agency team on this outstanding achievement. May the Aman School of Excellence bring forth a new dawn of learning and empowerment for generations to come.
