 1.
Kindergartens:
 Way
back in 1991 Brother Jaafar Mah contributed funds to help set
up the first kindergarten in Xian for Muslim pre-school children.
There is a need for such kindergartens in China as Muslim children
are obliged to eat Halal meals specially prepared by Muslims
only. Then there is the more important need to expose children
at a young age to Islamic values and conduct so that they will
grow up to be morally upright, well-behaved and ever conscious
of their duties in life (fardu 'ain & fardu kifayah). The
kindergarten named "Miao Miao" meaning
"young shoots" is now quite established and self-financing
Visits
to Muslim kindergartens are an item on the itinerary of our
Silatururrahim Tours as participants are eager to see how
these establishments are run. Arabic is one of the subjects
in the curriculum and young children do learn the language
fast.
In
September 1997 a small child-care cum study center was
set up in Xian to take in orphans and poor children in the
vicinity who could not afford a pre-school education. A local
Chinese Muslim couple helps to run the center in their own
premises.There are five orphans of school-going age.
Tour participants who went to Xian in June 1998 were completely
taken in by the plight of those orphans that they immediately
agreed to adopt them. We are now in the process of going through
legal procedures to enable the orphans to be adopted in Singapore.
In
December 1999,a
childcare center cum kindergarten was set up in Hohhot, the
capital of Inner Mongolia. The aim is to provide some pre-school
education for children in the vicinity. Fees are waived for
those who come from families who cannot afford to pay even the
meagre fees charged, which is about $15 US.
In
September 2000, a
study center was set-up in the hill region beyond Xian. There
is a small community of Muslim farmers living in caves and mud
houses. Many are illiterate and so are their children.
The nearest town, Baoji is about 300 kilometers away and only
some of the children are sent there to study in a primary residential
school. There is a need therefore to set up a study -centre
in the region to educate not only the children but also the
adults.
At
the base of the hill there is another small community of Muslims.
We have also set up another study centre there with the help
of a teacher. In order not to neglect the Muslim residents in
Baoji we have established two classes for the children there.
Plans are
made to establish a kindergarten in Shanghai where there are
more than 50,000 Muslims. Presently there is not a single kindergarten
there run by Muslims. We hope to get some charity from well
wishes so that we can start registration for pupils as soon
as possible. We hope to make it self -financing.
Click
on thumbnails to view Madrasah Education in the Village.
Teachers:
For
two years, in 1998 and 1999, a teacher Ms Betty Tsui, who is
incidentally our tour guide, was hired to give English lessons
twice a week to a male and a female madrasah in Inner Mongolia,
so that these students will be able to communicate with members
of our Silaturrahim Tour when they come to visit them. There
can be better educational and cultural exchanges if there is
no language barrier. Each pupil was given a set of English books
and audiotapes by Sister Mariah Mah. Some tour members donated
dictionaries and storybooks.
 After a year of teaching English in a madrasah
and having the opportunity to mix closely with Muslims, Ms.
Betty was so touched by the teachings of Islam as exemplied
by the charitable works done by the Silaturrahim group members,
that she embraced the religion. She confessed that before she
became a Muslim she was a rather self-centred person, caring
only for her own needs but now she thinks differently. "Islam
has broadened my outlook in life. I forgive easily and have
become less selfish. I am glad I found this beautiful religion
of Islam" she remarks.
All
educational facilities are made possible from proceeds of the
Silaturrahim Tours and personal donation from sincere Muslims
who wish to contribute to a worthy cause.
Donations in
kind:
 Well-wishers
can donate sajadah, Iqra’ books, English-readers, Qur’anic
cassettes, tape recorders and computers to madrasahs or kindergartens.
Zakat:
Zakat
money are collected to buy provisions (rice, sugar, oil) and
clothings for poor villages hit by droughts or floods.
Sadaqah:
Sadaqah
money goes towards building of suraus or mosques in remote villages.
 
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