Community News
From organising skills enhancement camps to leading school fundraising teams, Ismaili youth from around the world have taken on leadership roles in the movement to alleviate poverty, through economic empowerment and other measures.
The percentage of elderly people in Pakistan is expected to double to 12 percent by 2050, increasing the number of senior citizens to 40 million. This demographic transition impacts citizens of all ages. Therefore, it is important that senior citizens take the necessary steps to ensure they have a good quality of life financially, even after retirement.
In December 2019, Global Encounters (GE) Expedition brought together young Ismailis from 13 countries to the rural areas of Southern Saurashtra in Gujarat to engage with the local Jamat and study the work of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN). The impact of Expedition on its participants is well known, but the impact that Expedition has on the Jamat in Southern Saurashtra is equally profound.
Often, we think of balance as a scale: having equal weights on either side. In reality, balance may not be what it seems. Instead, it can be thought of as a pendulum. It’s about finding what’s right for you. There isn’t a one size fits all, especially when it comes to wealth.
The sustainable development goals (SDGs) set forth by the United Nations (UN) in 2015 are envisioned to make the world a better place by 2030. In order to better understand the goals and their potential, the Ismaili Girl Guides in Pakistan attended a four-day summit at the Guides’ Association headquarters in Islamabad.
In an effort to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls through access to and participation in science, the United Nations recognises 11 February as International Day of Women and Girls in Science. Young girls from the Dubai Jamat have displayed that women and girls can thrive in the field of science by winning an award for their innovative solution at the FIRST Lego League (FLL) competition.
“Never limit yourself because of others’ limited imagination; never limit others because of your own limited imagination,” said Mae Jemison, an American engineer, physician, and the first African American woman to travel into space. She orbited the earth in 1992, making history as the first female person of color to journey into space about 30 years after the first man, Yuri Gagarin.
The Syrian Jamat commemorated Imamat Day in 2019 by reminiscing about Jubilee Arts during an event where artists came together to perform traditional songs and dances, demonstrating dedication, passion, and excellence in their performances.
Cancer is a global challenge: millions of people around the world are diagnosed with the condition every year. World Cancer Day is celebrated on 4 February, and unites people, communities, and countries to raise awareness, show support, and take action. Through prevention and early detection, the global community can reduce preventable suffering from cancer and non-communicable diseases.
The nature of life for the elderly has changed considerably in recent history. With advancements in science and healthcare, human lifespan has substantially increased and the majority of people in the world can expect to live past the age of 60. Jamati institutions in Pakistan have embarked on numerous initiatives to support the elderly and create opportunities for interaction between different generations.
It’s a cool and damp morning at a school in South Kanarchor, on the outskirts of Dhaka. As the children break for recess, they’re greeted by the sight of six young visitors, approaching the school by boat. The children clamour around the bamboo railings excitedly. Nestled in the heart of South Kanarchor is the Arcadia Education Project, one of the winners of the 2019 cycle of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture (AKAA). Built on land that floods regularly, the amphibious structure is an innovative solution that responds to climate, context, and community. And that’s exactly what the visitors were there to learn about.
The Ismaili Centre, Dubai held its first two-day Hackathon recently, which introduced 35 young individuals to real-world technological problems and challenged them to identify sustainable global solutions.