Community News

Everything is made of something. Materials science is the study of what objects are made of – from metals to ceramics and polymers – and why certain materials function the way they do. It is the science that explains why your phone charger is made of the insulator polycarbonate or why a car contains the fireproof material fiberglass in its bumpers, doors, roof, and wheels. Though materials science and engineering (MSE) is not often studied in schools, it is the foundation of all objects in our world. 

Talking Hands is an initiative by the Aga Khan Education Board and Aga Khan Social Welfare Board in the UK that introduces viewers to British Sign Language (BSL). The eight-episode series will air weekly on The Ismaili TV, with different topics covered in each lesson. Viewers will build up their sign vocabulary and be able to have basic everyday conversations in BSL.

As India rapidly urbanizes, pockets of rural Gujarat continue to remain home to smaller communities of the Jamat. Anchored to their land and with strong ties to their community, they often live in areas that are seismically active. Since 2012, the Aga Khan Agency for Habitat’s Rural Habitat Development Programme, has focused on working with these communities to improve the resilience and safety of their built environment. In transforming their living spaces from houses to homes, the programme has helped improve residents’ quality of life.

The Covid-19 pandemic has forced teachers and students around the world to make an abrupt transition from classrooms to remote learning as schools, universities, and religious education centres were closed. Teachers redesigned lessons and adapted to the new reality of keeping students engaged virtually. Meanwhile, students adjusted to learning online without the ease of classroom interactions. Ismaili teachers and students around the world have risen to this challenge and are finding ways to embrace remote learning and tap into the opportunities it offers.

Recent months have been a challenging time for the global Jamat. Schools, stores, workplaces, and Jamatkhanas around the world temporarily closed their doors in order to protect the health and safety of those around them. This introduced a void in many peoples’ day-to-day lives. However, with challenge comes opportunity, and exactly 100 days ago — mere weeks after the global shutdowns — The Ismaili launched an online TV channel in an effort to help fill the void.