Our Stories

See stories from the Ismaili Community around the world.

Zahra Jessa runs as a torch bearer in the 2012 London Olympics on 25 July.
Zahra Jessa runs as a torch bearer in the 2012 London Olympics on 25 July.
Hundreds of Ismaili volunteers ready to make London Olympic Games a success
Hundreds of Ismaili volunteers ready to make London Olympic Games a success
26 July 2012

Today’s opening of the London 2012 Summer Olympic Games marks an historic moment for the city and for modern sport gatherings. Approximately 680 members of the Ismaili community registered to help in the Olympic effort, and will take part as drummers, dancers, torch bearers and Olympic Ambassadors.

The Miller Bell Tower is an icon of the century-old Chautauqua Institution in upstate New York.
The Miller Bell Tower is an icon of the century-old Chautauqua Institution in upstate New York.
Chautauqua Institution and the Muslim community build a relationship of common purpose
Chautauqua Institution and the Muslim community build a relationship of common purpose
17 April 2012

In their quest to broaden their relationships with religious communities, the prestigious Chautauqua Institution in New York state reached out to the Muslim community. With a mind to creating greater awareness about Islam and Muslim cultures, members of the Ismaili Muslim community responded, drawing in Muslim intellectuals to Chautauqua, who could share an understanding of Islam that is hard to find in mainstream media.

Karim Moledina (centre) enjoys a picnic with the Rovers of Darkhana Scout Group. In 2011, Moledina marked 50 years with the Scouts movement.
Karim Moledina (centre) enjoys a picnic with the Rovers of Darkhana Scout Group. In 2011, Moledina marked 50 years with the Scouts movement.
Fifty years of Scouting: One man’s commitment to fostering leadership through service
Fifty years of Scouting: One man’s commitment to fostering leadership through service
14 February 2012

Karim Moledina has been a Scout for 50 years. In that time he has worked his way up through the organisation, steadily widening his scope of impact from his local roots in Mumbai to the national stage in India, and, more recently, beyond national borders to the Democratic Republic of Congo and Tajikistan. Through the Scouting movement, he is enabling young people to put their values into action.

30 January 2012

A selection of photographs from the Dear World Afghanistan campaign, taken by Grace Chung while she was an intern at Roshan in Afghanistan.

A view from within the court of the Danyore III Jamatkhana in Gilgit.
A view from within the court of the Danyore III Jamatkhana in Gilgit.
New jamatkhanas in Northern Pakistan serve as catalysts for improving quality of life
New jamatkhanas in Northern Pakistan serve as catalysts for improving quality of life
22 December 2011

Part of a seismically unstable zone that is prone to earthquakes, floods, landslides and droughts, Pakistan's northern region has long been home to a signifiant Ismaili population. Several new purpose-built jamatkhana projects blend traditional building with new disaster-resistant techniques. From design and construction to finished product, the new structures offer a model to uplifit the quality of habitat throughout the region.

Dr Nooredin Nurani (at the far left) and his team of dedicated volunteers offer free dental treatment at an annual event in Atlanta.
Dr Nooredin Nurani (at the far left) and his team of dedicated volunteers offer free dental treatment at an annual event in Atlanta.
Shaping the world around them through grassroots service
Shaping the world around them through grassroots service
15 December 2011

Described as grassroots because they are led by concerned citizens rather than governments or established institutions, such community action initiatives can be a powerful means in addressing difficult issues. Some Ismailis are successfully using grassroots action to magnify the impact of their volunteer work.

Roshan Hemani is the Plant Nursery Manager at the Aga Khan University’s Principal Campus in East Africa at Arusha.
Roshan Hemani is the Plant Nursery Manager at the Aga Khan University’s Principal Campus in East Africa at Arusha.
TKN volunteer aims to plant a forest while nurturing “mother plants” for Tanzania
TKN volunteer aims to plant a forest while nurturing “mother plants” for Tanzania
14 October 2011

Lifelong educator Roshan Hemani has been hard at work on the site of the new campus of the Aga Khan University in Arusha. But instead of moulding young minds she is re-forming the landscape – Hemani and a team of gardeners are on a mission to plant 150 000 trees in the area. And the plant nursery she has established may become a vital source in sustaining Tanzania’s ecology for years to come.

Nasir Jetha with traditional dancers in Kyrgyzstan, where he served as a TKN volunteer at the University of Central Asia.
Nasir Jetha with traditional dancers in Kyrgyzstan, where he served as a TKN volunteer at the University of Central Asia.
University of Central Asia benefits from the services of a worldly accountant
University of Central Asia benefits from the services of a worldly accountant
31 August 2011

Nasir Jetha’s career in accounting and finance has taken him around the world, from Tanzania to England, Canada and Bermuda. Most recently, it took him to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, where he helped oversee the Finance Department of the University of Central Asia as a TKN volunteer.

Ismaili volunteers taking part in the USA Jamat’s I-CERV programme pack clothes for Ocean Park Community Center in California.
Ismaili volunteers taking part in the USA Jamat’s I-CERV programme pack clothes for Ocean Park Community Center in California.
Ismaili Muslims uphold tradition of voluntary service hand-in-hand with their fellow Americans
Ismaili Muslims uphold tradition of voluntary service hand-in-hand with their fellow Americans
31 August 2011

Service to humanity is at once an ethic deeply rooted in the Islamic tradition, as well as a fundamental expression of American civic values. Commemorating the tenth anniversary of the September 11th tragedy in partnership with their fellow Americans, Ismaili Muslims across the United States will volunteer in a wide range of service activities in their local communities.

Life after the devastating floods — a boy lost in thought in Darkut, Gilgit-Baltistan.
Life after the devastating floods — a boy lost in thought in Darkut, Gilgit-Baltistan.
Through the camera lens: Life after the floods (Part 2)
Through the camera lens: Life after the floods (Part 2)
3 August 2011

In this conclusion of a two-part story, broadcast journalist Faridoun Hemani recounts his experience as part of a team that visited areas stricken by the 2010 Pakistan floods to document the impact of the AKDN Early Relief and Recovery Programme. The team travelled to Gilgit-Baltistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh, where they listened to local people tell life-changing stories.

Fauzia of the FOCUS Search and Rescue Team, Gilgit demonstrates an evacuation technique.
Fauzia of the FOCUS Search and Rescue Team, Gilgit demonstrates an evacuation technique.
Through the camera lens: Life after the floods (Part 1)
Through the camera lens: Life after the floods (Part 1)
3 August 2011

In this first installment of a two-part story, broadcast journalist Faridoun Hemani describes his experience as part of a team that visited areas stricken by the 2010 Pakistan floods to document the impact of the AKDN Early Relief and Recovery Programme. The team travelled to Gilgit-Baltistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh, where they listened to local people recount life-changing stories.

The value of one hundred smiles
The value of one hundred smiles
18 May 2011

For nearly 16 years, Shamim Hassan Shivji placed close to 100 Karachi orphans with couples from around the world. She and a neighbour routinely cared for the orphaned or abandoned infants while seeking out loving homes for them. She never charged for the service – her reward was seeing kids she placed grow up to become well-educated members of society.

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