Content Tagged with Community

Alberta’s Ismaili athletes celebrated this year’s Family Day by coming together for Sportsfest North 2020 in Edmonton.

To support women during the postpartum period, simple gestures such as offering to pick up groceries, making a meal, or taking the baby for a walk can have a positive impact.

“Women are twice as likely as men to experience depression and anxiety, yet three times more likely to experience barriers to accessing mental healthcare,” explained Dr Simone Vigod during a session entitled Healthy Moms, Healthy Families – Breaking Down Barriers to Maternal Mental Healthcare at the Ismaili Centre Toronto in early February. 

The United Bakers Co-operative Society Limited (UBCL) whipped up a record-breaking 940 kg cake to commemorate Mawlana Hazar Imam’s Diamond Jubilee visit to Hyderabad.

For nearly two decades, the United Bakers Co-operative Society Limited has been aggregating the interests and aspirations of local Jamati bakeries in Hyderabad. From centralised procurement to training and development, the alliance’s story illustrates that bonds of trust and collaboration can catalyse economic development. We take a look at the recipe behind their sweet story of success.

It is important that senior citizens take the necessary steps to ensure they have a good quality of life financially, even after retirement.

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. 

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. 

A day in the life of a farmer: GE Expedition participants join in an early morning excursion with Ismaili farmers.

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.

Having financial security plays an important role in securing your own quality of life and standard of living, but where do we draw the line between economic empowerment and the desire for excessive wealth?

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.

Through presentations and team-building activities, Girl Guides acquired the knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes to better promote sustainable development.

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.

Young girls from the Dubai Jamat form the Oceans X team, the winning team of the Innovation Award at the UAE First Lego League Competition.

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.

Nabeela Talib displays an example of the product of her computer code, which sends messages from her phone to her printer to print sticky notes.

“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 audience enjoys a performance by Takkaat — a well-known band composed of five Ismaili artists who met through Jubilee Arts, and were part of the Syrian contingent at the International Arts Festival.

After the International Arts Festival held in Lisbon in July 2018, the number of Ismaili artists in Syria has increased, with the offering of intensive training and rehearsals organised by the Ismaili Council. A host of artists came together to perform on the occasion of Imamat Day in 2019.

A blood donation camp was organized on 9 February 2020, at Edificio de Sua Alteza Aga Khan in Maputo, with the aim to help the community with the precious gift of blood, along with facilitating access to certain basic health tests.

Artists highlighted the diversity of the community, presenting cultural performances of different countries including Syria, India, Tajikistan, Egypt, Pakistan, and Iran.

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.

World Cancer Day unites people, communities, and countries to raise awareness, show support, and take action to fight the global challenge of cancer.

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. 

When he was 14, Aleem Nanji produced his first sketch: a colourful, life-size depiction of spiderman. As he grew older, he began sketching primarily in black and white. His approach was symbolic of his life philosophy — “Life is black and white, and it’s our job to fill it with colour,” he told his parents.

Engaging the elderly and demonstrating their value to society can bring them happiness, provide a sense of purpose, and help them feel positive about their role in the world.

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.

Participants enroute, via boat, to the Arcadia Education Project. The school, which won the 2019 Award, is an amphibious structure, built on land, that is flood-prone.

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.

A Hackathon Dubai participant consults with a facilitator to determine if his group is on the right track.

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.

Advances in science and technology bring increased opportunities and factors for consideration.

Advances in science, technology, and improved health care and nutrition are all contributing to increased longevity of life, along with advanced diagnosis and treatment of health conditions. A number of Ismailis in the USA are leading the way in these fields of endeavour.

Last month, young members of the Jamat in Pakistan had the opportunity to tour interior Sindh and Karachi on a journey to reflect on and understand the importance of cultural heritage. The trip was organised as part of the Heritage Discovery Tour (HDT), a flagship programme of the Arts and Culture portfolio of the Aga Khan Youth and Sports Board for Pakistan.