Report and pics by P A Hameed Padubidri
Daijiworld Media Network - Riyadh (SP)

Riyadh, Dec 5: Addressing the gathering at the get-together of women organized by Hidayah Women's Foundation (HWF) Riyadh recently at Al-Rush Resort here, head of the organization Masooda Khasim emphasized that unearthing the skills and talents of the Muslim women and empowering them in the mainstream within the framework of Islamic principles, is the need of the hour. She exhorted the people not to get happily ensconced in their comfortable lives, but to look around for the less fortunate who have to slug it out to get even a piece of bread. "Stretch your hands to the fullest, bring them into the mainstream and empower them to be valuable assets to the society in general and the community in particular," she advised.  She was presenting her comments on the documentary, 'Akrandana-Part I and II', covering the pathetic condition of the Muslims living in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, many of whom are deprived of basic necessities.

She advised people to divert their resources from unproductive, lavish and uncreative expenditures, towards making themselves and their children powerful, which in turn will pave way for the betterment of the society and the community. “Many of the Muslim women possess excellent skills and talents that can be channelled for constructive causes that are aimed at the upliftment our community in general and destitute women in particular. There are thousands of half-fed and malnutritioned people in and around our hometowns as shown in the documentary, and also girls who remain in desolate corners of their houses without getting married because of the dowry problem. There are also those who are mentally or physically ill but can not afford any treatment,” she said  and opined that the situation has turned for the worse because of the negligence of the people in following the teachings of  the Prophet(Pbuh) and Islam that lay stress on Zakah and Sadaqa(charity). “These issues can be properly addressed only if we, women, with the support of our men, come to a common platform to do several things for the betterment of the community. HWF is an organization that is purely meant for the welfare of the community back in our hometowns. Our women in and around and from other corners in the Kingdom should also take a step with their husbands’ backing to strengthen the Foundation" she urged.   

HWF is a non-profit welfare women's charity forum aiming at providing financial support to the poor families in the undivided Dakshina Kannada district, which are very unfortunate not even to have the basic necessities within their reach. HWF came into existence in Riyadh just a year back, keeping the same foregoing objectives in mind. Within a year, it supported several families back home, with the support of their sisters in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada. Main objectives of HWF are women's empowerment, children, community service, gaining and transfer of knowledge, self-development and creating social awareness.

Women waste money wards lavish expenditures, as they are disinterested to the problems of the down-trodden. Even the educated women are found to be unresponsive in this field, without finding a forum to express their views and tools to unearth their resources.  After a couple of programmes in Mangalore held over a year, many ladies from the upper layer realized the plight of a huge number of women within the community who suffer silently, devoid of food, shelter and further harassed by the dowry menace.

They conducted some of the programmes, where they got themselves directly involved in touching the depths of the problems and pulses of their impoverished sisters, their children and some sisters who have been abandoned by their husbands. The HWF launched programmes aimed at providing shelter, medicine, education, clothing and creating avenues of earnings for the less fortunate. They have arranged for the marriages of poor girls and aim at empowering rural women by helping them to improve health, providing them moral support and guidance etc.

The get-together organized by HWF went on from 9 am to 6 pm, during which various events were held for women and children. The gathering showed tremendous interest in the presentation on the documentary films because it touched their hearts, although cultural events were there to choose from. HWF made it clear that it needs active participation of every women rather than their emotional response.

 Jamiyyatul Falah(JF)-Riyadh unit  supported the get-together organized by the HWF . Cultural programmes, tug-of-war, cricket, songs, pick and speak, extempore, on-the-spot quiz etc., were held.

Abdul Rahman Padubidri (Al Mousim), vice-president of JF-Riyadh unit, spoke on the occasion, addressing the JF members and other invitees about the deplorable condition of the Muslim community back home and made a presentation about the aims and objectives of the HWF.

Khasim Ahmed, president of JF Riyadh unit also addressed the audience regarding various aspects of the problems which the Muslim community is facing in the districts like unavailability of proper shelter, food, medical treatment and so on.

Parvez Ali (Euro Marché), Nazeer Ahmed, Basheer NCMS, Ashfaq Mangalore, Haneef Fakhruddin, Lathief Idrees Mangalore, Salih AFS, Khader Hejmady, Althaf Bajpe and many others actively participated in organizing various stages of the gathering.