As the sun rose above the horizon on a calm day of July, the sky seemed like a beautiful painting with shades of soft pink and warm orange. Gentle clouds floated by, and a cold breeze whispered through the trees, carrying the sweet fragrance of blooming flowers. It was one of those mornings that made everything seem possible. At that moment, Miles2Smile decided to begin the journey to meet Zainab.
Zainab is a 10-year-old Aalimah student at Madrasa Noor ul Islam, Mehrauli, Delhi. Her roots belong to the soil of a poor family; her father is an auto driver and earns little, but their dreams are big. Zainab wants to pursue Aalimah, a comprehensive course that furnishes students with a deeper understanding of Islam.
Unlike the girls of her age who frolic around the playground, Zainab is engulfed with a worrisome thought, a thought that often snatches away the smile of her childhood. The madrassa, a happy dwelling for her, often draws her towards bothersome. She sits under the sky of her home like madrassa and thinks about her course fee, which hits her like a ton of bricks.
“I want to live at our madrassa and study Aalimah, but my father told me he cannot afford my fee,” Zainab revealed to Miles2Smile.
With an unnatural tension on her face and an expression of worry in her eyes, she continued her conversation. “I do not want to leave my course, but what if my father cannot deposit my fee?” Zainab said.
When Miles2Smile met her ; she was sitting outside her dormitory, near the ablution area, into the sunshine, falling on her face, which seemed as if it meant for no purpose but to reveal the mayhem of her life.
On further conversation with Zainab, she told how passionate she is about completing Aalimah; Zainab wishes to understand her religion and harbours dreams of teaching it to others.
Madrasa Noor ul Islaml is a place that adds colours to her existence, where some great and happy events have happened, but still the darker tinge of her life saddens her very often. On learning about Zainab’s story, Miles2Smile aimed to clear her path and sponsor her fee.
Providing Wings to Dreams
Miles2Smile, with the help of their supporters, paved her way and sponsored her course. They provided wings to her dreams and helped her hold onto the ropes of the Almighty. Along with the Aalimah course, the madrassa teaches her English language, Hindi language, computer studies, mathematics, and other elementary subjects.
Madrasa Noor ul Islam is 700 years old and represents a beautiful bygone era. It provides accommodation to 30 girls and 20 boys who aspire to become the representatives of their religion.
