The Malawi’s leading charitable organization Islamic Zakaat Fund (IZF) has promised the Muslim community that it will continue supporting the needy students in acquiring tertiary education.
IZF Managing Director Muhammad Osman was speaking this to Malawi Muslims Official Website after 23 Malawian students graduated with Degrees at International University of Africa in Sudan in different programs.
“I can say that each and every year students are graduating with Diplomas and Degrees in different colleges both locally and internationally with the sponsorship of IZF and we want to assure the Muslim Community that we will continue with this initiative to make sure that over 80% of Muslim youths are educated,” he said.
Osman said quality and competitive education is a key to the country’s economic development and that of cross-border educational recognition.
“University education gives a window of better thinking capacity to students to venture into their private business in order to reduce unemployment problems in the country,” Osman pointed out.
He further urged continuing students to work hard in their studies either from the local or international colleges to realize their future dreams.
The director also emphasized that IZF does not grantee loans to the students but asked those beneficiaries to be voluntarily Zakaat payers in the future as one way of paying back to the Muslim community.
“IZF spends about three hundred thousand US Dollars per year to pay fees for local and international colleges and this money comes from those Muslims who pay Zakaat. When we pay, we don’t ask them to refund but we just encourage them to be the Zakaat payers in the future and I want to clarify, IZF does not force the Zakaat beneficiaries to be Zakaat payers it just depends on the person if he/she wants to be among Zakaat payers,” said the Director.
He further urged students who are currently under IZF sponsorship to work hard in their studies to avoid losing their sponsorship and asked the needy students to follow the right procedures if they want to benefit from this organization.
“IZF identify these beneficiaries on merit, we always ask those who want this assistance to follow the right procedures and we don’t tolerate the shortcuts in this process and we want to assure those who qualify for this that IZF is there for them and IZF will assist people according to the available resources.”
IZF is the leading Islamic organization which aims at supporting needy students in their education and it is currently assisting many students in local secondary schools and colleges as well as other foreign Universities including University of Zanzibar and University of Uganda.
As a Malawian i really appreciate what IZF does to the needy students.
I personally know alot of people who have benefited from this institution. May Allah reward those who contributed towards the development of Islam in Malawi, Aameen.