When Fatima (not her real name) heard her name being announced on Radio Islam that she had been offered a full Islamic Zakaat Fund scholarship to study at the International University of Africa in Sudan, she was so much overjoyed that she offered two rakaat prayer, expressing her gratitude to Allah for the offer.
She thought of her setting her foot on the plane, a chance of meeting new people, new culture, learning a new language and above all, walking through the corridors of the university in a foreign country – a feat never achieved by anybody in her whole lineage. The two months waiting period looked like eternity.
Her parents kept on bragging about their child’s success to every ear that dared to turn their side.
Fast track the period to fifteen months later, Fatima is short of regretting (at least she is able to learn in a very good environment). The bitter pill that was living in Sudan is now hard to swallow.
The cost of living in Sudan has taken its toll.
Similarly, Ismail (not his real name) has no kind words to the authorities that be. He wonders whether the untold miserly that he is going through in this foreign country is the ultimate sacrifice that he has to make in life.
“Call it a curse,” he remarks.
But why can’t the parents and relatives who made much noise in the community on the scholarship come to their children’s rescue?
Studying in Sudan
The Islamic Zakaat Fund is a Muslim Non-Governmental Organisation that among other things offers full scholarships to needy students in Malawi to study at various international universities. Currently, there are about 300 students benefiting from this program in Uganda, Zanzibar and Sudan. There are 118 students in Sudan alone.
To sponsor a student in Sudan IZF spends about 208,310 Sudanese Pounds per year for each student. The money caters for registration, medical, stationery, books, pocket money and school trips expenses.
During the random interviews conducted by the Malawi Muslims Website with the students who are currently studying in Sudan, the major problem is that the monthly stipend given to them is far way too low compared to the high cost of living in Sudan. Each student is given 100 Sudanese Pounds (about 18 US Dollars = MK 3,000), which is collected from Munazzamat Dawa al Islamia Headquarters in Sudan. In 2010, 100 Pounds was equivalent to 30 US Dollars. The cost of living has skyrocketted.
According to the students, the money is not enough to meet their immediate needs in a foreign country. A tablet of soap costs about 10 Sudanese Pounds and in a country where temperatures ranges between 50 to 60 degrees celcius, they need to take a bath at least 3 or 4 times a day. Now talk of other life necessities; life becomes unbearable.
Malawi Muslims Website estimates that each student would require not less than 400 Sudanese Pounds to meet their immediate needs per month and the 100 Pounds is a indeed not adequate.
They all look out to IZF to increase their allowances to make life and their studies bearable and ironically they leave out their parents and relatives in the equation.
Reaction from IZF
Muhammad Kumbombwe is the Administrator at the Islamic Zakaat Fund. According to Kumbomwe, IZF understands the circumstances in which the students in Sudan are in that’s why when they received such querries in 2010, the IZF Director Muhammad Osman travelled all the way to the school to discuss with the students. That meeting, despite the IZF’s budgetary constraints, resolved to allocate separate funding for all other expenses that is paid every semester, except for 100 Sudanes Pouds pocket money which is given to the students on the monthly basis.
“People should understand that we rely on Zakaat contributions from the community and if such contributions are not forthcoming, it is difficult to commit anything new to the students. So we spend according to our budget,” explained Kumbombwe.
“As I am talking to you now,” added Kumbombwe, “the IZF Director is right there in Sudan and is planning to meet the Student Union’s leadership on the same matter. And yes, we do admit that their monthly stipend might not be enough…”
Parents’ Role
But what is the role of parents and relatives in this whole set up?
Can’t parents come in and suppliment what IZF is doing towards their children’s education, which in any way will benefit them in future?
Why do they abandon their IZF sponsored students like in the case of those who are in Sudan?
During the investigation, Malawi Muslims Website observed that most of the children who are awarded these scholarships come from very poor backgrounds and they only rely on IZF for their children’s education.
And when put across a question on what could be the parents’ obligation towards their education, one of the students remarked:
“In my opinion, I think our parents could have a moral obligation to suplement IZF’ efforts towards our studies only if the IZF told us before we came here… IZF told us they’re going to pay (for all our expenses and) that promise has to be fulfilled because we relied upon it.”
Asked why the students do not reason with their parents to appreciate IZF’s efforts and contribute towards their children’s allowances considering IZF’s limited resources, another student responded that it will be difficult to do so because they come from poor families and they automatically know that the parents cannot raise any money:
“I can’t say anything home because they’ll automatically do nothing, and instead we will add some pain and sorrow into their hearts. Tears will never stop falling from their eyes. So to avoid that, we just maintain silence. If we find some airtime credit and call them, we say everything is fine.
“For some who come from better families, they reasoned with their parents (and are sending it) monthly, which only assist (the particular boy or girl).”
Indeed, some of the parents who were interviewed by Malawi Muslims Website whose children are studying in Sudan expressed ignorance of hearing about such problems, insisting that all is well as far as their children’s stay in Sudan is concerned.
Way Forward
Can’t members of the indegenous Islamic community in Malawi despite being vocal against the operations of IZF, contribute towards these children’s education?
Kumbombwe has an experience to tell:
“You could see very well to-do and respected people within the indegenous community coming to IZF and you would hope that they are coming to pay zakaat, but nay, all they do is to try to bulldoze their way through so that their children should be awared IZF scholarships through the back door.”
Asked if his office communicate to parents on the need to offer added financial support to the students, Kumbombwe admitted that his office only deals with the children who are told to brief their parents.
“Other parents (do easily understand), they come here and enquire on how they can send pocket money to their children in Sudan and we do assist them accordingly.” added Kumbomwe.
It is however possible that due to over-excitement, some students never relay such critical information to their parents.
Unless IZF invites the parents and explain the funding hiccups that the organisation faces with them, it will be difficult under the circumstances to convince other parents to support their cause. IZF is therefore morally obliged to meet the immediate needs of the students in Sudan although that does not exonerate the parents’ obligation towards their children’s education.
A million Dollar Question?
Are you one of the beneficiaries of the IZF school sponsorship?
What are you currently doing to help the organisation?
The well to do people who most of them are Asians of Malawian nationality who used to contribute more, got the news that the zakaat that was supposed to benefit the needy is benefiting the people who are even richer than those who contribute; such that those students they even come to Malawi on air for a weekend while others only come once a year by bus e.g. those in Zanzibar. Therefore, they pulled out and put a zakaat fund in their houses where they help the needy students directly after finding out that the one who would need their help is really needy as their aim is not to show off but to earn a reward in the hereafter as it is said in Holy Books.
I feel for the plight of the students. Indeed in a foreign land with no uncle or anyone related, it becomes very difficult.
But while accepting that most of community members live below the $1, I think parents have a responsibility over our children's education.
However, it is must be understood that attainment of education at a high level like University is no mini achievement at all; and therefore you do not expect smooth movement. It requires a bit of sacrifice. How did the likes of Dr. Salmin Umar, Dr. Imran Sharif, Shiekh Mustahab Ayami manage their stay in Sudan? May be they can share their experiences for learning purposes.
I also heard about this financial crisis. I urge our Muslim leaders in Malawi to press hard in trying to solve this issue. It's indeed very difficult to live let alone study in any foreign country without proper financial funding.
May Allah open our hearts to hear the plight and crying of our brethren studying in Sudan and elsewhere.
Please note when the Zakaat and Sadakaah is due, the money cease to be yours immediately. Holding it for whatever reason deprives beneficiary and impurities your belongings and inviting Balaah.
1 .Kindly Sudanese Graduates should spear head to support fellow undergraduate. – it’s time to pay back – remember someone paid for yours
2. Parents and scholars need to be told the conditions in advance for them to make well informed decision.
3. Students need to contribute through sacrifice the road to success is always very tough and rough [ pali utchi pali njuchi]
Finally it is our collective duty to care and if we don’t , we won’t be cared as well on the day of reckoning
i am one of the student studying in sudan. everything that kumbombwe has said is not true. before comming here, my uncle went to IZF office to inquire the terms of our scholarship and what was needed to a student from parents. muhammad uthman, the director told my uncle that they, as IZF will provide everything that is needed by a student. he added that is not necessary for us to carry clothes not even bedshits. IZF has money thats why it is able to send many students here. i have seen above mentioning about books, medication and trips, which trips do they offer? for the issue of medication we do monthly contribution of 5 pounds to assist the sick, and when we ask the IZF, they say our medication is not in their programme. we are not at school here but we are in prison waiting for the day we die.
parents should not be included in this issue because it is IZF that tells lies to our parents.
Very true and if the IZF doesnt have enough money why are they still taking even more students tothese international universities CHECK IT OUT.
What I am looking for now, is going back home. I know there is what is called swabru in Islam, but it doesn't mean that we must be suffering. This is more like HELL wallah.
I am one of the victims of the issue in Sudan. We are indeed suffering under the bondage of IZF. To my surprise, I have never been told about 283 thousand pound as my welfare in the course of education. This brings us to say there is someone (akusolola). Kumbombwe umutchule zisanakuvute! Otherwise tiyambila pa iwe JIHAD!!!
Cant you do something to save us from this situation you fellow brothers and sisters in Islam? Money is there but they just want to torture us. Where is Mam?
Pathetic
This is a very sad development,infact IZF is doing gd work by providing scholarships to the needy students bt if the izf knws that it wont afford to providing the students needs y are they still takng more students instead of first meeting the current students needs.
The situation has reached the climax and we have even reached the extent of demanding air tickets to get backhome if conditions persist.
tachulusa kusolola asilamu…..
out of 208,310 sudanese pounds .i(student) only spend 1200 sudanese pounds per yr,for stationery am suposed to use da same 100 sd,for medical we (students) contributed 5sd from da same 100sd.so wht eva they re sayin z nt true,l jst think z nw tym to deal wf these thieves.wht eva da angle am ready
Zosakhala bwino eti.
only something like 0.0005 percent is what am gettin out that amount mentioned.zinazo zikumapita mmatumba mwa anthu oipisisawa.
It is very sad that Kumbombwe doesnt know the meaning of scholarship. Arent you the one who told us that everything is there? Why mentioning our parents now? You cannot send us here when you know that you dont have money. There is something behind that you will reveal on the day of judgement
People Tiyeni Tisiye Kulozana Zala Apa Ndikuthandizana Kuona Kuti Tsogolo Liyenda Bwanji kuti Vuto Limeneli Tingathane Nalo Bwanji? Tikanena Kuti Mwakutimwakuti Munatitumiza Kuno Nkumadya Makobili Athu Osatipatsa Ngati Kuti Tinawaona Akuika Makwacha Athu Mu Wallet Yawo Kukhalanso Kulakwitsa Nanu Ngati Mukuti Kayankha Milandu Patsiku La Chiweluzo Nanu Mukayankhatu Pamenepa Poganizirana Paja Hadeeth Ijatu Tisaiwale… All In All Pamenepa Ndangoti Ndiperekeko Ganizo Langa Zikuoneka Ngati Ma Scholarship Ambiri Amakhala Ndi Mavuto Pankhani ya makobili si IZF yokha ikukumana ndi mavuto amenewo am an IDB sponsored student too and nkhani ya ndalama kuchepa kwa ana aku xool siyachilendo pamenepa kwaine nde ganizo ndi ili sizingatheke kuti azitipanga sponsor mmaiko mwathu momwemo? zimenezi zitha kuchepetsa ma expenses monga kunyumba pano ma college alipoko ambiriko