The Mombasa County Department of Education and Digital Transformation is cooperating with Al Khalidi Quality and Sustainable Development Foundation, a non-profit organisation to uplift education standards in Mombasa.
County Executive Committee Member (CECM) Mbwarali Kame says they will collaborate with the Foundation on the education and health sectors.
“We will soon sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the organisation,” said the CECM Kame, adding that they have also signed similar MoUs with the Al Khair Foundation and Rahma Worldwide.
The CECM also revealed that the plan to enlist madrasas and Sunday school teachers in the county payroll is on course as promised by the Governor during the campaign period.
“We have formulated a bill although it’s still a first draft for the departmental discussion before we involve our MCAs in the Department of Education. Thereafter, it will be taken to the county executive commitee and after approval, it will be taken to the assembly,” he explained.
“If it passes the assembly, we will consider our madrasas and Sunday Schools Teachers in our payrolls,” he added.
The Managing Director of the Foundation Jassim Al-Ansari said the MOU will provide a framework for cooperation between the foundation and the devolved government.
“Many people and business companies will be happy to be present in Kenya and, in general, in Mombasa with a framework of these shared principles, values, and heritages,” said Al-Ansari.
The foundation will undertake the projects in a quality and sustainable way to last longer.
“We are in the process now of discussing the future programmes and steps,” he stated.
To encourage the youth to live according to the teachings of the Holy Qur’an, the foundation will sponsor this year’s Qur’an memorisation competition winner during the holy month of Ramadhan with a trip to the Holy City of Mecca in Saudi Arabia.
To posthumously honour the work of the late Mombasa-based philanthropist Hasmukh Patel famously known as ‘Mombasa Cement’ the foundation awarded a research grant of United States Dollar 3000 (equivalent to Sh388500).
“The research aims to come up with ways on how other foundations can complement the work of Mombasa Cement,” explained Dr Kame.
The foundation wanted to expand the cancer centre at the Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital (CGTRH) but the philanthropist had already built it.
The Foundation MD described the late Philanthropist as a person who lived with principles not only on how to gather profit but was more concerned about how to spend it on the less fortunate in society.
“That example should be documented and we feel the responsibility as a society member in Mombasa and also as a close friend of Hasmukh, to whom I learnt a lot from his principles, practices and even the family movement in this great County of Kenya,” said Al-Ansari.
Dr Fathima Azmiya thanked the Foundation for the grant saying the research will benefit the whole Country as much of the late Philanthropist’s works are not known.
By Sadik Hassan