Rukmuddin’s Shop of Hope

Rukmuddin’s Shop of Hope

Rukmuddin, 19, is a victim of teenage marriage – a common practice in Mewat, socially the most backward district of the country as listed in the NITI Ayog report.

He dropped out of school and got married at the age of 15 to a girl of his age. He lives with his widowed mother, wife, two children, and two younger siblings. He has been a wage laborer for 5 years out of necessity. Orphaned and poor Rukmuddin had no choice but to take responsibility of his family. He started doing menial jobs but his earnings were never sufficient.

He has 2 buffalos at home and sells the milk in local shops. In his last job as a water tanker When he approached the HWF for support through the local coordinator it was difficult to design a project for him as he was unskilled. However, he had a small piece of land at the roadside. Therefore, a small grocery shop was set up and initial stocks were filled. Now Rukmuddin earns an average of Rs. 350-400 per day which is more than twice his earlier wages.

“I was struggling with low and irregular or at times no income at all. My wages were threatened by the availability of work. Since the HWF opened this shop I have a source of regular income which brought certain peace in my life.” Rukmuddin

From Hardship to Happiness: A Barber’s Tale of Success and Hope

Kaptan, 34, has been a barber for 12 years. It was both a necessity and an occupation associated with caste. He is a school dropout and got married in his late teens. His wife Anisha was in her mid-teens.

Teenage marriage is a common practice in Mewat district. Now he has the responsibility of looking after his wife and children. “After marriage, I had to earn; I couldn’t do anything as I was not educated, and this is our family occupation,” says Kaptan.

He ran his salon in a rented shop in Shikrawa. Life was dragging on with meager earnings, which worsened with the imposition of lockdown when his shop was closed. His financial condition deteriorated, and he struggled to meet his daily needs. During this period of financial hardship and mental distress, our Model Village Coordinator from Shikrawa introduced him to the Human Welfare Foundation.

The HWF, under its livelihood project, helped Kaptan set up a barbershop. All the basic equipment and essentials were provided by the HWF. As his shop was standardized with bigger mirrors and modern equipment, he attracted an increased number of customers.

Kaptan shared that “For the first few days, I got a good deal of customers that I could barely keep up with; the earnings were beyond expectations.”

Cultivating An Entrepreneurial Mindset

In post-covid time, the Indian economy went through an invisible epidemic of unemployment crisis and job shortage. Afeef Saifuddin Asre also lost his employment as his woodcarving unit remained shut during this period. In the pre-covid time, he provided jobs to three skilled workers in his workshop in Chiplun, Ratnagiri. Around five families depended on this workshop as it was their only livelihood source.

Two years after the pandemic Mr. Asre approached the HWF for financial support to restart his business. Mr. Asre inherited this workshop and skills from his family and thus had a clear strategy and training for expansion but lacked capital. He presented his idea and proposal to the HWF team. After a detailed feasibility study and need assessment the HWF supported him by providing CNC (Computerized Numerical Control) Machine to modernize the carving work.

Asre shares that when his father retired from the workshop, the earning responsibility fell on his shoulder. He has aging parents, wife and two children, and 4 school-going siblings to look after. The woodcarving shop was their only source of income. As it remained shut for a long time all savings were spent. Distressed Asre approached the HWF for livelihood support to restart his workshop. He needed a CNC machine to be competitive in the market. The HWF supported him as there was potential for regeneration of employment through the workshop.

The CNC machine has given Asre an edge over market competitors. Asre shares that due to the new machine he is able to make affordable products and deliver on time with good finishing touch. As a result, customer footfall has increased in his shop. As demand and profit grew, he now employs three salaried carpenters and four wage workers. Additionally, he has started giving training to local carpenters in in-house workshops on the machine.

A ‘Tailor-Made’ Success Story

Hailing from the Khairabad block of Sitapur district, Sufiyan always harbored a dream of starting a business of his own. He learned the craft of tailoring from his father, now aging and ailing. A 10th standard dropped out, Sufiyan grew up watching his father design and stitch clothes for local suppliers. Education was not his fate.

As he had the responsibility of his aging parents and younger siblings. Like his father, he also started working for the suppliers. He had two basic machines on which he worked for suppliers on an order base model. Khairabad which is a hub of household garment manufacturing can provide market opportunities too. Skilled Sufiyan understood the market dynamics and supply chain of the cloth business. He wanted to establish his own small business but lacked resources. The HWF helped him set up his own production unit providing required equipment like commercial machines, design dye, heat press, and small assistance for raw material procurement.

With HWF’s help, he started the manufacturing unit for shirts. His younger brother joined him in the business taking care of the sales aspect. He has employed three tailors on a salary and two helpers on a wage basis. Sufiyan says that “the help from the HWF has transformed my life as my dream to start own business actualized which otherwise looked beyond my capacity.”

HWF Organizes Iftar Get Together for Garbage Collectors

Human Welfare Foundation organized an Iftar Get Together for Garbage Collectors from Abul Fazal Enclave area in Jamia Nagar, New Delhi. The event aimed to recognize the service provided by the garbage collectors and their efforts in keeping the city clean. The event was attended by 50 garbage collectors who were gifted Eid gifts containing basic necessities like shoes, kurta pyjamas, soaps, liquid hand wash, gloves, and masks.

The event was held at the Scholar School in Abul Fazal Envlace, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi. Delhi Corporation Councilor Areeba Khan and Dr. Habeebul Rahman of Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi addressed the gathering. They appreciated the importance of acknowledging the work of these unsung heroes who work in challenging conditions without adequate protective gear.

As a token of appreciation for their service, the garbage collectors were gifted Eid gifts containing basic necessities like shoes, kurta pyjamas, soaps, liquid hand wash, gloves, and masks. These gifts were provided to help the garbage collectors protect themselves from the hazardous materials they encounter daily while carrying out their duties.

The event recognized the invaluable service provided by the garbage collectors and provided them with the necessary equipment to carry out their duties safely. It also provided a platform for these unsung heroes to interact with each other and share their experiences.

Human Welfare Foundation Distributes Scholarships to 150 Students in Delhi

The Human Welfare Foundation (HWF) held a scholarship distribution program at the India Islamic Cultural Center, where 150 students from Delhi region were awarded scholarships. The Chairman of HWF and retired IAS officer, Siraj Hussain, emphasized the importance of education and encouraged students to prioritize it by putting their goals first. He also stressed the value of reading, particularly newspapers and books, as sources of knowledge that could help students excel in any course they choose.

HWF’s scholarship program is open to students who have demonstrated academic excellence and leadership potential, and scholarships are awarded based on merit and financial need. The funds cover tuition fees, books, and other related expenses. The organization has distributed over 8200 UG, PG, and Special Scholarships, and 4500 scholarships to orphan students.

The Chief Guest at the event was Prof. (Dr.) Mohammad Afshar Alam, Vice Chancellor of Jamia Hamdard, who discussed the options for higher studies offered by the university and offered support for HWF’s education empowerment activities. Arifali T, Chairman of Vision 2026, the flagship project of HWF, delivered the inaugural words.

Dr. Syed Farooq, President of Himalaya Drug, praised HWF’s activities and emphasized the importance of taking advantage of the resources available in the present age. Senior journalist and former MP Shahid Siddiqui urged students to plan to fulfill their dreams through education and hard work, citing Sir Syed as an example of perseverance.

A. Rahamathunnisa, Chairperson of The Women Education & Empowerment Trust, encouraged students to move forward fearlessly and learn to face failures. Noted motivator and IAS Coach Sameer Ahmed Siddiqui also interacted with the awardees on higher education and career opportunities. Renowned Ortho Surgeon Dr M Farooq, PK Noufal, CEO of Human Welfare Foundation, and PR Director Dr. Rizvan Rafeequi were also present.

Human Welfare Foundation and RailTel Corporation of India join hands to implement CSR Projects

Human Welfare Foundation (HWF), in collaboration with RailTel Corporation of India Limited (Ministry of Railways, Govt. of India), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to carry out a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) project aimed at promoting healthcare and women’s empowerment in selected villages of the Jalna District, Maharashtra.

The project will include two interconnected initiatives. The first will address menstrual hygiene in a few selected villages in Jalna District, while the second will run a mobile unit staffed by healthcare professionals to facilitate special online consultations and offline solutions for common people in selected villages.

RailTel Corporation of India Limited will provide funding support for the project, which will be implemented over a period of one year in six villages in the Jalna District, namely Chikali, Dalegaon, Kedarkheda, Loangaon, Chandai, and Rajur.

The project’s activities will include the formation of two self-help groups comprising 60 women who will be responsible for the distribution of sanitary napkins in the villages. The project will also create a source of livelihood for the women, sensitizing and raising awareness among young girls and women in these villages about the health benefits of the use of sanitary napkins, menstrual hygiene, and health-related issues.

The project’s goal is to empower people in the selected villages to address health and nutrition issues and set up income-generating plants for women. The project will focus on two areas of activity, namely self-help group formation for menstrual hygiene management (MHM) and tele-health medicine.

The project aims to provide infrastructure, training, health and medical facilities in Jalna District villages, promote hygienic menstrual practices among rural women and adolescent girls, eliminate stigmas and taboos related to menstruation, facilitate authentic information and guidance to reduce hospitalization, empower girls by addressing gender issues, provide comprehensive mobile health care services, and enhance the physical and psychological well-being of rural women. The project also offers free tele-consultations by an expert panel of doctors to all beneficiaries.

ISTC Delhi distributes Certificates

The Innovation and Skill Training Center, a unit of Human Welfare Foundation organized a certificate distribution program at the ISTC in Jamia Nagar, New Delhi. Fifty-three students received certificates for completing their three-month to one-year diploma/certificate courses successfully. Some of these students had already secured placements in their respective fields.

The event was graced by the presence of SQR Ilyas, Trustee of the Human Welfare Foundation, Mohamed Hussain B, Principal of ITI Narela & Mangolpuri, Delhi, and Mohd Ilyas, who distributed certificates and emphasized the importance of skill training. PK Noufal, CEO of Human Welfare Foundation, was also present.

Kanchan Kunj CLC Celebrates Republic Day

Human Welfare Foundation celebrated the Republic Day with the students of Community Learning Centre in Kanchan Kunj in Delhi. More than 70 children gathered for the program and participated for Naat, Nazam, patriotic songs and a quiz competitions.
The chief guest Salimullah Khan, Sr. Education Manager interacted with the children and shared inspirational story with them.

Community Learning Centres-CLC is one of our promising projects. CLCs are set up in slums or slum-like places having 2-3 classrooms with adequate facilities. CLCs aim at imparting basic education to the out of school children in order to make them ready for formal education and providing coaching for dropout and school going children. After providing basic literacy and education, children are enrolled in nearby schools. These centres also provide vocational training to women and adults.

Free Dental Screening Camp

In collaboration with Faculty of Dentistry, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, the Healthcare & Orphan Care Departments jointly organized a dental care camp at Community Learning Centre in Kanchan Kunj, Delhi.

Around 90 people including children undergo dental screening and the people who need further treatment have been referred to JMI Dental College.