Nagpur has been a traditional and fertile hub for voluntary organizations, reformist individuals and social workers. It has been home to a number of dedicated activists whose social chromosomes have inspired them to undertake humanitarian work for their fellow brethren of society at large. The result is a confluence of so many rivulets of social activism which have merged into a vibrant social movement.This is one reason why several reformist crusades had their birth in the region.
A member of this social corps who has carved a space for himself through his committed service to the society’s underprivileged is Salman Ahmed. His nonprofit social vehicle, Fikr Foundation which he founded in 2011 has been supporting wide ranging causes at all levels. Its guiding credo is: “For Almighty We Do and From Him Only We Expect”.
His sister-in-law, a pediatrician by profession and Vice president of Fikr Foundation, Dr Saba Ahmed is an important part of the Foundation. She manages the organization’s periodical health related services for children and elderly and mobilization of essential resources. Salman draws inspiration from his parents and uncles.
Fikr’s vision is to primarily strive for national development and social harmony through permanent solutions to enable the underprivileged to overcome challenges faced in the fields of Education, Health, livelihhod and employment .Education, Relief, Rehabilitation and Solution based Guidance for individual land community problems are prime objectives of the organization.
The organization has a well formulated strategy for welfare of Orphans, widows and divorcee women of on priority including aid for marriages of girls from indigent families. The organization’s support is majorly in the form of transfer of relief amounts/resources to the accounts of Beneficiaries.
The Foundation team has been instrumental in rehabilitating the displaced population of different areas of Nagpur city caused during heavy rains. Funding for the charity is mobilized through voluntary donations from well wishers, family and friends.
The organizational skills of the Fikr team proved very useful during the lockdown following the outbreak of covid. Essential Food grains, precooked food, direct cash support and other essential resources were mobilized and then distributed to needy and low income families whose livelihoods were suddenly uprooted. A campaign was also launched for linking people with the Public Distribution System so that government relief material could be made available to them.
Salman is passionate about making education and technological Skills accessible for underprivileged irrespective of their faith. The organization is consistently motivating youth by imparting regular primary education coaching, basic technological training modules on Digital platforms in association with a Delhi based Digital Media platform, The Policy Times.
Apart from supporting classes for slum children, the foundation is also funding the higher education aspiring and brilliant students who face difficulty in meeting the growing educational expenses. The organization has also provided funds and resources to vendors to set up their own microenterprises in different sectors.
Salman is an active advocate of ethical- shariah-compliant finance .He is also a vociferous campaigner for civil liberties and is part of several national movements. He has himself co-organized and moderated several key debates on critical national issues .Fikr foundation is also involved in Intra faith and Inter faith dialogue .
Moin Qazi is the author of the bestselling book, Village Diary of a Heretic Banker .He has worked in the development finance sector for almost four decades .He can be reached at [email protected]
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