130 volunteer mentors find disciples for life

KARACHI: The hall of the Sheikh Zayed Islamic Centre at the University of Karachi roared with whistles, laughter and cheers by young students as they received certificates from their beloved and enlightening mentors or as they are called in the programme, rahbars.

The Citizen’s Foundation’s (TCF) Rahbar Programme 2010 concluded on Saturday as over 130 rahbars completed eight sessions of giving motivational advice and counselling a large batch of 13 to 15 year olds.

TCF’s Rahbar Programme is a two-month motivational training and awareness programme in which mentors guide middle and high school students in making their career choices and helping them plan their higher education.

The concluding ceremony started with performances by TCF students and ended with the certificates being distributed to students, mentors and coordinators. After that, the children, in an exchange of roles, led their mentors, but to a room where they gave them handmade gifts and cards to thank their muses.

They all parted ways on a sentimental note and promised to keep in touch.

The training became a life-altering experience not only for the children but also for the mentors and coordinators.

Studying in class VII, section Green of the TCF Mobilink Campus, Khushbu Fateh Mohammad, Bakhtawar Bano, Erum Talib and Sidra Rafique all want to be doctors when they grow up.  “We learnt about hope, character, depth, action and fate. We learnt that you can become anything if you have the will to do so,” they said enthusiastically.

Mohammad Ashfaque, a class IX student from Ittehad Town, said that he learnt never to lose hope and keep on working towards his aim. His goal is to become a cricketer, he told The Express Tribune. “I am already playing in an academy and will work harder to play in the national team,” he said with a grin.

Sajida Abdul Majeed and Naila Nusrat of the Farkhanda Sultan Bhawani School used to be the naughtiest of girls in their school.

Teachers knew that these girls played truant, rang the bell before time and were the masters of all pranks. However, their mentor taught them not to lie and made them learn to appreciate other people’s sensitivities.

Talking to The Express Tribune, TCF Vice President Riaz Ahmed Kamlani said the idea was initiated when people offered their help. “We realised that we don’t need money for such a programme, just a group of sensitive, good people,” he said. “We had never imagined that our students would get so much in return.” This programme proved to be a two-way learning programme as mentors and students spent time together.

Ambreen Zaheer, the coordinator of the Jam Kando school, said, “Belonging to a conservative socio-economic background, it was difficult to explain to them about the difference they could make. The girls especially need to know about the difference they can make for future generations,” she said.

Yasir Herikar, a LUMS graduate who works in an investment bank, felt that the programme should have been longer. “The boys specially took a long time to open up. There should have been more interactive sessions, especially of sports,” he said.

Published in the Express Tribune, June 6^th, 2010.