Empower a mother, empower a generation.
Educated, aware, and empowered mothers are the key to success for the generations ahead. Enrollment of mothers has been an essential part of the Kiran model, and perhaps, the most evident reason for success seen in children.
Nafeesa Forum is our signature initiative which laid its grounds with the inception of the flagship program. It was previously known as the mothers mandatory classes for all toddlers attending our Ibtedai School. With practice and experience we saw the impact of educating a mother in a family unit. We realized that it served as the backbone of our entire mission. Both our education models have mother’s education as the core.
In 2010, one of our extremely dedicated mothers passed away and we named the whole program towards her as Sadqa-Jaria. From then on the sessions are now called Nafeesa forum.
The Forum offers daily classes for the mothers from both our education programs through which they discover new talents, skills, and hobbies, which contribute towards their well-being and increases their knowledge and awareness about themselves, their rights, responsibilities, and about the world at large.
This is where mothers get to put aside their hats of caregivers for a few hours, and focus on their own dreams and aspirations, and bring forth the power they inherently possess to change their circumstances.
They get together and go for picnics and outings to unwind and feel relaxed.
We partner with organizations and individuals for providing therapy and counseling if needed.
“6-year old Mehroze and 5-year old Sehrish lost their mother, Nafeesa in 2010. No child should feel anchorless; therefore, as an ode to Nafeesa we named our mother’s program, Nafeesa School. This was their new home surrounded by mothers.
Nafeesa means precious. All mothers are priceless”
Their Space
Nafeesa forum is a safe space for women.
The world shifts a little, as soon as you enter Nafeesa forum.
In fact, their womanhood is celebrated here.
This is a place where women can be whoever they choose to be.
free, funny and fabulous.
The walls speak and freely offer affirmations. They carry books,
Poetry and quotes of inspiration for all those who want them.
Mornings are often silent and peaceful. If you want a quiet corner to
Vent, you’ll find an attentive ear, and a supportive hug or two.
Evenings are filled with the chirpy chatter of women practicing
their newly acquired English skills, or their child-like laughter as
they go about their work-out routines.
Nafeesa forum carries the feeling of companionship, of shared grief,
shared love and shared strength.
Nafeesa forum is located inside the flagship building called ‘ Kiran Ghar’.
SWAN
(Single Women Awareness Needs)
SWAN is a further support group inside Nafeesa forum which specially helps mothers who are living their lives as single parents. They receive legal-aid and social-emotional support while they are making their way towards their children’s success single handily. Many women have been able to find the courage to get back on their own feet after an abusive marriage or after the loss of their loved ones, find a way to get educated, and set up their own small businesses, which helped them support themselves and their children.
After I lost my husband in the early years of marriage to brain tumour, I was left with a two-year-old son who I had to raise alone now. I was devastated and lost. I approached Kiran for a job as a tutor. Little did I know that Allah pak had big plans for me and my son. After few months my son joined the Ibtedai school where I had to join the mother’s sessions too. Becoming a part of Nafeesa forum was a game changer for me. I not only healed from my loss but I started to help others from their pains by giving support and being a listener. The forum further had a focal group called SWAN which was especially for uplifting a single woman.
Our problems were heard here in a way that we felt empowered to find solutions ourselves. We were supported to start our own business and faculty of free therapy sessions were also provided.
It’s been seven years since I have been associated to Kiran and I feel I will stay so all my life. I have totally changed because of the love, care and help I received from everyone at Kiran. Kiran had role modelled and taught me to give to others selflessly and I want to be the one of the bravest soldiers of Kiran Foundation
Inshallah.
Saima Khatri
Aged 34 and is a single mother in the program for over 13 years.
“As a single mother I have gone through too many problems. If I would not have reached Kiran Foundation, I would have been used by every other person around me. I had no confidence and lacked in education. I had a very abusive marriage and i paid a huge price of falling into depression while breaking away from that marriage. I had a two-year-old son at that time.
In my eyes Kiran Foundation is like a mother’s lap and has given me mental peace and helped me heal from my depression. I took therapy sessions and was immensely loved and cared by Sabina Aunty and her team. I found the courage to get back into education and started working and found a great job. Today I am a happy woman and look forward to a life full of dreams for myself and my little son.”
Tehmina, Mother in Program
Integrated People (IP)
In the past, many women have found a way to earn an income and start their own small businesses through the network they built at Kiran. Integrated People was one such initiative which engaged and empowered female artisans to use their traditional handcrafting skills to produce beautiful accessories, which were then exhibited in high-end markets. What truly made IP special was that women visibly healed through this. As the artisans stitched their products late into the night, they sang songs, laughed together and became each other’s everlasting support. We believe that a woman who isn’t dependent on anyone for her income and basic needs is unstoppable!
One of the most beautiful things for the heart is to see little children, their smiles, tears of gratitude from their loved ones with a strong hope and determination that the same poverty cycle will not be repeated in their families.
This link to empowering communities and creating a safe haven for the whole family to educate and be educated is what I call the essence of Kiran Foundation.
I am involved with Kiran and its projects for the last 6 years and Sabina has always surprised me with her creativity and high standards.
Getting a check and monetary value is one thing, but the most significant aspect is-how you transform ideas into action with that money.
In addition, working in areas where safety and lack of education and awareness was considered the norm, one can only find excuses to let the people be in their comfort zone and intervention a dire task, useless investment of time, efforts with no guaranteed outcomes.
It is Sabina and her team that believed otherwise and started with a small classroom and a tiny group of preschoolers. Later, the vision transformed into a giant DCTO school.
Kiran Foundation is a model program of hope, resilience, equal opportunity and blind passion for impact. The untiring efforts of Sabina and her team and above all faith in an area and people who were considered a challenge of magnanimous nature, but Kiran Foundation proved it loudly and bravely that we can spark light and peace amidst deep darkness, hopelessness and aggression.
Today I am humbled by what Kiran Foundation has achieved. I think Sabina makes the donors, volunteers and staff discover their best talent and purpose, and they continue to contribute their passion without any inhibitions.
Dr Dilshad Dayani
Associate Professor Columbia University
Founder- Lead 2 Empower & WWGC
