After three weeks of intensive leadership, Islamic law and conflict resolution training, feelings of sisterhood, unity and hope permeated through the tears and heartfelt goodbyes which accompanied the end of KARAMAH’s 10th Annual Law and Leadership Summer Program (LLSP).
After receiving nearly hundreds of inquiries from across the globe, KARAMAH selected 20 outstanding individuals to take part in KARAMAH’s rigorous women’s leadership training program. LLSP 2012 consisted of lectures on topics ranging from Islamic jurisprudence to effective social media usage, and focused on developing individual initiatives to help participants think of how they will take what they learned back to their communities. Perhaps one of the greatest aspects was the mutual inspiration and encouragement each participant provided for the other over the course of three weeks by the sharing and comparing of individual initiatives.
“I am back home with rich treasures from Karamah 2012 Alhamdulillah. No words can explain the warmth we shared in the three weeks together,” said Dr. Anisa Baghazal of Mombasa, Kenya. As a physician in her native Kenya, Dr. Baghazal hopes to increase awareness about preventative health measures within her community. In addition to participating in LLSP, and with KARAMAH’s help, Dr. Baghazal began developing relationships with the public school of health at George Washington University and the Muslim Medical Association of the U.S. for potential funding while in Washington D.C. She is working with GWU to develop an exchange program so graduate medical students can volunteer in Kenya, and allow Kenyan students to attend specialized courses in tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS at GWU.
This year’s participants came to KARAMAH from a wide range of countries, including Kenya, Kosovo, Qatar, Belgium, Afghanistan and the United States. Each woman brought with her a story, a unique set of life experiences, and a fierce determination to return with the skills to make positive change in her community. Issues of concern ranged in nature from cultural HIV/AIDS discrimination in Africa to providing opportunities for women’s education in Afghanistan. Coinciding with KARAMAH’s mission of fostering leadership amongst Muslim women, LLSP provided a forum for open expression, discussion and teamwork designed to equip participants with the necessary tools for turning dreams and ideas in sustainable projects.
“I came in with the impression that my dream of empowering Muslim women was quite inconceivable, but I walked out with a completely different mindset,” said Nadia Rakin, an American participant from Virginia, “KARAMAH, having equipped me with a feminist perspective of Islamic jurisprudence and trained me with the right skills to address the challenges facing Muslim women today, gives me hope that things will change.”
Nadia will be attending George Washington University as a freshman in the fall. While she plans to attend law school in the future, Nadia would like to further women’s empowerment initiatives in Afghanistan by founding her own organization. Nadia also hopes to intern with KARAMAH during her undergraduate career.
Lecturers at LLSP included scholars of Islam, Imams, and experts in leadership training, social media and conflict resolution. In addition to developing personal initiatives, participants engaged in Islamic law case studies, conflict resolution simulations, and live debates regarding issues of civil rights and religious freedom.
“I am enthusiastic about the future and giving back to the community. KARAMAH has empowered me for life,” Yolanda Smith of Virginia, shared. “I am currently working on several projects. I feel confident in moving forward with my goals. Many thanks to KARAMAH and its affiliates! What can I do to assure Karamah goes global? I would love to introduce Karamah to some wonderful Muslims in Nigeria.”
Yolanda is currently working to collect resources for her upcoming project, a tent city homeless relief project. She looks forward to KARAMAH assisting her in developing grant-writing skills to help secure more funding for her project.
KARAMAH also provided opportunities for participants to expand their horizons by meeting with prominent Washington officials. Such figures included Paul Monteiro, Associate Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, and Representative Keith Ellison of Minnesota, the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Congress. These meetings provided participants with opportunities to engage with public officials. During question and answer sessions, excitement and admiration danced across the faces of women as they were encouraged by prominent leaders to realize their potential for leadership and exercise their abilities to lead positive change in their communities. Participants were also taken on tours of both the Capitol and the Library of Congress, adding to the overall LLSP experience and understanding of America’s history.
As three weeks drew to a close, it became clear, however, that the most fundamental take-away would not be pictures with a Congressman, souvenirs from the Capitol building, or even notes from LLSP lectures. Instead, it was the renewed belief that Muslim women are the key to leading the future of their communities, and a better understanding of their rights and responsibilities to leadership within their religion. Furthermore, recent graduates were left with the knowledge that they are joining an increasing number of women are coming together and engaging in the development of supportive networks for Muslim women.
“LLSP 2012 was an amazing experience and an inspiring journey of understanding Islam from a women’s perspective. The knowledge of Dignity, God-given dignity to us as human beings, as women, and as Muslims is empowering!” Ghazala Salam said.
Ghazala’s focus is education, and she plans to conduct imam training and certification programs in addition to providing women’s educational forums centered around the differences between culture and Islam. With KARAMAH’s help, Ghazala hopes also to coordinate a domestic violence workshop focusing on men’s rehabilitation in the future.
With the conclusion of LLSP comes another landmark achievement for KARAMAH. As each graduating class receives their diplomas, there is inherent proof that Muslim women are increasingly becoming leaders within their communities and affecting sustainable change. From providing clean drinking water in rural Africa to fighting for religious freedom in Kosovo, there is hope that the “Karamah”, or “dignity” guaranteed to all “children of Adam” in the Qur’an (17:70) will be restored with Muslim women leading the way.
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