A true welcome to Golden Jubilee felt by the African Jamaat

AFRICA IN FULL CELEBRATION: GOLDEN JUBILEE -SHABNAM MERALI

By: Dr. Nadir Asani

African Jamaats have been experiencing the immense joy of celebrating Golden Jubilee, by having had the opportunity to welcome people from global jamaat. Jubilee year has already begun celebrating some wonderful performances by North American Ismaili performer Shabnam Merali & accompanied by Pakistani musicians.

The gracious voice of Shabnam Merali was welcomed first by the Ugandan Ismaili Council. Feelings of Golden Jubilee was felt in each and every geet, as audience felt truly inspired by this magnificent geet and sufiaana kalaam. Mehfil was set-up outside Kampala Jamaat khana, in the openess of the warm air. Dandia Raas picked up, as Shabnam Merali surprised the jamaat by singing Swahili songs.

The tour continued onto Mombasa Kenya… Shabnam Merali opened the show with Mowla ki Shaan a number from her upcoming album, and swiftly followed with an evening of ghazals, sufi kalaam and geets. Violin music was carried well with the ghazals, and the beats of the tabla remarkably reached much unification in the overall performance. Audience favoured and repeatedly requested Shabnam to sing ‘ Ali Ali Mowla Ali Ali ‘ , this was granted humbly by Shabnam. Golden Jubilee colours of red and gold decorations marked the stage, under the open space, where moonlight shone in the warm air.

Aga Khan …… In Swahili with translation

KIONGOZI wa kidini wa Jumuiya ya Ismailia duniani Imam Aga Khan (L)
akisalimia na Makamu wa Rais Dr Ali Mohamed Shein ikulu leo jijini
Dar es Salaam..

Religious leader of the worldwide Ismaili Community Imam Aga Khan (L)exchanging greetings with the Vice President Dr Ali Mohamed Shein today at the State House, Dar es Salaam.

Aga Khan kujenga Chuo Kikuu Arusha..

*Ameleezea nia yake ya kutaka kujenga Chuo Kikuu kipya hapa nchini.
Akizungumza na Makamu wa Rais, Dk Ali Mohamed Shein jana Ikulu Jijini Dar es Salaam, Aga Khan alisema chuo hicho kitajengwa mkoani Arusha na kwamba kitakuwa cha aina yake katika Afrika kutokana na kuhusisha masomo ya taaluma muhimu pekee.
Alisema eneo la kujenga chuo hicho limekwisha kupatikana na fedha kwa ajili ya kuanzia ujenzi wa chuo hicho tayari zimekwisha kutengwa.
Kiongozi huyo wa kidini alimweleza Makamu wa Rais kuwa mipango ipo mbioni ya kuanzisha shahada ya uzamili hadi shahada ya uzamivu (PHD) kwenye fani ya uuguzi katika Chuo Kikuu cha Aga Khan kilichoko Dar es Salaam ili kuwawezesha wauguzi hapa nchini kupata elimu ya juu katika fani hiyo.
Aidha alisema kutokana na umuhimu wa afya kwa Watanzania, chuo hicho kimeanza kutoa stashahada ya uzamili kwenye masuala ya afya kwa umma.
Katika mazungumzo hayo, Makamu wa Rais alitoa ombi kwa Chuo Kikuu cha Aga Khan kuangalia uwezekano wa kuweka programu ya magonjwa yasiyopewa kipaumbele (Neglected Tropical Diseases) ili kutokomeza magonjwa hayo, jambo ambalo Aga Khan alisema ni zuri na kusisitiza kwamba njia inayofaa ni kuhusisha magonjwa hayo katika nyanja ya utafiti wa maradhi ya afya.
Dk Shein alimshukuru Imam Aga Khan kwa misaada yake katika sekta mbali mbali ikiwemo ya elimu, afya, utalii kwa kuwa inasaidia jitihada za serikali katika kuwaletea maendeleo wananchi wake.
Alimpongeza kwa kutimiza miaka 50 ya uongozi wake katika Jumuiya ya Ismailia na mafanikio yake katika kuboresha ustawi wa jamii na kusaidia miradi katika nchi mbali mbali, ikiwemo Tanzania.
Awali wakati akiwasili kulikuwa na nderemo na vifijo katika Uwanja wa Ndege wa Kimataifa wa Mwalimu J.K Nyerere.
Mara baada ya ndege aina ya LX-PAK kutua katika viwanja hivyo saa 12.30, mlango ulifunguliwa na kisha kiongozi mwakilishi wa Mtandao wa Maendeleo ya Aga Khan aliingia ndani ya ndege hiyo kwa ajili ya kumuongoza Aga Khan aweze kushuka.
Mara baada ya kushuka, Aga Khan alipokelewa na mwenyeji wake Waziri wa Mambo ya ndani, Joseph Mungai.
Wimbo maalumu wa jumuiya yao ulipigwa na Brass Bendi ya polisi na baada ya wimbo huo, kiongozi huyo alipata fursa ya kuangalia ngoma ya asili yao, sarakasi pamoja na ngoma ya Kimasai iliyokuwa imeandaliwa kwa ajili yake.
Akizungumza mara baada ya mapokezi hayo, Mungai alisema ujio wa kiongozi huyo ni kwa ajili ya kusherehekea miaka 50 ya uimamu wake katika madhehebu ya kiismailia.
Mungai alisema, Aga Khan ameweza kuwa na ushirikiano mkubwa katika nyanja ya kimaendeleo hususani kwenye sekta ya Eimu na Tiba.
“Nataka niwahakikishieni kuwa katika hili la elimu, shule ya kwanza ya wasichana iliyoko kule Zanzibar ilianzishwa na babu yake huyu Aga Khan, pia anaendelea na juhudi kubwa za kuendeleza elimu katika taifa letu,” alisema Mungai.
Mkuu wa mkoa wa Dar es Salaam, Abbas Kandoro, alisema uchumi wa nchi yeyote unaendeshwa kwa nguvu za ushirikiano miongoni mwa mataifa mbalimbali.

For English, click more.

THE leader of Ismaili Muslim Community, the Aga Khan, yesterday revealed plans to finance construction of a modern university in Arusha providing various specialized programmes during talks with the Vice-President, Dr Ali Mohamed Shein, at the State House.
He also told the VP that there were plans to elevate programmes offered by the Dar es Salaam-based Aga Khan University including introduction of masters and doctoral degrees in nursing.
The Aga Khan said funds for the proposed university in Arusha have already been set aside and a site for the institution identified.
His Highness, who started a three-day tour of the country yesterday, told the VP that introduction of masters and doctoral programmes at the Aga Khan University aims at fostering competence of Tanzanian health experts.
Dr Shein on the other hand, appealed to the Aga Khan University to have in place a special programme for neglected tropical diseases and devise ways to wipe them out.
The Aga Khan said the best way to eradicate the diseases was conducting thorough research.
The vice-president also thanked the Aga Khan for the support in various sectors such as education, health and tourism, noting that the assistance enables the government to bring about development to its people. He congratulated the Aga Khan on his attainment of 50 years as the Religious Leader of the Ismaili Community and also for his work in helping to uplift the progess of community and development of different countries, including Tanzania.
The Aga Khan was received by the Minister for Internal Affairs, Joseph Mungai. Music was played by the Police Brass Band, and there was also music/dance from the Masai tribe in the Aga Khan’s honor.
Minister Mungai also said that the first school for girls in Zanzibar was established by the Aga Khan’s grandfather, and that the Aga Khan is continuing to promote education in their country.

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Pictures of Diamond Jubilee Hall, Dar es Salaam

ukumbi wetu maarufu wa diamond jubilee kama unavyoonekana usiku huu katika kuadhimisha jubilei ya dhahabu (miaka 50) ya kiongozi wa dini wa shia ismailia h.h. the aga khan ambaye yupo nchini kuadhimisha siku hii

This is how our Diamond Jubilee Hall looks tonight during the commemoration of the Golden Jubilee (50 years) of the Religious Leader of the Shia Ismailis His Highness the Aga Khan who is in the country to commemorate this day.

kipande chote cha barabara ya ukumbi wa diamond jubilee kimepambwa kwa taa namna hii katika kusherehekea jubilei ya dhahabu ya kiongozi wa dini wa ismailia h.h. the aga khan.

All sides of the road around the Diamond Jubilee Hall have been decorated with lights, as seen in the picture, in celebration of the Golden Jubilee of the Leader of the Ismaili Community, His Highness the Aga Khan.

AKRSP project brings prosperity to 54 villages

 

Checkdams on Meghal bring prosperity to 54 villages

Saurav Kumar

Ahmedabad, August 17: What was once a small seasonal, rain-fed river has now turned into an all-season one. This metamorphosis of the Meghal river in Junagadh district has brought about an increase in farm produce and prosperity. Construction of check dams at strategic points on the river has ensured that water remains in it all through the year.

The Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP), which is a part of the Aga Khan Foundation, is largely responsible for this transformation. Umesh Desai, programme coordinator of AKRSP, says, “It was easy to mobilise people for the revival of the river project. They have an emotional connection with the river and were ready to help us.”

Help meant contributing both in cash and kind. Since 2002, AKRSP has built 140 check dams, big and small on the river. Many villagers contributed by giving money for the project and many more helped in the actual construction of the check dams.

The results have been startling. Desai says, “There is 30-km stretch of crops in Maliya taluka in the Rabi season when till a few years back there was nothing grown.”

Bhimjibhai Patel, a farmer from Khorasagir village in Maliya taluka, says, “Earlier we used to grow only groundnuts and everything depended on the rains. Now I also grow wheat and vegetables in the Rabi season, when there used to be no water earlier.”

AKRSP used a three-pronged approach for the Meghal River Basin Project. First, was ensuring massive community participation, second was the constructing the check dams and the third was employing side by side traditional rain water harvesting measures.

Rahul Kumar, project officer for AKRSP in Mailya taluka of Junagadh district, says: “We encouraged people to harvest rainwater in building tankas or underground tanks. We also helped in restoring the old tankas.” The advantages of rainwater harvesting were put forth before the people by way of street plays and lok bhavaior folk songs.

Meghal is not the longest of rivers at 70 km _ it originates at Kanada Dungur in Mendarda taluka in Junagadh district and flows into the Arabian Sea at Chorwad. However, it is hugely important for the people of Maliya, Mendarda, Keshod and Mangrol talukas it flows through.

It is referred as the Lokmata or the mother goddess in these parts. The check dams have ensured that 54 villages in these four talukas of Junagdah district and 4,000 hectares of land will not be without water.

As Dahyalal Bhimai, a farmer from Ajab village Keashos taluka, says: “I can also grow vegetables and am planning a cotton crop this year, thanks to the water in the river.”

The Meghal project has shown that small projects too can reap big benefits. As Dahyalal says, “Moto labh che.”

http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=251503