United Efforts for Community Upliftment in Lucknow: Education, Employment, and Social Responsibility By Abbas Mukherji

Lucknow hosts numerous organizations and trusts that collect khums and donations to work for the community’s upliftment. However, there is a pressing need to make their efforts more transparent and effective. Additionally, critical questions and suggestions must be addressed to improve the community’s condition.
Organizations Collecting Khums/Donations and Their Contributions
Several trusts and organizations in Lucknow collect khums and donations. These entities focus on organizing majlis, maintaining imambadas, and providing limited support to the underprivileged. However, there is a noticeable lack of transparency and substantial contributions in areas like education and employment. These organizations should publicly share their financial accounts and inform the community about how their contributions have supported education, livelihoods, or job opportunities for the youth.
Role of Chand Committees
Chand committees in Lucknow are known for sighting the moon during Ramadan and announcing dates. However, they should expand their scope to include social initiatives. While some committees are beginning to engage in community work, their focus remains largely on religious events. These committees should contribute to education and technical training to empower the community’s youth to become self-reliant.
Posters, Banners, and Maulanas’ Responsibilities During Muharram
During the ten days of Muharram, Lucknow’s imambadas and streets are adorned with posters and banners prominently displaying the names of organizers, maulanas, and organizations. While some maulanas and their organizations are active in social work, most focus solely on majlis. These maulanas and organizers should prioritize education, employment, and establishing schools for underprivileged children alongside religious activities. Reducing expenditure on posters and banners could redirect funds to education and healthcare.
Waqf Land and the State of Education
Lucknow has a significant amount of waqf land and numerous madrasas, but their utilization remains ineffective. Most madrasas have more teachers than students and lack modern education. There has been a long-standing demand to establish ICSE/CBSE schools on waqf land to provide quality education to the community’s children. The absence of such initiatives forces many families to seek admission in expensive and competitive Christian missionary schools, often leading to disappointment.
Suggestions:
The Waqf Board and local organizations should aim to establish 3-5 ICSE/CBSE schools within the next two years.
These schools should have a policy of free education for underprivileged children, with special reservations for those with lower grades but evident potential.
Technical education, including computer courses, coding, and vocational training, should be integrated to prepare students for employment.
Free Education and Technical Training for Underprivileged Children
To provide better education and employment opportunities, the following steps can be taken:
Free Education Policy: At least 30% of seats in every school should be reserved for underprivileged children, with fees covered by organizations or the Waqf Board.
Technical Education: Establish ITI, polytechnic, and skill development centers to provide job-oriented training to the youth.
Special Coaching: Conduct special classes for students with lower grades to help them excel in competitive exams.
Job Fairs: Organizations should organize annual job fairs to facilitate employment opportunities for the community’s youth.
Appeal to Responsible Individuals
The challenges faced by our community are evident. The burden of family responsibilities and children’s education weighs heavily on every individual. Responsible figures, including maulanas, organization leaders, and Waqf Board officials, must take concrete steps. If we work together, Inshallah, by next year, Lucknow can have at least two schools offering free education and one technical training center.
Conclusion
This article reflects both pain and hope. If any statement seems inappropriate, we seek forgiveness. However, the truth remains that our community needs significant efforts in education and employment. Let us unite in the name of Allah and resolve to provide our children with an education that ensures they excel, Inshallah.
We urge responsible individuals and organizations to take immediate action in this direction.