By Adama Camara
Daara Aisha Ummul Mu’mineen Association (DAUM) for girls and women on Saturday held its annual Quranic Recitation and Conference.
The event that took place at the Gambia Supreme Islamic Council (GSIC) was organised to nurture scholastic talents of the members of the association.
Speaking at the conference Sheikh Omar Ceesay, the Chief Executive Officer of the Islamic Institute for Education and Development (IIED) under whose organisation the DAUM was established, highlighted the merits of the event, as empowerment through education.
“Part of the reasons for this activity is to motivate members of the women association on their efforts to learn and share knowledge of the Quran and practices of the beloved Prophet of Islam. This is also to reassure parents or guardians and husbands who allow their girls and women to join the Daara that their efforts are not in vain,” he said.
Kawey Njie-Lette, Chairperson of DAUM said the association comprised female students of all ages, from all walks-of-life from both the public and private sectors.
“Our members coming from all backgrounds and among us are students, mothers and role models united in the search for knowledge in order to make the society much more conducive for human living,” she said.
Chairperson Njie-Lette noted that women are mothers the society cannot go without; thus, the need to search for knowledge will benefit them in this world and the hereafter.
Fatima Sowe, the Public Relations Officer of DAUM described the event as one of the initiatives meant to foster friendship and sisterhood among members.
She said other events of the ‘Daara’, include speech competitions and lecture series among different groups of members meant to stimulate the culture of reading and research on topical issues.
The event featured keynote lectures on social interactions and nurturing relationships by Ustasha Mariama Sarr and Ustasha Fatima Quraysh.
Sharing their experience from the annual conference, Salimatou Sabally a member of the Daara expressed delight for the skills she earned in the recitation of the Qur’an within a short period of her enrolment.
DAUM is a non-charitable organisation existing for the past 25 years that caters the needs of girls and women in the learning and teaching of the Qur’an, supported by the Busumbala based Islamic Institute for Education and Development (IIED).
The association conducts teaching sessions on Thursdays and Fridays evenings from 4-7pm.