First Madrassa-based Business Incubation Center In The Works for Lahore, Pakistan
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed to establish Pakistan’s first Madrassa based business incubation center in Lahore. The MoU was signed between Jamia Naeemia Lahore and Shaoor Foundation for Education and Awareness (SFEA), Islamabad.
Pakistan’s first-ever state of the art madrassa-based business incubation center will be established at an area of 6500 square feet in the new building of Jamia Naeemia in Mughalpura, Lahore. The purpose of this initiative would be to serve the cause of the economic mainstreaming of madrassa students and graduates and create more socio-economic opportunities for otherwise marginalized populations.
The incubation center shall provide basic entrepreneurial training, incubation facility, mentorship, and networking opportunities to madrassa students and graduates. Moreover, it would serve as a knowledge center for peace and civic education along with the enhancement of employability and soft skills.
“There have been many discussions about mainstreaming madrassas and their inclusion. In my opinion, preparing students to take entrepreneurial journeys, providing skills to secure jobs and economic opportunities for themselves and others meanwhile inculcating a sense of civic and peace education is the best madrassa reform one could think of – and we have taken the first tiny step in the right direction”
“Madrassas are meant to impart Islamic education to the students and make them an effective part of the society. Providing them economic opportunities would not only empower the young people who do not get opportunities otherwise but also prepare a pool of responsible citizens contributing to the country’s economy. Young men and women need society’s patronage and we must do everything in our capacities to provide them so”.
