NEWSLETTER JANUARY 2008

We had huge successes in all our projects undertaken this year. A greater number of deserving people have been reached in all three regular annual programmes undertaken by us. A record amount of money has been expanded to each of the three programmes making it a phenomenal success. We hope that ALLAAH SAW will accept this effort from all of us and reward each and every one; from the person who donated towards the programme, to all the people involved in the collection and distribution (blankets, food hampers and Qurbani meat) and lastly to the recipients of the donation.

1.      WINTER WARM 2007

Blankets were issued to various organizations in different areas and to our Madaaris in the informal settlements in and around Lenasia (e.g. Evaton, Orange Farm, Tembalihle etc)

2.      RAMADAAN AND EID 2007

Distribution of Ramadaan AND Eid hampers. The children at the Madaaris were not given Eid Hampers. We invited them all to partake in an Eid lunch at the Madressa they are attending. This gather of Muslim children at an Islamic Centre in the Informal Settlements will enhance the feeling of being a Muslim and celebrating an Islamic festival. They will, Insha ALLAAH, get a feeling of belonging to Islaam.   

3.      QURBANI 2007

We have improved all our previous records this year. The improvement is a year on year improvement for the past 5 years. Thus we have to thank all our supporters for their loyalty to the organization even though there were many others whose prices were less than ours.

We want to assure all our donors that their Qurbani have been done according to the Shariah under the guidance and supervision of icons like Qari Abdul Hamid, Qari Abdur Razzaq, Moulana Shaidul Islam (Markazul Islami – an organization of Ulama) and many other Ulama covering a greater area than we did in the past. All these Ulama helped our members in the field who sacrificed their time and family to ensure that the Qurbani has been carried out properly. They are Ml Ismail Vally, Hafez Yusuf Bhamjee, Hafez Ebrahim Bhamjee, Ml Zainulabideen Backus, Ml Moosa Kasim, and Br Haroon Saley. Our deep-felt gratitude for their sacrifice.

We would also like to thank all those people who volunteered to help at the office. They gave their time to ensure that the programme flowed smoothly and that all the donor’s, whether they came to the office or made direct deposits into our account, Qurbani has been entered into the programme for implementation. They are a great asset to the organization. They especially had a torrid time deciphering faxes, allocating direct deposits where no faxes were received and where people phoned for information. JAZAKAMULLAH GHAIR.

The figures below give an overview of the Qurbani that were performed by us on behalf of the sponsors:

4.      ISLAMIC CENTRE AT PERDEKOP

A beautiful plot was donated to Crescent of Hope by the Chotia family in Perdekop. The plot has a 6 bedroom house, a 36 room building with a kitchen, offices, dining room, store rooms, and other out building on it. It also has a large playing area.

We will, INSHA ALLAAH, start an Islamic Centre for girls. The girls will mostly be from our Madaaris who wishes to live in an Islamic environment, attend advance Madressa at the centre and get secular education at a local school near the centre. Other girls will also be accommodated if there is space available.

We also hope to find bursaries for those pupils who pass grade 12 and would like to study further – either at university or at a technical college.

Anybody wanting to know more about the programme or would like to participate in this programme or wants to donate towards the programme, should contact the office. 

WE HOPE, INSHA-ALLAAH, TO START THE PROGRAMME IN JANUARY 2008. 

Our Maktibs in other areas are:

5.      SKILLS CENTRES

We have skill centres in the following areas:

1.      Potchefstroom:   Computer literacy, Sewing and flower arranging.

2.      Lenasia:               Computer literacy.

3.      Lenasia South:    Computer literacy and sewing.

4.      Pietersburg:        Sewing.

5.      Durban:                Sewing

6.      Cape Town          Sewing.

6.      STAY IN TOUCH VIA E-MAIL. PLEASE SUPPLY  E- MAIL ADDRESS

It would be appreciated if you could let us have your e-mail address as it would serve the organization better to give you information on the turn. The easiest way to send your e-mail address to us would be to send an e-mail to us – with only your name on it. Our e-mail address is

coh@mweb.co.za

We are busy updating our website. For more information and details concerning us, please visit our website at

www.crescentofhope.co.za

(OUR OLD ADDRESS WAS www.crescentofhope.com). Please do not use this site anymore.

If there is anything you would like us to include in our website, or any part of the website you may want changed for a better idea that you might have, please let us know. We are busy updating our website and would like to include what you feel we should include.

7.      DATA BASE – CELL PHONE.

Let us please have your cell phone number as well as potential donors and well -wishers so that we could build up a database of all our representatives, donors and well - wishers. It will enhance our communication system, as we will be able to send you SMS’s whenever the need arises.

8.      REHABILITATION CENTRES

We are seriously considering opening a drug rehabilitation centre for females. We are busy looking for premises to house the centre. Any input from you would be most welcome.

We are also opening more day centres and after-care centres for the rehabilitation of abuse in all forms to all people in different areas.  This is a new idea and we hope that it will serve the need of our communities. The following are either operation or being planned at the moment:

1. Springs: For drug and other related abuses, abused women and children.

b.      Mayfair – Johannesburg: After care centres for drug abuse.

c.       We are planning to open an after-care centre in Lenasia.

d.     We are looking for premises to start an after-care centre in Potchefstroom / Klerksdorp area. We would also appreciate volunteers to man the centre. COHSA will aid in the training of these counselors.

Please contact the office for more information regarding these centres.

For more information regarding the rehab centre and the after-care centres, please visit our website or apply for a booklet (please enclose an A5 sized self addressed and stamped envelope with your application).

9.      WELCOME HOME

A short history of the person we are welcoming back from Medina:

Jamal Yusuf Makobe accepted Islaam at the Jabulane Masjid in Soweto in 1991. He was the first to accept Islaam in his family.

He studied the Deen at CRESCENT OF HOPE Maktib in Kliptown.

Having passed class 4 at the Madressa he went to Newcastle Darul Uloom for further studies. He stayed at the Darul Uloom for 3 years.

He subsequently studied comparative religions with IPCI.

He then went to Medina for 1½ years to further his studies in Arabic.

He passed a few courses in B.Com which he is doing through correspondence with UNISA. CRESCENT OF HOPE will help him further his studies with UNISA and any other course that he may want to undertake.

All we would like to say is CONGRATULATION – You are successful in this world and will INSHA ALLAAH be successful in the HERE-AFTER.