In a significant step toward inclusive and equitable education, the Shaagird Foundation proudly launches the Fatima al-Fihri learning center on January 12, 2020, welcoming 70 refugee children in the pre-primary and primary age groups into a nurturing and innovative learning environment.
The learning center is named after Fatima al-Fihri, a 9th-century Muslim woman of Arab origin who founded the University of al-Qarawiyyin in Fez, Morocco, in 859 CE. Recognized by UNESCO as the world’s oldest continuously operating university, her visionary leadership in education laid a historic foundation for higher learning, bridging faith, knowledge, and community development.
Designed with accessibility and community, the center breaks down societal barriers and provides refugees with warmth and care. It also breaks the traditional barrier to early education by offering a curriculum rooted in colorful, play-based learning. The approach emphasizes visual and tactile engagement to create inquisitiveness and creativity in young learners, ensuring that each child, regardless of their background, has the opportunity to thrive.
Located within close proximity to the children’s homes, the Fatima al Fihri Learning Centre removes the burden of uniforms and daily meal costs—two key challenges that often prevent marginalized families from accessing education. Lessons are delivered in the children’s native languages, reinforcing a sense of familiarity and comfort, while encouraging active parental involvement to strengthen the home-school bond.
“Our vision is to create an inclusive space where every child feels safe, supported, and inspired to learn,” said Aasif Mujtaba, founder of the Shaagird Foundation, at the launch event. “This center is not just about education; it’s about building a community, fostering resilience, and giving children the foundation they need for a brighter future.”
The center’s team of trained educators is committed to holistic child development, ensuring a balanced focus on cognitive, emotional, and social growth. By centering the experience around the child and their family, the Fatima al Fihri Learning Centre represents a transformative model for refugee education that could be replicated across similar contexts.
About Fatima Sheikh Learning Center
The Fatima Sheikh Learning Centre is an inclusive educational initiative that delivers early childhood and primary education to refugee children through a play-based, community-driven approach. Named after India’s first Muslim woman teacher and social reformer, the center continues her legacy of education for all, regardless of barriers.
About the Shaagird Foundation: At Shaagird Foundation, we fight for a world where education isn’t a privilege but a birthright. We act as changemakers, paving the way for marginalized children in India, removing the barriers that exclude them from classrooms and opportunity.
We believe every child holds the potential to create a meaningful change in society, a potential that burgeons with the power of knowledge. Our mission is to rekindle that spark within, empowering children impacted by dehumanization acts, communal violence, and those from underprivileged communities. We work tirelessly to transform the distant dream of quality education into a vibrant reality.
By providing access to education, we empower these young minds to become the torchbearers of their own lives and the future leaders of our nation. We opine that together, we can build a more inclusive, equitable society, one bright mind at a time.