Saaberie Chishty Society Annual Feedback (1442/2021)

The Islamic year of 1442 has drawn to an end and the crescent of the new moon has risen above the horizon signalling the beginning of a new year. With every ending and new beginning the theme of reflection and planning is ever present. In light of this, I was tasked with writing a Chairman’s report. One that reflects the events of the past year and plans for the year ahead. Despite having grown up in the Organisation, for the first time I am looking at things through a different lens. One that requires both personal and organisational reflections. Some of these reflections centred on how it all unfolded, and how is it that on this day, I have the responsibility of what it is that the Saaberie Chishty Society has done in serving mankind, since my appointment as Chairman?

This year has been one of great loss, grief and sadness for many families in and around our community as well as for me and my family personally. It’s been just over a year since the loss of the senior members of the organisation which included my loving father and uncle and more recently a few days ago the loss of our loving aunt. The sudden loss of my father and uncle was not only a loss to the family, but also a loss to the Saaberie Chishty Society and the community at large. They had touched the lives of many and so their passing had not only left a gaping hole in our family but in the hearts of many others. Their passing had left the Society with two senior roles that needed to be filled in order to keep the many households that are dependent on the organisation’s activities, still capable of reaching out to the Society when in need.

As a result of being groomed in my younger years and with knowledge being passed on to me without me being aware thereof, I was so nominated and entrusted as Chairman for the SC Society. Through the Mercy of Allah and his favour upon me I was not alone in this. I owe a great amount of respect and appreciation to my elders Uncle Mohammed Sayed, Uncle Abdullah Sayed, Moulana Sayed Yusuf and Uncle Aynullah Khan for displaying their confidence and belief in me and having entrusted me to lead the organisation as chairman. They have entrusted themselves with preparing the next generation in continuing with the legacy of the organisation and Insha’Allah we to will succeed in building and growing the Society for generations to come.

We make dua to the Almighty Allah to look with favour upon the organisation and to continue to grant the reward of every act or service carried out by the organisation as Sawaab-e-Jaria for our deceased family members and in turn also allow us to earn reward from him and make us capable of growing from strength to strength. With change comes challenge and as with any organisation, transition is difficult, but these changes are inevitable and are required for the growth and longevity of the organisation. May we always be rightly guided in all our future endeavours.

I have listed each divisions undertakings in the last year, in the hope that it will provide a brief insight into how all those involved in the Society, working together as one, have risen up and made it possible for my Chairman’s report to have some positive feedback.

I remain focused on developing relationships, collaborating with partners and working together with individuals, organisations and businesses who are intent on improving the lives of mankind for the pleasure of Allah.

I extend an invitation to everyone to engage with me directly, share with me your criticisms, suggestions thoughts and visions and Insha’Allah as a collective we can look forward to growing the Humanitarian efforts in our community as well as throughout the country.

I once again take this opportunity to thank every individual and institution who collectively contributed to these initiatives and projects at a time when our people needed it most, the value that we can provide to our community by value of Trust, Responsibility, Accountability, Transparency and contributing time, effort and funds is one that will continue to drive Saaberie Chishty Society in its vision to improve the Social Well-being of those in our community.

Mr Aboobaker Sayed

Alhumdullilah, all praises are due to Allah,

Ambulance Division

  • SCA in conjunction with Health Care Professionals and Community based organisations established a Home base Oxygen Therapy programme to assist those who had contracted COVID-19.
  • SCA was approached for assistance by the Roshnee Community during the peak of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. An Ambulance was placed on standby in Roshnee to help facilitate house calls and hospital transfers.
  • SCA and Business Leaders from within the Community saw the need to upgrade and increase the number of Ambulances as the fleet was ageing and required an upgrade to its medical equipment.
  • SCA Volunteer First Responders assisted GPs and patients with the setting up of Oxygen concentrators at the homes for those requiring Oxygen due to COVID-19 illnesses. In conjunction with Physiotherapists, they further assisted, supported and helped these Patients overcome mild illness.
  • SCA and South African Fire Fighters Youth Development Academy together with the City of Jhb developed a group of volunteers as a SC Community Emergency Response Team (SCCERT) in order to assist our Regional COJEMS division with emergencies related to Fire and Rescue.
  • SCA converted an existing Ambulance into a Resource vehicle to aid SCCERT in the execution of their Fire and Rescue incidents.
  • SCCERT were trained in Basic Fire and Rescue and since its launch earlier this year they have attended to multiple incidents reducing damage to property and saving lives.
  • SCCERT recently embarked on a Campaign with COJ officials to locate, service and flush fire hydrant points in Lenasia.
  • The Muslim Association of South Africa undertook to open MASA Medpark to deal with the increase of COVID-19 infections in the Northern suburbs of JHB. After experiencing the highest levels of infections in the third wave and with it slowing down in the Lenasia area, SCA then extended its offering of a standby Ambulance to MASA Medpark to assist with the transporting of patients to and from the facility.
  • SCA partnerships with MASA and Vision Tactical further developed and SCA Paramedics were then placed at the Houghton Masjid Vaccination site which is listed as one of the first drive through vaccinations sites in Gauteng.
  • SCA has recently appointed new staff and utilised additional staff resources from other EMS services to continue its efforts in making more Ambulances available on the road following challenges it was faced with when its frontline medics contracted COVID-19 during the peak of infections.
  • SCA is currently on a recruitment drive to fill in the positions of Paramedics who have left SCA and have moved on to GPG as a result of the large-scale recruitment of Paramedics from EMS services in Gauteng to deal with the high calls volumes at Provincial level.
  • SCA in conjunction with Gauteng Province and the Dept of Health established the first drive through Vaccination site in the Region G Area of JHB. This project in conjunction with various partners will possibly continue into the future on selected weekends

Welfare Department

  • SCS in collaboration with the Lenasia Community Policing Forum developed a distribution chain during the lockdown period to ensure the correct and efficient distribution of staple food items to those less fortunate who were dependant on this prior to the lockdown.
  • SCS helped initiate relief efforts in Region G with a variety of community stakeholders, faith-based groups and individuals to provide much needed relief to those in need.
  • SCS initiated its Sister to Sister Campaign by distributing sanitary pads to those females who cannot afford this basic necessity.
  • SCS initiated a volunteer network that is actively involved in the distribution of monthly food hampers to more than 650 homes in the Lenasia and surrounding regions.
  • SCS and individuals from the Community recently initiated a hot meal initiative which intends to provide a hot meal every Thursday to those in need.
  • SCS in conjunction with Muslim Association of South Africa, Muslims Hands as well as other organisations and its volunteers distributed meat following its Qurbani 2021 initiative. Homes that were recently affected by unrest in the KZN region were included in SCS existing distribution plans.

Burial Division

  • SCS as at 1 of Muharam 1443, have carried out in excess of 1500 mayyits in the last year from COVID-19 and other.
  • SCS compiled a guideline on the standard process of the Islamic burials in South Africa to ensure that the final rites of a deceased can be fulfilled according to the Islamic rites and etiquettes as prescribed in the Sunnah of Muhammad S.A.W.
  • SCS established a volunteer network from within our community who collectively assisted in the Burial procedures following the increase in the numbers of deaths since the first COVID-19 burial.
  • SCS and its volunteers trained various other Burial organisations in Gauteng on the best and safe practice of the Ghusl/ ablution of a deceased who passed on as a result of COVID-19.
  • SCS and its volunteers revamped an old abandoned Ghusl khana/ ablution facility at the Avalon Cemetery to accommodate changes in the Burial processes following the increase in the number of deaths.
  • SCS and its volunteers in conjunction with sponsorship from local business set up an additional Ghusl khana/ ablution facility with a container strategically placed alongside the revamped facility at the Avalon Cemetery to cope with the high number of Burials.
  • SCS appeals to the Community to fund earth moving equipment required in the closing of graves were received by an individual who provided on loan a TLB from his own business in order to investigate the needs and exact requirements of the machinery.
  • SCS received an overwhelming response from the Community in the form of donations to purchase its own TLB and have after careful considerations procured a TLB which is currently in use and available to all Burial Societies utilising the Avalon Cemetery .
  • SCS and a Business Leader from within the Community saw the need to upgrade and increase the number of vehicles to further extend its assistance to more destinations throughout South Africa.
  • SCS saw the need to develop partnerships with our Muslim communities in JHB South and JHB North as local hospitals and clinics were full and patients were being hospitalised further from home. The result of this partnership has made it possible for these communities to assist in their respective areas as well as in the collection of the deceased for the Lenasia Community.
  • SCS Burial division is currently the largest Muslim Burial organisation in South Africa and fulfils the highest number of Muslim Burials in the country across all nationalities and race groups.

Musjid/ Madrassa and Uloom:

Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 restrictions many of the planned events and outcomes for the year were placed on hold as the institutes were closed. We make dua to the Almighty that the year ahead will see the institutions return to its existing operations and that growth within this division is ongoing.

 

Organisational Structure and Operations:

With the Organisation growing in its humanitarian offerings and the intent to keep its efforts ongoing, Management Teams are being developed within each of the divisions. Professionals from Accounting, Marketing, Business Administration, Health Care Professionals and numerous other professionals together with the SCS Executive Board have embarked on improvements to the organisation. Some of these include Corporate identity change, Accounting System Process flows, Website development and I.T infrastructure.

02 Muharam 1443
11 August 2021

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