She puts a smile on backward Muslim girls' faces

Hameeda Kahtoon is only 28 years old but her life seems to be a story of pains and sufferings. Her smiling face, however, does not betray the bitter memories of the past. It’s smile which is the result of happiness in the lives of hundreds of poor and backward Muslim girls brought about by Hameeda’s untiring and selfless efforts to empower them in all walks of life.

The groups of Muslim girls formed at Hameeda’s initiatives in different localities in the old city areas in Lucknow have now been spreading awareness among many others like them. These groups encourage as well as lend all possible help to the girls hailing from backward families to attain professional qualifications and become independent.

More importantly as Hameeda points out, these groups seek to bring about a change in the outlook of the Muslim girls. “Attitude is very important in life. We strive to bring positivity in their lives,” she says.

Over 150 girls have so far been trained by Hameeda with the help of Sadbhavana Trust in various professions, including videography, photography, computer education and social media.

Coming from a traditional Muslim family from Uttar Pradesh’s Faizabad district where no member had gone past 3rd standard, Hameeda had to endure great difficulties in continuing her studies and completing postgraduation in social work. Her success reflects her sheer determination and hard work.

“Our’s was a typical Muslim family... traditional one where girls are supposed to be in the veil and inside the four walls of the house... no one in the family had studied beyond second or third standard,” Hameeda told Deccan Herald.

“I had decided that I would study even if it meant breaking from the tradition,” she said.
Hameeda’s father, who made quilts during the winter, was a cancer patient and barely earned enough to meet the expenditure on the big family that comprised nine members, including her five brothers and two sisters. “I was in the high school, when my father died of cancer,” she said.

To meet the expenses for her study, Hameeda used to pluck flowers from the nearby fields. “I used to earn up to Rs 20 a day with which I financed my studies,” she said.
Hameeda later got a job with a big firm and her financial condition improved. “I managed to get my other sisters married and helped my younger sister continue her studies,” she said. 

She, however, had to face many problems while doing her job. “It was quite new for the residents of the locality, which was predominantly Muslim, to see a girl of their community leaving home in the morning and coming back home in the evening,” she remarked.
“People questioned my character. They used abusive words... they would also pass comments on the way I dressed... it was all so depressing and disgusting,” Hameeda said, adding that it all continued for three years.

Hameeda had no option but to endure it as she had enrolled for the three-year graduate course at a local degree college and she did not want to leave the study midway. After her graduation she left Faizabad and shifted to Lucknow. A social organisation Sanatkada helped Hameeda in settling in the city.

The thought of helping other Muslim girls, who were like her, came to Hameeda a little later. “I felt that I must now return something back to  society. I knew there must be many Muslim girls like me, who wanted to study but were deprived of the same because of one reason or the other,” she said.

Hameeda initially selected three localities in the state capital and started working among the backward Muslim girls. “Our main aim was to bring about a change in their attitude and thinking,” she said.

She began with organising workshops to create awareness among the girls. “We focussed on gender issues, perspective building, computer education,” she added. Besides launching short-term courses in computer education, she also started professional courses for the girls so that they might become employable and independent.

Hameeda said that she also tried to develop qualities in the girls that could enable them to see things in correct perspective. “We all read the holy Quran but we never pay attention to the meaning of its verses. We taught the girls the meaning so that they might not be misguided,” she said.

The groups formed by Hameeda also lent helping hand to the girls in many other fields. “The groups will help the girls in getting jobs according to their  capabilities. There is now an all-woman video unit and an all- woman photographer unit. These units do the work of videography and taking still pictures during the social functions such as  marriages. They come in handy for the women guests as men photographers would not be allowed there,” she said.

The group also works among the women prisoners at the model jail here. “We came across several undertrial prisoners, who are in the jail for over a decade but are actually innocent,” she said. Hameeda referred to one woman  undertrial, who was mentally retarded and was caught loitering near the airport here and charged with espionage. “We helped her get bail after spending 12 years in the prison,” she said.  

Still unmarried, Hameeda wishes to do more for society. “I wish I get someone who is equally concerned about the society and helps me in my work,” Hameeda said.