Ishmael Amini studied Community Development with ABMA Education.
He has gone on to achieve an amazing amount of success and here Ishmael tells us more about his work.
Since I stepped out of my college in 2017 as a Social Worker, I have been engaged with different organisations on a contract basis, but I spent my valuable time with my organization Center for Enlightenment and Development. I have attended international summits of the World Bank and also led international campaigns such as COP26 in 2021. Am very happy that I still learn with international organizations and benefit from international views.
Center for Enlightenment and Development (CED) is a born child of an ABMA Education student in Lilongwe Malawi.
I studied the ABMA Education course of Community Development at Lilongwe CEC Polytechnic of the University of Malawi 2016-2017. Whilst studying level 4 on Organization Outcome, Values and Sociology the Idea of forming an organization flashed! The idea of establishing an organization became a reality in my level 6 i.e. my Advanced Diploma class! I saw employing myself and others. According to Carl Max, I perceived as ENLIGHTENMENT from the class of level 4 Sociology. I coined the name of the organization as Center for Enlightenment and Development.
MISSION: To provide a holistic approach to mindset change on creativity and innovation, Education, Climate change, Interfaith and Dialogue.
VISION: To create a community of creativity and innovation in accordance with SDGs in sectors of creativity and innovation, education, climate change interfaith and Climate change by 2030.
ACTIVITIES
Education
- I have established a private secondary school called IQRA INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY as a source of dynamic funding to achieve the vision of my organization.
- Female students are given the opportunity of bursaries to address gender inequality.
- Offering employment opportunities to the public i.e. teaching, ground workers, security, cookers and businesspeople.
- Helping O-level students to join online universities as Malawi has a small number of universities.
Entrepreneurship
- Using Business planning and Marketing Strategies from ABMA, I train women especially, females who dropped out of school to be self-reliant. Am working on this project from Goldin Institute, Chicago, USA support.
- From 2018 September to 2022, a cohort of 40 women get selected and benefit from my free business skills. In 2022, I received support from ACT UBUMBANO, Pretoria South Africa.
Climate change
- Through support from Green Faith International, my organization conducts climate change projects.
- I train faith and traditional leaders using project approaches learnt from ABMA in level 4 in 2016 to be models of climate resilience.
- I also conduct online workshops on climate change in Southern Africa and USA.
I am working on establishing a college to offer ABMA courses and show the Community how ABMA Education courses can turn into money. I am currently studying Research at International Open University as I prepare to head the college soon!