Women's Activity in the Arab World: The Association of Graduates of the Islamic Girls' College

A supreme humanitarian aim has been realized by the noble Islamic Makassed Association in opening those numerous free elementary schools which gather in more than seven thousand children of the poor and needy!

And for the sake of this lofty aim, the Graduates' Association was formed in 1934, to help the needy pupil and to make him feel that there is a feeling heart and a generous, working hand that never tires of lessening the gap between him and his rich schoolmate in the Makassed colleges. A lofty purpose aiming at a distant goal, and a hand of help extended to a vast number of the destitute — but whence the money?

And here began the mighty efforts to work and to find the money...

In its first years its works were few, in keeping with its meager budget, but it pressed steadily forward under the care and encouragement of the directress of the College, the wise Miss Zahiyah Dughan, and her assistant Miss Ihsan Mahsani, and thanks to certain generous ladies who joined it; the association was then called: the Committee of Ladies and Graduates of the Girls' College.

It draws its finances from annual subscriptions, government grants, the proceeds of annual fêtes, and donations. This committee has an administrative board composed of:

Mrs. Fatimeh Daouk, for the presidency; Miss Hamida Sheikh, for the vice-presidency; Miss Salwa Bal'a, for the recording secretaryship; Mrs. Nazik Ramadan, for correspondence; Miss Salma Daouk, for the treasurership.

Active members: Miss Fatima Qaranful, Miss Munira Qaranful, Affa Qadi, Miss Hikmat Qadiri, Miss Aisha Qaranful, Mrs. Fatima Itani, Miss Ni'ma Jaroudi, Mrs. Ni'ma Junblat.

Most of the work is done by this administrative board, whose election is renewed every three years. It has confined its work to two essential points:

First — Helping those girl pupils who have finished the elementary course in the free Makassed schools but whose lack of money stands in the way of their entering the College: the committee undertakes to pay their fees and to provide all their school supplies.

Second — Attending to the clothing and feeding of needy pupils. It distributes annually close to two thousand school outfits; at the beginning of each season it also purchases suitable cloth and distributes it free of charge; and on the occasion of the feasts it gladdens the children's hearts by distributing cakes and sweets and quite respectable quantities of flour and rice.

This is a brief account of the works and origin of this committee. May God guide its steps to whatever is good, and bring it, by the grace of those who encourage it, to the aid of an ever greater number of poor pupils, that its first lofty idea may be fulfilled — for God helps His servant so long as the servant helps his brother.