Our organisation was started 75 years ago with a simple motive – to help the orphans and the destitute. We have been fulfilling this function with the help of a few dedicated volunteers and with the generosity of our donors. The donors give their charity for it is an instruction from the Almighty. The volunteers have no compulsion, yet they give something more precious and rare – their time. This commodity in the 21st century is indeed a rarity.

I wish to salute these dedicated volunteers who give their time to the organisation and I would like to compliment and thank the office bearers and management board on behalf of the Trustees on their outstanding job in the running of the organisation and their achievements over the years.

From the Board of Trustees, I would like to thank all volunteers, staff, donors and members of our exco and management board for continuing our original motive of helping the orphans and the destitute.

I also wish to thank my fellow trustees for their continuing support.

May Allah give the individuals that are running the organisation the strength to continue doing so for many more years to come. Ameen.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Having reached 75 years in existence is indeed a great milestone and a huge achievement not only for our organisation but also for every individual who has been, and still is a part of the running of its daily activities.

It has been a great honour to have worked with individuals who have given selflessly in the path of charity, namely the Late Mr. E.A. Timol and Mr. Y.A. Lockhat. Through my years of service I have been blessed to work under the guidance of Chairman of Trustees Mr. Ebrahim Moosa Paruk who is individuals of utmost experience and knowledge. May Allah (SWT) grant them success and long lives so they can go on being a part of such excellent work and a source of inspiration and guidance to all of us. Ameen.

Darul Yatama has achieved a lot over the past 75 years and now aims at reaching new levels and projects that help the betterment of those less fortunate.

Some of our new projects like the bursary and wheelchair campaigns have been explained in the brochure. We at Darul Yatama strongly believe that all charity work is done purely for the pleasure of ALLAH (SWT) and that all other organisations are doing the same. Therefore, we strive to work closely with other organisations to synergise and avoid duplication. Successful examples are the wheelchair campaign with Al-Ansaar and the cataract clinic with Islamic Medical Association.

As with all organisations, we too face challenges. The two major challenges at this time are funding and getting new volunteers. Through our various fundraising events and efforts, we are continuously supported by the community and we thank them for this. We pray that this generosity continues. The other great challenge is the lack of participation by the new generation. I as an individual and Chairman of Darul Yatama appeal to all of you to get involved in these services and take this good work forward to ensure that our future generations also have someone to give a helping hand and to continue this work. The reward for those who assist and help in such organisations will be in the Hereafter, Insha-Allah.

I wish to thank my colleagues, past and present for their commitment and time, all the members of staff for their hard work and our patrons and donors whose support over the years have made our growth possible. It is my prayer that Darul Yatama Wal Masakeen reaches many more such milestones in years to come.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On behalf of the Office of the Mayor, the eThekwini Municipality and our multicultural, multilingual and multi religious communities of the City of Durban. I offer my warmest greetings, good wishes and goodwill to the Muslim Darul Yatama Wal Masakeen (Muslim Home for Orphans and Destitute) on achieving a wonderful milestone of 75 years of having served the city’s Muslim orphans, the homeless and destitute in the children’s home.

The celebration of your 75th anniversary is certainly a defining moment in the history of the organisation.

I believe it is appropriate to salute the visionaries who gave life to the Darul Yatama in our city in 1934. This celebration is also a tribute to the tireless efforts of some of the city’s pioneering citizens, namely A.I. Kajee, C.M. Angalia, Tayob Sacoor, M.S. Kharwa, Sayed Fakrodeen, Ismail Osman, E.M. Paruk, A.K.E. Bux and Moulana Mukhtar Siddiqui, who were buoyed by a sense of community-spiritedness to establish an orphanage at a time when the Indian community was reasserting itself in the social, economic and political spheres.

Collectively, these early philanthropists provided leadership to the community at a time when very little concessions were offered to our people by the colonial-apartheid rulers.

Despite these enormous challenges, it was a moment of triumph when the Agent-General of India in South Africa, Sir Raza Sayed Ali, opened the first children’s home in 1937. But 26 years, Westville was declared for White ownership and occupation in terms of the Group Areas Act in 1963 and the “Westhaven” centre, like many other people and organisations, were expropriated by the Department of Community Development.

Today, the organisation stands proudly and its flag flies with pride as generations of office-bearers and volunteers continue ensure that this historic social-welfare agency provides humanitarian relief, comfort and love to children to the orphans and the frail and the aged people.

The Darul Yatama continues to leave its footprints in KwaZulu Natal as its legacy, humanity and social work inspires sister charitable movements around South Africa.
As a city that is home to inter-faith religions that intersect at the corridors of peace, tolerance and harmony, Durban is truly blessed to have in our socio-welfare midst an organisation of the community standing, integrity and calibre of Darul Yatama.

May the Darul Yatama and its followers, volunteers, donors, sponsors and well-wishers enjoy the journey down nostalgia road as you celebrate your significant anniversary with colour and pageantry. May the organisation continue to serve the city’s communities for another 75 years – Insha Allah.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Running my memory back over the years, Darul Yatama Wal Masakeen features strongly on it. For even as early as 1947 when I arrived in Durban, there was this one organisation that had caught my awareness. Some years later through efforts of my late sister Sakina Daoud Mall and Khadija Vawda the women’s cultural group became involved. Our other members that gave their time and energy were Mahrooms, Hawa Bibi E. Moosa, Fatima Loonat and Amina Y. Loonat. There was never a DYWM cake sale or bazaar wherein the WCG members were not involved.

On reflection one cannot but admire the great souls that envisioned a home for the helpless children that were orphaned or abandoned; their outstanding personalities that served on the committees such as Kosaan Kajee, Big Boy Hafejjee, who then had to make way for younger more energetic persons like Dr. G.H. Vawda, Dr. Moosa Jeewa, Mr. Yusuf Lockhat, Dr. Mohamed Mayet and their colleagues and friends. Many remain unnamed but we will not forget their yeoman service. The public was also always there to respond positively to appeals.

The Chairman of the Trust Board Mr. E. Moosa was thrown into the deep end by his friend M.G.H. Mayat and as second mate to the illustrious Mr. Essop Timol and under them we saw the incremental growth of the organisation.

Elected as a Trustee after the demise of my husband, I came out of the shadows and started playing an active role. In any organisation there is always the positive and the negative in its administration and running. I can truthfully say that errors are readily rectified and constant improvement of service and delivery is ensured by the Management Board.

To have covered the march of time for 75 years is no mean achievement. The vision, the birth pangs, the struggle to overcome mind sets of both the religious authorities and the general public, to obtain the funds not only to keep the Institution going but to ensure growth, to withstand the harassment by authorities, all this and much more had to be overcome to ensure growth of not only an orphanage but also to expand its vision and successfully found and establish homes for our elderly parents and mothers. To Darul Yatama and its band of volunteers over the decades, the congratulations of the community for providing it with Baitul Aman, Baitul Hifazat and Baitul Firdaus. May it continue on its journey of growth and expansion and may Allah T’Allah guide it along its journey into the future.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

During this period of the city’s chequered history, straddling the oppressive colonial-apartheid era to the progressive period of our democracy. The Muslim Darul Yatama has stood the test of time as a trailblazing movement that has served our disadvantaged and marginalised communities since the 1930’s.

May the organisation’s poignant and rich history chronicle the community-spiritedness and compassion that is associated with the Indian-Muslim community.

As the ward councillor for Westville, I am heartened by the fact that the Darul Yatama opened the first children’s home in Westville in 1937. However, it is part of our tragic history that after 26 years, Westville was declared for White ownership and occupation in terms of the Group Areas Act in 1963 and the “Westhaven” centre, like many other people and organisations, were expropriated by the Department of Community Development.

The spirit of humanity survived to ensure that the Darul Yatama stands tall today as it continues to deliver its social-welfare and humanitarian relief to the community while providing comfort and love to orphans and the frail and the aged people.

May the Darul Yatama continue to inspire sister charitable organisations with its culture of socio-religious philanthropy and community outreach.

Durban is indeed proud to be associated with the selfless spirit that embodies the volunteerism of the Darul Yatama.

Once again, the eThekwini Municipality salutes your unique community-based organisation and it’s time to celebrate your success story.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Association of Muslim Accountants and Lawyers takes great pleasure in forwarding this message to Darul Yatama Wal Masakeen on its 75th Anniversary.

Our Association has kept pace with your organisations profile from its birth to its current status.

We marvel at your growth and success from a small organisation to a multi-million rand institute with such wealth in skills and expertise in the many services you render.

Your contribution in the field of social services and social upliftment are well documented and which makes us all proud. Your establishment of the various institutions for the destitute and elderly namely, Baitul Aman, Baitul Firdaus, Baitul Hifazat are monumental evidence of your great contributions to various sectors of our society.

We are confident that your 75th Anniversary will give you an opportunity to celebrate your success and allow you to plan and prepare for the years ahead.

Our sincere congratulations to you and your dedicated team of Trustees, Officials and Staff on a job well done.

May the Almighty crown your efforts with success.

Yours Faithfully

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Serious concern for the well being of those less fortunate, the deprived, the destitute, and those afflicted with physical impairment, has been a great strength of the Indian Community since their arrival in South Africa. It has been a critical factor towards its development into a proud and vibrant segment of the large South African Community.

The Darul Yatama Wal Masakeen, like other similar institutions, have become monuments of the spirit and sacrifice of outstanding leaders whose vision and tenacity in difficult and trying circumstances brought relief, hope and kindled opportunities for a better life of thousands of men and women who were taken into the organisation’s care over the years.

The KwaZulu-Natal Blind and Deaf Society has always regarded Darul Yatama Wal Masakeen as a sister organisation committed to serving the less privileged and thus building a better and stronger community. The Society is honoured to have the privilege to be associated with the Darul Yatama Wal Masakeen during its observation of its 75th Anniversary. It is recalled that both organisations in their over seventy years of service, have worked in harmonious co-operation and with mutual understanding.

This Society firmly believes that Darul Yatama Wal Masakeen will grow from strength to strength in the years ahead, and will continue to play a vital role within the South African Welfare Community. The present challenges are many in spite of the changes that have taken place in this country. The organisation’s range of programmes and projects are soundly developed to meet these challenges.

On behalf of the Trustees, Officials, Members, Staff and beneficiaries of the KwaZulu-Natal Blind and Deaf Society I have pleasure in extending heartiest congratulations to the Darul Yatama Wal Masakeen on its 75th Anniversary. We pray that your milestone Gala Fundraising Dinner will be an outstanding success. Please accept our very best wishes for the future.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

All praise to Allah the Master of the Worlds, Peace and Salutations be upon our beloved Nabi (SAW) forever and ever. Ameen.

Allah has placed mankind on earth as a test, so that man could achieve everlasting success by gaining the eternal pleasure of Allah. The various conditions afflicting man on earth are all part of the Great Divine Design.

The loss of one’s dear parents in childhood is also a test. However, this affliction could be a means of failure or success for:-

a) The orphan
b) The community

For the orphan and all those suffering any hardship whatsoever we advise to adopt contentment. Human beings do not have much of a choice as regards divine Decree which is the sole right of Allah, the Almighty. The true barometer to gauge one’s contentment (and even other characteristics) with Allah is when one encounters a difficulty. We should remember that if we are pleased with Allah, He is pleased with us. Contentment opens the door to paradise. On the other hand being dissatisfied with Allah’s will is a sure recipe to anxiety and grief.

The responsibility of the community is to make arrangements for the well being and proper upbringing of the orphans. The founders of Darul Yatama Wal Masakeen have indeed done a great favour upon the Muslim community of KwaZulu-Natal by fulfilling this Farz-e-Kifaaya. The establishment and functioning for the last 75 years of the Darul Yatama Wal Masakeen is indeed a great achievement. May Allah reward abundantly the founders, former and present Trustees of this organisation.

It is our dua that Allah continues to grant success to the sincere leaders of Darul Yatama Wal Masakeen and take this organisation from strength to strength and may Allah grant all workers at the Darul Yatama the strength and wisdom to fulfil their responsibilities in a manner that is pleasing to Allah.

Finally, may Allah instil in the Muslim community the generosity to assist and provide hope to those who are vulnerable and feeble. Ameen.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Respected Board Members and Staff of Darul Yatama Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakaatuh.

We pray that you are in good health and spiritual well being.

Alhumdudilah, it is with tremendous gratification that we witness yet another milestone in your institution’s growth on the occasion of the 75th Anniversary of the Darul Yatama Wal Masakeen.

May the Almighty take your Institution from strength to strength and reward all those instrumental in its good works. It is important for the success of all our organisations that we operate within the Sharia principles at all times.

May Allah Ta’ ala also accept all our efforts; make it a means of the Ummah’s salvation in the Aakhirah and may He fill the graves of all deceased members with Nur.

Please convey, if convenient, my salaams to the board members and staff of Darul Yatama Wal Masakeen. The Ulama of Darul Ihsan also convey their salaams and best wishes to all.

Shukran
Was Salaam

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Sunni Jamiatul Ulema places on record, our heartfelt congratulations to the members and volunteers of Darul Yatama Wal Masakeen on its 75th year celebration of service to the poor and destitute.

Bearing in mind the illustrious founder Hazrath Moulana Mukthar Ahmed Siddique (R.A.) profound vision initiated the formation of this institute in 1934, whilst today we reap the benefits of fruition from the wisdom of this great personality.

The Sunni Jamiatul Ulema has always enjoyed a close bond with Darul Yatama Wal Masakeen. Firstly due to the founder and our admiration for his sterling vision, furthermore due to our late President Hazrath Moulana Dr. Abbas Khan (R.A.) who was an active life member of Darul Yatama Wal Masakeen.

May Allah (SWT) reward all associated with this institute and may He accept all their endeavours.

Ameen.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Heartfelt congratulations on your 75th Anniversary.

To man 75 years is a life time! During their time you have one and all, with love and dedication given of your time, health, wealth and expertise through the Grace of Allah (SWT), to ensure comfort of others in need.

Not only have you given to the needy what was immediate in want but more importantly, you have also equipped them spiritually, educationally and psychologically empowering them to take a meaningful part in the society. Subhanallah.

May Allah (SWT) bless you all abundantly; the founding members, today’s Board of Directors and all other individuals constructively involved in the running of Darul Yatama Wal Masakeen.

The addition of Baitul Hifazat and Baitul Firdaus, Homes for Senior Mothers and Fathers, has addressed a pressing issue in our highly technological age where upward and outward mobility has fractured many families leaving senior members bereft.

The quality care given to all in the Institute is unprecedented. May you all go from strength to strength; our duas are always with you.

For your magnanimity to those who are underprivileged in one or many aspects of life may Allah (SWT) reward you all in this world and in the Hereafter.

Ameen

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Al Ansaar Foundation is indeed very proud to be associated with the Muslim Darul Yatama Wal Masakeen’s 75th Anniversary. To be serving a community for that long a period of time is no doubt a great achievement considering the fact that this was through a historical era of great political instability, economic downturns and social upheaval in South Africa. In the context of world history, the formation of the organisation dates back to the pre-world war years at a time when Africa was reeling from its colonisation and in the global front the looming threat of a world war prevailing. In was amidst such national and international context that this organisation was established as a vision of its creative founders, Moulana Mukhtar Ahmed Siddiqui.

The name in itself, “Darul Yatama Wal Masakeen (Home for the Orphans and Needy) conjures a sense of protection, safeguard, stability and security. The implication to the needy and the orphan in the midst of such local and international tension is clear: here is a place of aman (peace) for you, a place of stability for you. One can only imagine the impact that the institution had at the time of its establishment and its subsequent history.

The development and progress of Muslim Darul Yatama Wal Masakeen since its establishment is documented elsewhere in this brochure and reveals the outstanding contribution it has made to the Muslims of South Africa. We recall the early days when the only organised Institution available to Muslims for the dispersal of their zakaat and sadaqah in particular, was through the Darul Yatama. The Al Ansaar Foundation salutes its founders and members who served this institution. May Allah grant them a high status in Jannah. These are individuals and leaders, who personified the verse of the Qur’an wherein Allah (SWT) says,

“(The righteous are those) who feed the poor, the orphan and the captive for the love of Allah saying: We feed you for the sake of Allah alone; we seek from you neither reward nor thanks.”

Since the Al Ansaar Foundation is a new organisational formation (1990’s), the relationship with the Darul Yatama is for the last decade or so. The Foundation relishes the grand moments of mutual work with some key members of the Darul Yatama, such as the present Chairperson, Ebrahim Moosa and the Late Essop Timol. This new founded relationship grew into a strong bond of mutual help and assistance leading to the joint distribution of wheel-chairs to the needy recently.

In conclusion, the Al Ansaar Foundation pays tribute to its present members who have carried this mantel of responsibility and who have so successfully and strategically sustained its development. The challenge, of course is to respond to the needs of the times and to develop the succeeding generations of young people to carry the process further. In fact, is this not only our collective organisational challenge? May Allah accept our efforts. Ameen

Was Salaam

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We place on report our best wishes to the Darul Yatama Wal Masakeen in celebrating 75 years of serving the community. Alhamdulillah, they have done a sterling job in serving the orphan and the destitute in the country.

Whilst celebrating this event, we also remember the tireless efforts of its founders and members who have passed on. May Allah (SWT) reward them.

The Africa Muslim Agency in its 30th year of existence has equally understood – like Darul Yatama Wal Masakeen – the need and the tremendous reward in serving the yateem and miskeen and are currently doing so across 34 countries in the continent of Africa.

The Holy Quran says:
“......And they feed, for the love of Allah, the indigent, the orphan, and the captive...”

The Prophet (SAW) is reported to have said:

“I and the person who looks after an orphan will be in Paradise together like this...”
(He then raised his forefinger and middle finger together.)

We wish the Darul Yatama Wal Masakeen greater strength and success for the future.

Was Salaamu Alaikum.