By Aida Mokhtar
GOMBAK, 16 April 2023: The IIUM Ibn Ummi Maktum Club (I-MaC) and the Disability Services Unit (DSU) of the IIUM hosted an Iftar for Orphans from Rumah Anak Yatim Shifa’ that is based in Setapak, in the Banquet Hall of the Muhammad Abdul-Rauf Building (MAR), IIUM, Wednesday (12 April 2023). There were 17 orphans and six caregivers who attended the Iftar along with members of I-Mac that were IIUM students with disabilities (SwDs) and volunteers.
The Head of the Disability Services Unit (DSU), Prof. Dr Ruzita Mohd Amin, in her speech, mentioned that this was a special iftar to allow the orphans to meet with SwDs who are studying for their undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in the IIUM, with the hope that they would be inspired to study in university.
She also informed the audience that there are 92 students with disabilities in the university, who are both Malaysians and international students, from all seven categories of disabilities, and 14 of them have autism. Prof. Dr. Ruzita continued by sharing the success story of a student from Sudan who is a wheelchair user that completed her PhD despite the challenges she encountered along the way.
The Iftar continued with a speech from Madam Zarinah Jan Binti Yusof Khan, the Special Assistant (Research) to the Deputy Rector, Office of the Deputy Rector (Student Development & Community Engagement) who highlighted on the blessings of the last 10 days of Ramadhan.
The master of ceremony role and welcoming speech were conducted by Br. Amiruddin Bin Abdullah the President of I-MaC himself, who is blind. Another item of the Iftar programme was the collective reading of the Mathurat which ensued with the iftar and intermingling of guests.***