Making best use of her education and excellent networking skills, Nasreen Sattar’s Seeds of Success, an organization
which combines philanthropy with grassroots activism is reaching out to help people, irrespective of religion, caste,
creed and gender. Her example needs to be emulated by the community today.
How many of us make good, productive use of our time? Youngsters these days prefer to use their time having what they call ‘a good time’. Some spend their parents’ hard-earned money buying fancy mobiles, cars and bikes, while others choose to idle away their time
worrying about the future, wallowing in self-pity, fearing the past, present and future and in endless mental chatter. In the self-imposed pressure to have a “good time,” many girls and boys are losing focus about what to do with their lives. They
drown themselves in negativity, losing out on the best years of their life.
People today need inspirational figures who are doing work at the grass-roots level. Nasreen Sattar is one such young woman who has her own family and home to take care of, but has embraced the idea of humanity as her family, too. In a world of ” I”, “mine” “me”, where the focus remains on the self, Nasreen has broken the fences of caste, creed, religion and community and extended generous help and guidance to numerous people and organizations, seeking to address many issues and problems plaguing society today.
Six months ago, Nasreen decided to set up an organization, named Seeds of Success or SOS for short. The focus: doing good for humanity at large, and helping the poor and needy, irrespective of religion, gender and caste. SOS now has 20 to 25 donors who are individuals, each of whom regularly donates money to the organization, which, in turn, is used on various causes and is given to various organizations engaged directly with people, in need. Members of SOS, who include people from different communities,
meet once in a month to discuss the causes and organizations to whom the funds that they have collected should be given, as well as other social issues. Some donors give funds, while few contribute their time by visiting the organizations, while some donors do both”¦ give funds and also visit organizations. Hailing from a business family from Bangalore, Nasreen studied at Sophia’s School and then at
Mount Carmel. At 21, she joined her family business and learnt the ropes of life and business at an early age. She continues to work with the Safina Software Park and divides the rest of her time between her delightful little daughter and her philanthropic work. asreen, also is involved with various women’s groups, and feels strongly about many of the issues that they take up. She contributes her time, intellect and motivational skills to Seva, an NGO which supports self employment of over 5000 women.
“We visit various organizations in Bangalore-working with spastics, the visually impaired, cancer patients, accident victims, people requiring treatment for various illnesses, the mentally challenged, orphans, destitutes, widows, women in distress, women and children welfare groups. We see how they function and try to understand their needs. Then, we channelize the funds that we collect
accordingly and try to ensure that the money is used properly. SOS donors spread the word around through their personal contacts and even the social media,” says Nasreen. “The unique aspect about SOS is that we are not just donors, but activists, too. Many organizations focus only on collecting and disbursing funds, and some only on activism, but we have combined both. Also, we work with many organisations and not just Muslim ones,” she explains. Nasreen also feels that Muslims need to reach out to and be engaged with others through philanthropic involvement in many social issues and problems. “Being mindfully aware of the changing society, we also explore many new upcoming organizations who are involved in working for the needy, the poor and the distressed. We
do good research and also inform people about these new organizations so that they too are aware and can reach out to help them,” she adds. “Muslims, like any other community, have countless things to worry about”¦. the old and the aged who have nochildren or relatives to take care of them, widows, victims of domestic violence, children who are victims of physical and verbal abuse, single men and women. Where will these individuals live if their families or other relatives take no responsibility for them?Youngsters in the community should now take charge of these issues, reflect on them and get into practical action to set up humanitarian homes for them.
Being a good human being is what Islam teaches,” asserts Nasreen. Life is a journey on a road paved with both rough and smooth pebbles. Everybody goes through crisis, traumas, loss, as well as victories, happiness and gains. We can cross the bridge of life with a smile if we want to. Being positive despite all the negatives around us is what true courage means. Nasreen has shown the way with her
grit, determination and positive approach towards life. She is seeking to reach out to humanity with her practical involvement in caring for the needy and those in distress. What a refreshing contrast to people who are out there, wasting their time in vain pursuits.
The community should reflect on this Hadith which encompasses the concept of humanitarian approach towards society as a whole, and taking the Prophetic example in their lives. Abdullah ibn Amr (RA) reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said, “Those who are merciful will be given mercy by the Merciful. Be merciful to those on the earth and the One above the heavens will have mercy on you.” [Sunan Abu Dawud, Book 40, Number 4941, Hasan]. Seeds of Success invites support from like-minded individuals to
join their mission by reaching out to those in pain and distress. For more details about SOS, and on how you can be part of it, email Nasreen Sattar at [email protected] or Ph: 9972278699
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