The American Federation of Muslims of Indian origin (AFMI) will hold its 27th international educational conference in Patna on December 21-23. AFMI is working for the educational progress in Muslim boys and girls for nearly three decades. AFMI was established in 1989 by some Muslim doctors in America who originally belonged to Gujarat. Initially, their activities were only in Gujarat but later on it was extended whole of country. Apart from scholarship, AFMI is working on its 140 schemes including a computer centre at Bhagalpur besides its schools in Kolkata, Mumbai, Gujarat, Ranchi and other places.
AFMI founder and chairman A R Nakadar said that illiteracy was the root cause of all the problems and if this problem us sorted out all other socio, economic and political problems could be solved.
Dr Nakadar said AFMI was established in 1989 to start educational campaign for Muslims as the literacy rate among the community was less than 30 percent which has now grown to 70 percent as per Government of India statistics. The AFMI conferences have been attended by three Prime Ministers and a number of Governors, Chief Ministers and Central Ministers. It's conference in Patna in 1996 was attended by then PM HD Deve Gowda.
Giving many examples of how poor people gathered courage to get their children educated and their fortunes changed. He said, “Illiteracy is because of poverty and poverty is because of illiteracy,” but added that poverty was not hereditary and it could be removed with education.Organising committee chairman of the conference Dr A A Hai said drop out at school level by Muslim students has become a major issue which stops their way to higher education. Organising secretary Khurshid Ahmad said AFMI has become a big name in philanthropy and charity in education and the US senate has praised its works. At the three day conference about 200 delegates from India and abroad will participate.