He listed the countries as: Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bangladesh, Thailand, Iraq, Syria, Palestine, Yemen, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Uganda, Benin, Chad, Cote d’ Ivoire, Sudan, Somalia, Kenya, Mali, Egypt, Senegal, Nigeria, Bulgaria and Macedonia.
He pointed out that the organization has contributed to the financing of the establishment and operation of 31 educational institutions consisting of schools, institutes, colleges and universities in these countries.
According to Basha, the IIROSA has built three institutes in Sudan’s southern cities of Malakal, Juba and Wau to provide education to 3,947 boy and girl students. In Kenya the organization has set up a college for the preparation of teachers to cover the shortage of teachers of Islamic education.
“Saudi philanthropists have played a significant role in financing the establishment of this college which is the only one of its kind in East Africa,” he added.
Basha said the organization established Umm Al-Qura Institute in Abadan, Nigeria, in 1999 with 29 classrooms accommodating 609 boy and girl students.
“IIROSA has also established the Jala Islamic University in Thailand which is being attended by 2,503 students studying Arabic, origin of religion, public administration, finance, economy and Islamic banking in addition to Islamic history and various other Islamic Shariah subjects,” he said.
He recalled that the organization had contributed to the establishment of King Faisal University in Chad that consists of four colleges teaching Arabic language, Islamic education, computer engineering and economy.
“IIROSA has also established a university in the Pakistani Punjab Province with colleges for Islamic studies, Arabic language and translation. A total of 533 girl students are currently enrolled in the university,” he added.
Basha said the colleges and schools financed by IIROSA in Ethiopia about six years ago are providing education to 5,016 boy and girl students.
He pointed out that in Senegal, the IIROSA has built the Dar Al-Hekma Islamic Education Complex with 12 classrooms, 450 students and 15 teachers.
Basha said the organization opened its first school in Djibouti during the academic year 2009-2010 where 150 boy and girl students are currently being enrolled.
“In Saudi Arabia, IIROSA has contributed to the establishment of 37 schools in Makkah consisting of 420 classrooms and accommodating 13,171 African and Burmese students,” he said.
IIROSA has supported the establishment of 21 special centers for the disabled students in Jeddah which are being supervised by the ministries of Social Affairs and Health, he added.
Basha indicated that the organization has extended scholarships to 124 students of 15 different nationalities to enable them to have their higher education in various fields, including Islamic studies, medicine, engineering, Arabic language, social sciences and others.
He stressed that IIROSA is keen to contribute to the spread of education and reduction of illiteracy in Islamic countries and Muslim communities in non-Muslim countries.
The secretary-general appreciated the support of Saudi philanthropists to IIROSA’s activities in the field of education and called for more efforts to provide educational opportunities for millions of young men and women in Muslim countries and Muslim communities in non-Muslim countries.
