Two years ago, Hamed Safwi started the Haider Aziz Safwi Career Development Centre in memory of his father. His father was a politician who served as an MLA for about 7.5 years before passing away in 2018. The centre, located in the Taj Mahal Library in Uluberia, now helps 600 students. It provides free access to expensive books for exams like IIT-JEE, NEET, and CAT.
Digital Learning Bridges the Gap
Safwi, who studied economics at St. Xavier’s University in Kolkata, also set up an e-Shiksha Centre. This digital learning centre gives students access to laptops, internet, and online coaching. It can help up to 80 students. Safwi said, “Access to books was the first step. To truly help Uluberia’s youth learn better, I started the e-Shiksha Centre for better access to the digital world.”
Last year, Safwi opened two more digital literacy centres. These help people who struggle with technology, especially with filling out forms online. One centre works with a local club, while the other partners with Hart Memorial Primary School.
Community Support and Future Plans
The community has been very helpful, donating books, old laptops, and even stools. Safwi runs these projects with a “Zero Cash policy,” focusing on providing resources rather than money. He mostly funds the initiatives himself.
S K Faruk, a local coordinator, said the e-Shiksha Centre helps up to 30 students daily, many from far-off places. It’s open from 10 am to 4 pm and gives students resources to take home.
Safwi is working with Prof. Souvik Mukherjee from St. Xavier’s University to help even more students. “We’re planning to meet the community’s educational needs, making sure every student can access good resources and support for their studies,” Safwi said.
These efforts are especially important in Uluberia, which has many Muslim residents who often can’t afford expensive coaching for top college entrance exams.
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