SINGAPORE - He was supported by a Mendaki scholarship while studying at Edith Cowan University from 1993 to 1996, and his degree in business provided him with a platform to pursue a career in banking and fintech.
Grateful for the help he received, Mr Amran Mohd, director of fintech company Ethis Global, felt it was time to give back, and last month, the 54-year-old donated $50,000 to self-help group Yayasan Mendaki.
Said Mr Amran: "Now is the time for me to contribute and pay it forward to support the students in our community."
Yayasan Mendaki said in a press release on Monday (Feb 28) that three donations worth a total of $250,000 had been made in the last two months to help Muslim students further their studies and achieve their dreams.
The three donors are Mr Amran, entrepreneur Juzar Saleh Motiwalla and his wife, and heritage centre manager ND Society, in collaboration with Jamae (Chulia) Mosque and Al-Abrar Mosque.
The money will go towards Education Trust Fund (ETF) bursaries and Mendaki scholarships named after the donors.
Mr Amran's donation of $50,000 set up the Amran Mohd Bursary under the ETF. The fund, which will run from 2022 to 2026, will help students from the Institute of Technical Education (ITE).
Mr and Mrs Motiwalla donated $50,000 to set up The Saleh and Gato Motiwalla Bursary under the ETF from 2022 to 2026, and The Saleh and Gato Motiwalla Scholarship under Mendaki from 2022 to 2025. Mr Motiwalla is a fourth-generation Motiwalla in Singapore and has been an academic, venture capitalist and tech entrepreneur.
These schemes will benefit students from ITEs and polytechnics.
ND Society, in collaboration with Jamae (Chulia) Mosque and Al-Abrar Mosque, donated $150,000 to set up the Jamae Kalvi Bursary under the ETF from 2022 to 2024. Students from ITEs, polytechnics and universities are expected to benefit from it.
Mr Shaick Fakrudeen, president of ND Society, which coordinates the management of the Nagore Dargah Indian Muslim Heritage Centre, said: "This partnership with Mendaki will open doors and spur our students on in the community. We hope that our students will continue to excel academically and contribute back to the community in the future."
Minister of State for Home Affairs and National Development Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim witnessed the agreement signing between Mendaki and ND Society on Monday.
Dr Faishal said The Jamae Kalvi Bursary is an example of how the community can come together and contribute towards a common cause.
He said: "I am heartened by the efforts by ND Society, Masjid Jamae Chulia and Masjid Al-Abrar in being part of the journey to see our students achieve success. I am also glad that the donors will be tapping their vast networks to provide internship and job opportunities for the bursary recipients.
"Beyond corporate donors, I would like to encourage our community to step forward and support our youth towards their pursuit of academic excellence."
