A Cape Town institution for the deaf say they are ecstatic after they were blessed with a property to erect their own school.
A generous benefactor, who wants to remain unnamed, will assist as far as possible with building the school.
Al-Waagah was in the news earlier this year when, in a first for South Africa, they took a group of 58 deaf people on a holy pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia.
The cost of the Umrah was carried by the community, two community radio stations and an Islamic TV channel.
Al-Waagah chairperson, Cassiem de Wet, said the trip was a major success and they prayed hard for their school, and now that dream is also becoming a reality.
BLESSED: Cassiem de Wet of Al-Waagah
The small madressa is currently situated in Gleemoor Road, in Gleemoor, and Cassiem says with the larger school, they will be able to assist even more members of the differently abled community.
“Our Umrah was a massive PR exercise to put feelers out. We felt that if we garnered enough attention to our cause, everything else we had planned would happen as well,” he says.
“We have an, as yet, secret benefactor who told us to identify property to build the school. We did, and he purchased it for us. He will also help us to build the school. This is our dream come true, a campus for our deaf ummah (community).”
He says things are moving swiftly along, but can’t yet say when they expect the new school to open.