Al Mahdi centre of Bilal Muslim Mission of Kenya is located at Samburu village, in Rural area of Kinango District. The facilities at this Centre are Masjid, classrooms for Madrasah and Pre-Primary Schools.
Bilal Muslim Mission of Kenya is sponsoring teachers in Madrasah, Pre-Primary school and Islamic Religious Education ( IRE ) in Samburu Primary School. The number of Shia families in the centre is 275.
Samburu Secondary School, 3km far from the Al Mahdi centre, is a public school set up in around 1997 by the Local community.The school, having population of 450 students, admits both boys and girl students. Presently the number of muslim students is 114 out of which 55 are followers of Shia Ithna Asheri faith.
Bilal Muslim Mission of Kenya has had a long association with Samburu Secondary school such that it is a home name to the School fraternity where the Shia Ithna Asheri faith is recognized and given consideration in all school affairs. During Muharram Annual Husayn Day Seminars for Secondary School are hosted in this school where more than 350 students from other Secondary schools are in attendance.
The Islamic Religious Education ( IRE) Classes as per the National Curriculum is being imparted at Samburu Secondary School by Teacher sponsored by the Mission. The efforts of the teacher has enabled the School to achieve certificates of recognition for Best improved subject in 2006, Second best IRE school in the District for the year 2007 and Second best subject in the school 2008.
The nearest masjid is situated at Samburu Trading Centre some 1km from the school. In order to perform Dhuhr salah, the muslim students walk to this masjid. They have to cross the busy Mombasa / Nairobi highway and this poses a concern for safety of the students. The masjid is operated by Ahlu Sunnah and many times the students have been exposed to anti shia teachings being preached in this masjid.
In order to uphold school discipline and maintain security the school Board has now prohibited students to exit the school compound during school hours i.e. from 7:00 am to 5:00pm.
In this regard the school has sent an appeal to Bilal Muslim Mission of Kenya for construction of a prayer hall in the school compound. Attached is the sketch plan. ( Note that the entrance for male will be centre position of the rear wal linstead of extreme left as shown on sketch. Accordingly the ablution taps / seats will be repositioned)
The cost of the project is estimated to be KShs 1 890 000/= .
This is a good opportunity for BMMK to continue maintaining our presence and involvement in the affairs of the school. Let us grab this opportunity before other groups who have already visited the School respond and use it as a base in the school to reach out to the youths and carry out Anti- Shia propaganda.
So far we have managed to raise KShs 1 099 235/=. There is still a shortfall of KShs 790 765/=
With salaams and duas,
Abbas Nasser
Chairman BMMK