School joy for fatherless brothers

Aniqa HAIDER

BAHRAIN: Two former students in Bahrain will continue their education in a private school in Sri Lanka thanks to the support of the Sri Lankan Muslims Welfare organisation.Sri Lankans Tariq and Raed Rasool, aged 15 and nine, lost their father Tuan Faris Rasool last December when he suffered a severe brain haemorrhage.

The Asian School students had been unable to continue their education due to lack of financial support. However, the death of the long-time Bahrain resident prompted the Sri Lankan community to rally together to raise money for his sons’ education.

The organisation was able to raise Baharain Dirams 3,500 towards the cost of their studies in Sri Lanka and has pledged to continue sending money.

The children, along with their mother Neigh Janeera Rasool, left Bahrain on July 13 and returned to Colombo.

“Organisation members and well-wishers worked day and night to raise funds,” said member Rukundheen Bader-ud-Din.

“We are trying to raise more funds to send them financial aid for the next few months, until they are fully settled.

“I am regularly calling and checking how they are doing. As the children were born in Bahrain, they had some difficulty settling there but managed it with time.

“They are joining one of the best private schools in their city next week, which is good news for all of us here, as we worked really hard to get financial aid for them.”

Rasool had lived in Bahrain for 23 years and worked as a managing partner at Able Freight Express, Ras Ruman.

He died at Salmaniya Medical Complex after suffering a sudden stroke during work.

Rasool worked for seven years as a secretary at Shamlan Manpower Services Company, but resigned after her younger son was born.

Gulf Daily News, Bahrain