Young Women Muslim Association of Singapore
Encyclopedia
The Young Women Muslim Association of Singapore (YWMA) or more commonly known as Perstauan Pemudi Islam Singapura, (in Malay
), is the oldest Muslim
women organization in the world, and a household name for the Muslim community in Singapore
.
and divorce
, and a majority were unskilled and uneducated. This worrying status of the Muslim women sparked off the idea of an association where Muslim women professionals would volunteer to conduct classes for the women in their community and educate them on their rights
, language (English and Jawi) and religious studies
.
This led to a community where the women could earn a little income for themselves and learnt not to be entirely dependent on their husbands. This empowerment of women sparked off more Muslim women to develop their interests and contribute more to society.
In the mid-1960s, the YWMA organized its first fundraising event, Malam International. The funds from this event was used to kick off many other self-development courses for women in the years to come.
The YWMA formulated courses that were more catered to the growing modern world, such as Basic Electricity
Course, Financial Management
courses. The YWMA started to conduct flag-days, with help from student volunteers, to fund their activities.
With more funding, the YWMA extended its services to beyond that of just developing housewives. The Social Affairs Department of YWMA started to visit several girls' homes to tutor
and mentor
these young girls so that they could learn to rebuild their lives.
to being a serious organization. The YWMA set up its first kindergarten
to emphasize the importance of early education in the Muslim community. Within the kindergartens, there were courses for the parents, such as Effective Parenting
and Personal Growth. Such courses were aimed at creating a strong family unit, which would nurture children who would grow up to be aspiring adults.
In addition, the rise in Malay youth delinquency and young un-wed mothers led to the YWMA opening up a professional counseling service for distressed youths and families. Professional social workers were employed and camps and other workshops were conducted to bond youths and strengthen their faith in their religion.
Malay language
Malay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore...
), is the oldest Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
women organization in the world, and a household name for the Muslim community in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
.
History
It was founded by a group of young Muslim women professionals in 1952, before Singapore's self-governance. This group of aspiring young women, led by Taj Namazie, and under the patronage of Puan Noor Aishah, realized that the Muslim women did not know their rights pertaining to marriageMarriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
and divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
, and a majority were unskilled and uneducated. This worrying status of the Muslim women sparked off the idea of an association where Muslim women professionals would volunteer to conduct classes for the women in their community and educate them on their rights
1950s – 1960s
The YWMA started off with very little money to run their services and no place to hold their activities. Most of the activities were held in a local Malay school (Telok Kurau Girls’ School) and meetings were held at co-founder Aishah Alsagoff’s home. During this period, the YWMA fought for their rights of women in the Islamic Syariah court and had basic courses on dressmaking, cookingCooking
Cooking is the process of preparing food by use of heat. Cooking techniques and ingredients vary widely across the world, reflecting unique environmental, economic, and cultural traditions. Cooks themselves also vary widely in skill and training...
, language (English and Jawi) and religious studies
Religious studies
Religious studies is the academic field of multi-disciplinary, secular study of religious beliefs, behaviors, and institutions. It describes, compares, interprets, and explains religion, emphasizing systematic, historically based, and cross-cultural perspectives.While theology attempts to...
.
This led to a community where the women could earn a little income for themselves and learnt not to be entirely dependent on their husbands. This empowerment of women sparked off more Muslim women to develop their interests and contribute more to society.
In the mid-1960s, the YWMA organized its first fundraising event, Malam International. The funds from this event was used to kick off many other self-development courses for women in the years to come.
1970s
As Singapore attained independence and the government trying to industrialize the young city-state, the YWMA stepped up their services to prepare the Muslim women for the challenges of a changing society.The YWMA formulated courses that were more catered to the growing modern world, such as Basic Electricity
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
Course, Financial Management
Managerial finance
Managerial finance is the branch of finance that concerns itself with the managerial significance of finance techniques. It is focused on assessment rather than technique....
courses. The YWMA started to conduct flag-days, with help from student volunteers, to fund their activities.
With more funding, the YWMA extended its services to beyond that of just developing housewives. The Social Affairs Department of YWMA started to visit several girls' homes to tutor
Tutor
A tutor is a person employed in the education of others, either individually or in groups. To tutor is to perform the functions of a tutor.-Teaching assistance:...
and mentor
Mentor
In Greek mythology, Mentor was the son of Alcimus or Anchialus. In his old age Mentor was a friend of Odysseus who placed Mentor and Odysseus' foster-brother Eumaeus in charge of his son Telemachus, and of Odysseus' palace, when Odysseus left for the Trojan War.When Athena visited Telemachus she...
these young girls so that they could learn to rebuild their lives.
1980s
The 1980s was significant as it saw the YWMA shift from small scale courses and social workSocial work
Social Work is a professional and academic discipline that seeks to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of an individual, group, or community by intervening through research, policy, community organizing, direct practice, and teaching on behalf of those afflicted with poverty or any real or...
to being a serious organization. The YWMA set up its first kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
to emphasize the importance of early education in the Muslim community. Within the kindergartens, there were courses for the parents, such as Effective Parenting
Parenting
Parenting is the process of promoting and supporting the physical, emotional, social, and intellectual development of a child from infancy to adulthood...
and Personal Growth. Such courses were aimed at creating a strong family unit, which would nurture children who would grow up to be aspiring adults.
1990s - Present
The services provided by the YWMA in the 1980s expanded and carried on well into the 1990s, with more kindergartens and childcare centers. However, with the introduction of self-help groups, the YWMA stopped its tutoring and focused more on helping single parent families with very low income. Young mothers were taught how to cope with financial burdens and the stress of bringing up children. The YWMA provided emotional support of such young women.In addition, the rise in Malay youth delinquency and young un-wed mothers led to the YWMA opening up a professional counseling service for distressed youths and families. Professional social workers were employed and camps and other workshops were conducted to bond youths and strengthen their faith in their religion.