What is TKN?
Time and Knowledge Nazrana (TKN) is an unconditional gift of Time and Knowledge offered by murids world-wide to Mawlana Hazar Imam during his Golden Jubilee. TKN is based on the tradition of acquiring and sharing knowledge, which is a pillar of Shia Ismaili Muslim history and identity.
Posted on Monday, 12 October 2015
By Ashiff Waljee
The Story
Location: Toronto, Kitchener, Hamilton, Vancouver, Montreal, Calgary and Ottawa in Canada
The contribution of TKN volunteers has been instrumental in the success of the Girls Mentorship Program of Canada.
The program is designed to provide a support system for teenage girls during critical years in their lives. Mentees are paired with mentors who are professional women with whom they can relate. These mentors are committed to supporting youth through the exploration of various life decisions such as future career paths, homework, part-time jobs, peer pressure, issues with friends and family relationships. Each mentor caters to the unique needs of the mentees and is supported by a highly trained management team.
The program includes parents as part of the process so that they can help build on the strength of the program. Mentors are encouraged to visit their mentees at home to get to know their families.
Findings
During one of these visits, a TKN volunteer mentor found that her mentee and siblings came home after school and went straight to the TV and computer. Homework time was virtually non-existent. Working with the mentee’s mother, the mentor helped establish a structure of discipline and routine for the children in which they came home, washed up and had a snack while they did their homework for two hours per day. After a number of months, the children were better behaved and their grades improved. The regular homework routine also helped the mentee complete high school. As a result, she is currently pursuing a college nursing program.
In another example, a mentee was trying to decide whether to become a wildlife photographer. Her mentor helped her research what it takes to pursue this career including how much time wildlife photographers spend in the field. The mentee realized that wildlife photographers spend days on end in the wild in uncomfortable situations, waiting for the opportune moment for a prized photo. Through the exploration, the mentee determined that wildlife photography was not the career she wanted to pursue after all. Although she decided to pursue something different, she was grateful for the opportunity to explore a career that she thought could be a possibility before ruling it out.
Discover, Explore and Learn more via Time and Knowledge Nazrana | TKN Stories | Making an Impact on Female Youth –The Girls Mentorship Program
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