Shaagird Foundation

Shaagird is an education initiative to ensure learning for the survivors of mob lynching, communal violence, demolitions & refugees in India.

[Aasif Mujtaba @MujtabaAasif]

https://t.co/QTqEE4lVRR

These children have either witnessed unimaginable violence and loss or were born as refugees in a land where they continue to face uncertainty and hardship. Childhood, for many of them, was taken away far too soon.

At the Gerda Philipsborn Centre of Learning by @miles2smile_, we are trying to bring back the smiles they lost. Through learning, friendship, and creativity, these children are slowly rediscovering joy, hope, and the freedom to dream again.

This 3-minute film was made entirely by the students themselves. Their laughter, their stories, and their dreams shine through every frame. Please take a moment to watch it.

[Aasif Mujtaba @MujtabaAasif]

This evening I talked to Kayamuddin sahab, father of Shahzad from Siwan who was brutally lynched by a Hindu mob last week. Through @miles2smile_ we sent an immediate relief assistance of Rs 50,000 to him & have also promised to ensure education of Shahzad’s Kids through @Shaagird__ . Still, the major work is to ensure that the killers get a severe punishment to act as a deterrent to these communal hate killings.

[Aasif Mujtaba @MujtabaAasif]

This Eid al-Adha, your compassion is reaching some of the most forgotten and suffering families across India. Alhamdulillah, we have been able to arrange 20 buffaloes and 6 goats for Qurbani distribution — bringing dignity, food, and moments of happiness to communities living through unimaginable hardships.

From demolition survivors in Assam who lost their homes overnight, to disaster-affected families in Kashmir struggling to rebuild their lives, to persecuted refugee families in Nuh, Haryana surviving under fear and uncertainty — this Qurbani is more than just meat distribution. It is a message that they are not alone, not forgotten, and still part of our collective Ummah.

For many children in these camps and relief centres, Eid meals come only once a year. Mothers wait silently, hoping they can feed their children properly on Eid day. Your support turns that hope into reality.

@miles2smile_ #miles2smile

[Aasif Mujtaba @MujtabaAasif]

https://t.co/mToIUM8pYi

“मामू, जब मैं भी बड़ा हो जाऊंगा, क्या आप मुझे भी स्कूल भेजेंगे? मुझे भी भाई के साथ पढ़ना है…”

अरवान ने ये बात इतनी मासूमियत से कही कि दिल अंदर तक टूट गया।

आज से तकरीबन 3 साल पहले हम इस फैमिली से मिले थे। अरवान के वालिद जुनैद और उनके भाई नासिर को काउ विजिलांटे मोनू मानेसर और उसके गैंग ने बेरहमी से पीटकर ज़िंदा जला दिया था। पीछे रह गया था एक टूटा हुआ घर, डरे हुए बच्चे और एक मां जो इतने बड़े ग़म के साथ जीने की कोशिश कर रही थी।

तब हमने इस फैमिली का साथ देने का फैसला किया।

Miles2Smile के प्रोजेक्ट उम्मीद के ज़रिए हमने साजिदा के लिए एक छोटा सा रोज़गार शुरू करवाया ताकि वो इज़्ज़त के साथ अपने बच्चों की परवरिश कर सके। उसी साल शागिर्द प्रोग्राम के तहत अरवान के दो भाइयों का एडमिशन बोर्डिंग स्कूल में करवाया गया। धीरे-धीरे ज़िंदगी फिर से संभलती हुई नज़र आने लगी। साजिदा की दुकान से इतनी कमाई होने लगी कि घर चल सके और बच्चों की तालीम भी जारी रहे।

लेकिन इम्तेहान अभी खत्म नहीं हुआ था।

साजिदा की 14 साल की बेटी परनवाना अपने वालिद की मौत का सदमा बर्दाश्त नहीं कर पाई। अपने वालिद के जले हुए जिस्म को कपड़े में लिपटा देखना उसके ज़ेहन से कभी नहीं निकला। हमने उसे समझाने और तसल्ली देने की बहुत कोशिश की, लेकिन कुछ दर्द अल्फाज़ से बड़े होते हैं। आखिरकार वो मासूम बच्ची भी इस ग़म को बर्दाश्त न कर सकी।

पिछले रमज़ान जब हम दोबारा फैमिली से मिले, अरवान फिर मेरे पास आया और पूछा:

“मामू, मेरा स्कूल में एडमिशन कब कराएंगे?”

मैंने कहा,
“इंशाअल्लाह, इसी साल।”

और अल्हम्दुलिल्लाह, मई की शुरुआत में ही अरवान का एडमिशन उसी बोर्डिंग स्कूल में हो गया जहां उसके भाई पढ़ रहे हैं। जो बच्चा कभी नफरत और ग़म के साए में खड़ा था, आज वो स्कूल यूनिफॉर्म पहनकर अपने मुस्तकबिल की तरफ बढ़ रहा है।

लेकिन अरवान जैसे आज भी हजारों बच्चे हैं।

ऐसे बच्चे जिन्होंने नफरत में अपने वालिद खो दिए।
ऐसे बच्चे जो सिर्फ एक मौके का इंतज़ार कर रहे हैं।
ऐसे children जिनका सिर्फ एक ख़्वाब है — स्कूल जाना और पढ़ना।

आप भी किसी एक अरवान की ज़िंदगी बदल सकते हैं।

किसी बच्चे की तालीम स्पॉन्सर कीजिए। सिर्फ मदद नहीं, उन्हें एक मुस्तकबिल, हिफाज़त और उम्मीद दीजिए ।

https://t.co/mToIUM8pYi

[Aasif Mujtaba @MujtabaAasif]

https://t.co/mToIUM8pYi

There are stories that fade in quite easily, and then there are stories that are remembered long because of the way they were written. Miles 2 Smile presents before you such long-remembered stories and is glad to announce that these were made remembered because of you. Your donations+

[Aasif Mujtaba @MujtabaAasif]

At Miles2Smile, we work with survivors of mob lynching, communal violence, targeted demolitions, and hate crimes. While working with them, we encountered a major challenge — the interruption of their children’s education. To bridge this gap, we started @Shaagird__ , our educational project, which today reaches children who were deprived of learning and hope+

[Aasif Mujtaba @MujtabaAasif]

With your support, in the first week of May alone, Shaagird was able to educate children from eight different families. These children, once stripped of peace and education, have found hope again because of you +

[Aasif Mujtaba @MujtabaAasif]

We thank you for standing with us and invite you to read the report below, carrying forward hope and smiles in many hearts.

Sponsor a child today : https://t.co/1nfy61hmZL

[Aasif Mujtaba @MujtabaAasif]

I still remember that little boy from Warwan Valley, Kashmir — the one with a broken femur, lying in pain while his father, a daily wage labourer, stood helpless, unable to even imagine the cost of his treatment.

It felt like one of those moments where Allah places a test not just on the family, but on all of us who witness it.

Without delay, we stepped in. We took him to Anantnag, arranged everything, and by the will and mercy of Allah, his surgery was completed successfully. What once looked like a life of lifelong suffering turned into a story of healing. Alhamdulillah, today he walks, runs, and smiles like any other child — a living reminder that when intentions are sincere, Allah opens doors we cannot even foresee.

This time, when I met him again, it was a completely different sight. He was no longer the child in pain — he was a student, sitting with hope in his eyes, studying at the Habba Khatoon Learning Center. A space built by @miles2smile_ for families affected by landslides, but in reality, it is much more than a center — it is a place where broken futures are rewritten.

SubhanAllah, how Allah transforms hardship into ease.

From a broken bone to a rebuilding life, from helplessness to hope — this journey is a reminder that every act of kindness, every rupee given, every effort made in His path never goes unnoticed.

“And whoever saves one life, it is as if he has saved all of humanity.”

[Aasif Mujtaba @MujtabaAasif]

Roshan Khatoon was mercilessly beaten to death in #Madhubani, Bihar, in March 2026 while she was observing her Ramadan fast. Her killing has left behind a grieving family and children robbed of their mother’s love.

Through Miles2Smile Foundation, and with the support of @meerfaisal001 who brought their pain to light, we stayed in constant touch with the family over the past month. Today, from the Zakat entrusted to us this Ramadan, we sent ₹1 lakh as immediate legal assistance so they can continue their fight for justice.

But justice alone is not enough. Through @Shaagird__ , we have also spoken to a good school and will enrol two of her children, so their future is not buried under the cruelty that took their mother away.

From sorrow, we pray hope rises again.
VC - @TheOPHindi

[Aasif Mujtaba @MujtabaAasif]

The stitching competition and certificate ceremony for the 4th batch at #Sabaat was not merely an event—it was a moving testament to strength, healing, and hope reborn. Some women completed their 6-month basic stitching course, while others proudly graduated from their 1-year advanced training.

The smiles, excitement, and pride shining on the faces of all 30 students were beyond expression. At Sabaat, these brave women—survivors of hate and violence—are doing far more than learning to stitch fabric. With every thread, they are mending shattered dreams, restoring lost confidence, and weaving a future filled with dignity, independence, and endless hope.

[Aasif Mujtaba @MujtabaAasif]

When we first visited the Warwan Valley in Kashmir in September 2025, we met a community whose humble homes had been washed away by flash floods. We stayed there for a month, sharing their hardships, but we also saw something greater than loss — we saw hope waiting to rise again.

Over the next three months, we built three learning centres in the region, turning pain into possibility. Last week, when we returned to distribute certificates and result cards, the joy on the faces of the children was beyond words.

Those priceless smiles felt like a divine reward for every mile we had travelled — the true spirit of @miles2smile_

[Aasif Mujtaba @MujtabaAasif]

After the Shahadat of Ayatullah Khomeini sahab, we immediately postponed all our events and observed 40 days of mourning. Among them was the Annual Day of our relief school — a day our children had been waiting for all year, dreaming of stepping onto the stage and receiving their awards.

Their excitement had to be paused, their joy delayed… but not forgotten.

Finally, on 31st March, in a simple and humble gathering, we completed the ceremony — quietly celebrating their efforts, resilience, and the smiles that patiently waited through those days.

[Aasif Mujtaba @MujtabaAasif]

Asma Khatoon’s small confectionery shop was destroyed and burned during the violence in Fatikroy, Tripura. When we visited her last month, we saw the loss and pain she had gone through, and we promised her that she would not be left alone.

This Ramadan, we stood by that promise. Through @miles2smile_ we provided relief and helped rebuild her shop, so she could start again, with hope and dignity.

[Aasif Mujtaba @MujtabaAasif]

It was the last week of February 2020 — the same week when Delhi burned in anti-Muslim riots. Over 53 people were killed, most of them Muslims.

That week, we set up our first relief camp in Mustafabad.

Every day, families came to us with stories that were hard to even listen to. I would note their details, arrange ration, shelter, medical help, or try to rebuild some part of their lives. After each family, I would silently pray — Ya Allah, let this be the worst I hear. But every next story was even more painful.

Then I met Khushi.

She came with her aunt and said something I will never forget:
“Bhai, please help me get my father’s body.”

Her father, Musharraf, was caught by a fanatic hindutva mob. They smashed his head against a wall, threw him off a roof, and then burnt him alive. Khushi and her mother watched all of this while hiding in a nearby house.

Days later, his burnt and decomposed body was found in a drain.

We shifted the family to a rented home and supported them through the lockdown. Later, we enrolled the children in our relief school, and Khushi’s mother started working in a factory to survive.

Last week, I met them again. Their only wish now was to build one more floor on their small 25 gaz house.

We started a fundraiser — and Alhamdulillah, raised ₹1.4 lakh.

Today, we transferred the entire zakat amount to her ( 100%) . After Eid, their home will begin to rise again — from the same ground that once held so much pain.

[Aasif Mujtaba @MujtabaAasif]

In February 2020, during the anti-Muslim Delhi riots, Jamaluddin was brutally lynched to death by Hindutva mobs. He stepped out believing the assurance of safety and peace—but never returned.

We met his family that same year. Through the pain of lockdown and loss, we stood by them, trying to bring even a little comfort. Later, we enrolled four of his children in our relief school. They are still studying there, holding on to hope. His wife earns the likelihood by making cots.

This Ramadan, when we visited with ration kits, his wife shared her struggle. Their house still had an incomplete floor. She said if it was finished, she could earn a small rental income and support her children with dignity.

The estimated cost was ₹1,20,000. I spoke to @JAFARKAZMI sahab, and he immediately led a fundraiser through @miles2smile_

Alhamdulillah, the goal amount was raised—and 100% of the amount was transferred directly to her account.

From loss to dignity—this is what your support makes possible.

[Aasif Mujtaba @MujtabaAasif]

“Aamir had promised him that he would get him a new bicycle before Eid so that he could go to school,” Aamir’s younger brother told me during my visit.

Aamir, from Palla village in Haryana, was chased and shot dead by Bajrang Dal goons on March 2, 2026.

When I visited the family again, I carried a bicycle for him and his cousin — fulfilling a promise that Aamir could no longer keep. The smiles that appeared on their faces in that moment were beyond words. For a brief moment, it felt as if hope had quietly returned to these young hearts after the darkness they had endured.

We have now enrolled both the children under the Shaagird program and will take responsibility for their education. We have also transferred ₹4 lakh to Aamir’s mother’s account, and another ₹4 lakh will be sent to his wife as soon as her bank account is opened.

None of this would have been possible without the compassion and generosity of people who donated during the blessed month of Ramadan. At Miles2Smile, we ensure that 100% of donations received for individual causes are delivered directly to the affected families.

From the depths of our hearts, thank you to everyone who stood with this grieving family and helped restore a small ray of hope in their lives.

[Aasif Mujtaba @MujtabaAasif]

Of all the women whose lives have been shattered by hate and violence, Sajida stands out as a symbol of unimaginable strength.

She lost her husband, Juned, to a brutal lynching. The pain of losing a life partner is devastating in itself, but Sajida had to endure the horror of knowing that her loving husband was burnt alive, and that his body was returned to the family only as ashes. As she was still trying to gather the broken pieces of her life, tragedy struck again. A year later, her 14-year-old daughter Parvana passed away, unable to bear the trauma of her father’s killing.

Life tested Sajida in the cruelest ways, but she refused to surrender.

At @miles2smile_ , we stood with her in her darkest hour and helped her start a small shop so she could rebuild her life with dignity. Today, Sajida runs the only women-led shop in her entire village — a quiet but powerful statement of resilience.

Two of her children are also studying in a good boarding school nearby under the Shaagird program, giving them a chance at a future their mother fought so hard to secure.

Yesterday, when I visited her shop, it was bustling with customers. With a gentle smile on her face, Sajida said, “Alhamdulillah, sab accha chal raha hai."

In that simple sentence was the story of a woman who faced unimaginable loss, yet chose courage over despair — and slowly, with faith and determination, rebuilt her life.

[Aasif Mujtaba @MujtabaAasif]

Today we travelled to #Palla village in #Nuh, Haryana, to visit the family of Aamir, who was brutally killed by Bajrang Dal goons on March 2 this year.

During my last visit, I was told that Aamir had promised his younger brother that he would buy him a bicycle before Eid. Today, we went there to fulfil that promise — a small attempt to keep alive a wish that Aamir had carried in his heart.

As we handed over the bicycle, his grandmother showered us with countless blessings. Watching the smiles return to the faces of his little daughter and the other children in the house felt deeply moving. In that moment, amidst grief and loss, those smiles felt like a quiet reminder that compassion and solidarity can still bring light into the darkest of times.

[Aasif Mujtaba @MujtabaAasif]

“Bhai… main bata bhi nahi sakti, aapka kitna bada ehsaan hai mujh par…”

Nargis was crying uncontrollably on the phone.

I gently replied, “Hum sab sirf zariya hain. Madad karne wala to sirf Allah hai.”

After the Delhi Riots, Nargis lost her husband, Mursaleen, to violent hate mobs. His body came back to the family almost a week later — decomposed, lifeless, leaving behind a silence that still echoes in their home.

In the same year, we enrolled her children in our relief school in Loni. We arranged a sewing machine so she could begin stitching and earn with dignity. We supported her medical needs whenever required. Step by step, we tried to stand beside her — not as saviors, but as companions in her grief.

Last week, we began a small fundraiser to help her start a shop of her own. With your support, we raised ₹2,38,202. Today, we transferred 100% of the collected amount directly to her account. This is her accountability report : https://t.co/iXsJI7w3kG

At Miles2Smile, transparency is not a policy — it is a promise.

This Ramadan, let your #Zakat do more than provide temporary relief. Let it build sustainable livelihoods. Let it restore dignity. Let it create a chain of strength for families shattered by hate and violence.

Because sometimes, what a widow needs most is not sympathy — but a chance to stand again.