The Beginning

Taking serious note of the grim reality that the backward minority segments had been shockingly lagging behind in education and employment, a concerned group of educationist and social activists led by Dr. K.M Abubacker (Former Senior Scientist –BARC and Secretary of Atomic Energy Education Society, Mumbai) came forward to remedy this miserable situation. It was thus that the unique movement of CIGI came to be launched by Mr. Sayid Hamid IAS (former Vice-Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University and Chancellor Hamdard University, Delhi) who was later to become Member of the Justice Sachar Committee appointed by the then Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to look at the socio-economic status of the Muslim minority community in the country, on the 18th August, 1996 in a gathering of distinguished well-wishers in Calicut, Kerala. 1996 was, therefore, a watershed year in the educational renaissance of the Malabar region to begin with, and later throughout Kerala state and beyond. Since then there was no looking back, and a well thought out action plan was vigorously implemented. CIGI’s rapid growth was indeed a saga of determination, commitment, hard work, and sacrifice. In the following year, CIGI was registered as a charitable NGO under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 on the first day of 1997 coinciding with 40th Kerala Piravi day. Later the government of India granted FCR registration. The income tax department has granted exception u/s sec 80(G) of the Income Tax act for donations made to CIGI

Ultimate Destination

A value-oriented self-sufficient community, human resource of which is explored to the optimum in education and employment leading to excellence and empowerment in all spheres of human activity.

Prime objectives

• Enable marginalized segments to enter the mainstream and join in the task of nation-building.
• Foster responsible value-oriented and active citizenry; empower the nation to dictate terms of change in the context of liberalization, privatization, globalization, and information explosion.
• Strive to realize the nation’s declared objective of balanced and inclusive growth.
• Develop tools and human software for individual and group excellence.
• Equip parents to bring up children effectively inculcating the right values.
• Empower youth, women, and NGOs for effective and positive change.
• Support and supplement governmental schemes and programmes in the above direction.

 Motto

Education with a purpose, Employment by passion and choice, Excellence in all aspects of life, Empowerment with character

The Present leadership

The following constitutes the present team at the helm of CIGI:

President: Mr. P.A Abdul Salam

(Former Zonal Director, Central Board of Workers Education, Govt. of India, Transactional Analyst; Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programme; Human Resource Management Specialist; ace trainer; motivator; researcher; administrator)

Vice Presidents:

1. P.K Mohammed Kutty

(Former Executive Engineer, Kerala State Electricity       Board; Former Consultant Engineer; Ministry of Electricity; Kuwait; Former Secretary of Friday Forum Kuwait)

2. Yaseen Ashraf

(Associate Editor Madhyamam Daily; Managing Director of Media One TV Channel; former Head Dept. of English, Farook College; Media Presenter, Analyst, and Critic)

General Secretary:                                Dr. Z.A. Ashraf

(Head, Department of Statistics, Govt. Arts& Science College, Kozhikode; former faculty member statistics department Farook College, Organization builder; Ace trainer, planner, administrator; Statistician; Researcher)

Finance Secretary: Mr. Abdulla Athiyanathil

(Business, Social worker, HRD specialist, organizer)

[Dr. K M Abubacker, President-Emeritus(former Scientist & Secretary Atomic Energy Education Society; social engineer; educationalist; Institution builder; administrator]

HIGHLIGHTS OF PROGRAMMES DONE IN THE PAST

• Grassroots Educational Awareness Programme (GEAP)

Thousands benefited from various projects. The programmes included grassroots level educational awareness programme, career exhibitions, and special packages for school dropouts.

• Parents Effectiveness Training (PET)

Training sessions designed to orient parents to bring up their children with the right values. PET intends to develop model, relaxed and healthy relationship between children and their parents and between spouses to create an ideal family environment.

• Teachers Effectiveness Training (TET)

Empowerment workshops based on researched modules for teachers to update their teaching skills and make them more effective professionally in their career. Activity-oriented hands-on training in ‘edutainment’ environment, based on practical tips from disciplines like Transactional Analysis (TA), Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), Myres – Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), Theme Centered Interaction (TCI) and developmental psychology.

• Training for Corporate &Govt. Institutions.

CIGI HRD has an array of consultants, core faculty members and panel of experts for the training of corporates & establishments. M/s Indus Motors, Kerala Minerals & Metals, Malabar Institute of Medical Sciences, Madhyamam Daily, Department of Post & Telegraphs, and District Industrial Centers are a few delighted clients.

• ‘Vijayabheri'(Trumpet of Success)

(A landmark project for quality improvement of school education of Malappuram District)

‘Vijayabheri’ is a unique project launched by the District Panchayath of Malappuram with the support of CIGI to improve performance level and pass percentage of students in public examination. This project was a commendable success: in a few years, the pass percentage shot up to a whopping 98% as against a miserable 33% earlier- almost a miracle in the education history of this District. Noticing its remarkable success, the project has been adopted by schools in other parts of the state.

• Career Exhibitions

CIGI popularized career awareness at grassroots by organizing career exhibitions in educational Institutions and in events organized at regional or state level by Grama Panchayats, District Educational bodies, and voluntary organizations. A landmark in Kerala was the national level Career Expo – CAREER FUTURA – held in 2002, in Calicut, Kerala. The services in career expos included: Career Windows of institutions, Career Lab for Psychometric Tests, Career clinic for individual counseling, Career expo for exposure to career streams, ‘Career speak’ to interact with subject experts, ‘Edutainment’ games

It is CIGI which pioneered the practice of awareness creation on modern education and career at the grassroots through career exhibitions.

HIGH LIGHTS OF ACTIVITIES ONGOING

• Career Mission

Guidance on higher education and career planning has been the core service of CIGI to students since inception. This is an absolutely free service that continues without interruption every day. Though information is easily available on the net in this digital era, yet students and parents continue to flock to CIGI attesting to the increasing demand for one-to-one counseling and the reputation and pre-eminent position CIGI enjoys. Besides, Awareness workshops are regularly organized in educational institutions under this project. With its reach in almost all districts in the state and outside including GCC countries, CIGI can claim to be the only non-profit NGO of its kind in this part of the country. The number of beneficiaries continues to register consistent increase every year.

• Online Registration

These days’ applications for admission to courses of higher education have to be done online. A help desk operates in CIGI for this purpose and is widely utilized by applicants to make the best option from different institutions and courses with the advice of our career counselors. Hundreds of students make use of this facility every year

• C-DAT (CIGI Differential Aptitude Test)

Every child is born with some individual inherent aptitude. It is this aptitude that determines the career in which a person can shine. After years of research and experimentation involving over 4000 selected students under the supervision of experts, a test tool appropriate to the Indian environment was produced by Faculty of Research and Analysis of CIGI in 2008, with the financial support from the PARISONS group Calicut.  The culture of choosing courses and careers in accordance with the inherent talent scientifically identified through C-DAT is gaining increasing acceptance, thanks to the continuous efforts of CIGI to popularize these test at the grassroots; these tests are organized not only in various locations in Kerala but also outside including the Gulf Countries.

• Diploma Course in Career Guidance &Counselling

Seeing the increasing popularity, relevance and demand for educational and career guidance among students/parents, several career guidance establishments have mushroomed in the state. Realizing the relevance and need to guide students to the right courses/careers this facility has lately been introduced in government schools as well. Anticipating the future demand, CIGI Institute of Social Development Studies (ISDS) designed a comprehensive diploma course in career guidance and counseling, to produce qualified counselors. The first batch of this course commenced in 2014. Four batches have since completed the course and the 5th batch was started in Doha, Qatar. Incidentally, Career guidance itself is fast becoming a potential career. We are in the process of arranging some tie-up with universities for this programme.

• Social Research

Under the aegis of CIGI ISDS, several research projects are in the offing. A study was undertaken on “Gender issues in enrolment for higher education”. This is completed and the report thereon will be released shortly.

• Centres for Competency Development

Mere university education without serious preparation for competitive examinations will not help the job seeker to secure jobs. In this age of cut-throat competition, competency is the key skill one should have to survive and move ahead. To become competent, relevant training is a must. Realizing the need for preparing candidates for competitive exams for employment, CIGI has commenced a project, MISSION 100 C4C.

It envisages establishing one hundred centers for competency development (C4C) in the state of Kerala. The Minister for Local Self-Government, Dr. K T Jaleel inaugurated the scheme in October 2016 in the presence of a distinguished gathering  40 such centers are already functioning and more are being added.

• Talent Tree

The talent tree is an offshoot of 100 C4C, an innovative initiative of CIGI to spot talented students at the secondary school level, with the objective of developing them into responsible citizens who are capable of contributing well to the society and the nation. This project is intended to empower the youngsters to come out with flying colors in competitive examinations and occupy responsible positions not only in India but outside too. The product of this project is envisaged to be like a fully grown up tree the fruits of which may be enjoyed globally and provides shade locally.

• EEP (Employment Enhancement Program)

The project Employment Enhancement Program (EEP) is designed for increasing employment of socially vulnerable sectors like orphans, destitute, people of coastal and plantation areas. Training for employability skill development is regularly provided under this programme for the target group.

• Summer Camps for Students

Summer vacation is edutainment and celebration time for students at CIGI campus. Residential camps are organized every year during school vacation for 3rd to 12th standard students-separate camps for each standard. Process-oriented sessions are held to enhance creativity, skill acquisition, public speaking, leadership quality, communication skill, self-confidence etc., in an edutainment environment. These camps have acquired such reputation that students/parents look forward expectantly to these camps every year.

• EXPA SCAN/ EXPA YATHRA

Annual awareness cum study camps for expatriate students schooling in the Gulf countries. This is also a much-anticipated event by the expatriate student community.

• EXPA Kerala

Camps similar to EXPA SCAN but intended for students in Kerala whose parents are working in the GCC countries.

• Island SCAN

Study camps for students of Lakshadweep Island. They are exposed to the numerous educational avenues and employment opportunities in the mainland. Efforts are in progress to implement quality improvement programs for students and teachers in the island.

Scholarship Support to Orphan/Poor/Needy Students

During counseling sessions, we come across brilliant students unable to go in for higher education due to lack of finance. It should never happen that a promising youngster is denied higher learning due to poverty, and yet sadly this occurs in several cases. To remedy this situation what we have been doing is to approach philanthropic well-wishers giving them particulars of such students seeking support. Happily, a number of well-wishers- individuals/organizations have come forward with succour to students in distress. Through such sponsored scholarships CIGI has been helping orphan/poor student to complete higher education and be breadwinners of the family. Beneficiaries include medical practitioners, chartered accountants, engineers, pharmacists, physiotherapists, nurses, research scholar’s et al. By now, over 400 scholarships were awarded. Currently, about 50 students are ongoing awardees.

• SAGE (Social Action for Grassroots Empowerment)

This project is the brainchild of CIGI- International. In 2011, an experimental pilot phase has been completed in 10 localities from different districts. Based on the experience of the pilot phase it has been decided to implement the same in some selected Mahallus’, to begin with. A comprehensive manual containing all aspects of Mahallu empowerment has been prepared by Mr. Anees Ahmed Hudavi. It was formally released by Panakkad Syed Munawar Ali Shihab Thangal, on 8th February 2017 in the presence of a distinguished gathering including several Mahallu representatives.

• Institutional Excellence

There has been tremendous growth in the number of schools and colleges in the recent past. If quantum is the only criteria, then certainly the progress achieved is great; but if on the other hand, quality is the yardstick, as it should be, the situation leaves a lot to be desired. The standard of students in terms of life skills, scholastic ability, and competence leaves much to be desired. This problem has to be addressed effectively and urgently. The need of the hour, therefore, is to strive for quality improvement in all aspects. This project was mooted in the first CIGI International Thematic Conference held at Jeddah in February 2015. Enrollment of institutions to this project is fast progressing.

• Project Infinity

The CIGI project jointly implemented with Talent Grove, Chicago to promote scientific temper, learning inquisitiveness and humanistic values among identified school students by providing a support system through multiple interventions parallel and complementary to their regular schooling, to develop future scientists with the best character and social commitment.

• Learning and Better Life Clinic

It is a point of the solution to all problems associated with learning and psychology. A multi-disciplinary team of Clinical Psychologists, Special Educators who work closely with a Senior Clinical Psychologist as well as Consultants of Pediatrics, Psychiatry, Neurology, ENT, and Ophthalmology handle this clinic. Several students having learning deficiency are getting remedial training, and couples with adjustment problems are also utilizing psychological counseling. We plan to extend this to other districts in due course.

• Students Training for Excellence Performance (STEP)

STEP is a specially designed project for talented orphan students. Yatheems are selected from primary school level and followed up till they complete their school education and beyond. Very comprehensive training on various modules for excellence in performance is provided through regular residential camps. Trained mentors are assigned to each participant. MUFEED UK is the agency supporting this project.

• Human Resource Development (HRD)

The major asset of CIGI is it is devoted and competent resource persons. To induct new persons to the group and to strengthen existing RPs, HRD organizes various training/ grooming programmes like Pre MAP, MAP, SEED etc. To meet the increasing need of resource persons in various levels of the society, HRD is organizing regular training on topics like Life Skills, TA, NLP etc.

• Motivation Activation Program (MAP)

MAP is a training program conducted regularly to identify potential youngsters and develop them into competent and committed trainers imbued with a passion for social service. Over 250 such trainers have been produced by CIGI through the MAP by now. These trainers are a valuable asset to the community and the country. More will be added in the coming years.

• Neuro-Linguistic Programming

NLP is a powerful tool for work effectiveness, learning acceleration, and personal transformation. Each one of us is a mixture of the visual, auditory and kinaesthetic modes. We will come to know the preferred system we are using and how to establish support the people we deal with. This programme introduces the basic skills and powerful ideas of NLP which will help us to reframe our negative beliefs and reveal the resources in us which have not been used at all.

• TA Script Workshop

Script analysis is a highly useful method of Transactional Analysis, uncovering the early decisions, made unconsciously, as to how life shall be lived. The purpose of script analysis is to aid individuals to achieve autonomy by coming out of the negative influence of the script on beliefs, values, decisions, and behaviors to be more effective and successful in life. (Admission to this program is restricted to those who attended TA101 course or who are familiar with TA concepts.

• Self Esteem Workshop

Born as prince or princess, nature of our upbringing often may turn us into frogs! This workshop enables you to reverse this process and re-imagine your self-image for increased personal effectiveness and relationships. High self-esteem enables people to achieve anything.

• Emotional Intelligence Activation Program

IQ alone doesn’t decide the performance of an individual. For sustainability of success, Emotional Intelligence plays a significant role. This course is designed to understand the impact of emotions on our body and mind and to develop skills in maintaining emotional equilibrium.

• Public Speaking

Enables people of all category to build self-confidence, gain mastery in public speaking and to be effective in public life.

• Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation Behaviour (FIRO-B)

Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation Behaviour (FIRO-B) is a theory and effective tool for studying interpersonal relations and leadership. When people get together in a group, there are three main interpersonal needs they are looking to obtain –affection/openness, control, and inclusion. This programme based on the tool of administration and interpretation is highly useful in leader effectiveness and team building.

• TA101-Basic Courses

TA is a theory of personality and a systematic psychotherapy for personal growth and personal change. It helps individuals to change their destiny.

As a theory of personality, TA describes how people are structured psychologically. It uses what is perhaps its best-known model, the ego-state (Parent-Adult-Child) model to do this. The same model helps to explain how people function and express their personality in their behavior. It also explains four life positions that a person can hold and holding a particular psychological position has profound implications for how an individual operationalizes his or her life.

• Six Thinking Hats

“Six Thinking Hats” can help you to look at problems from different perspectives, but one at a time, to avoid confusion from too many angels crowding your thinking. It’s also a powerful decision-checking technique in group situations, as everyone explores the situation from each perspective at the same time.

• Magic for Beginners

A training course intended to give training in the use of magic as an effective tool for communicating ideas. Enables to invent new technologies to be used in discussions.

On The Anvil (Highlights of Future Plans)

Our immediate future plans include:

1. International Conference on Grassroots Social Development – ICGSD II

In 2013, CIGI organized the first International Conference – (ICGSD)

2. International Conference on Grassroots Social Development – ICGSD II

In 2013, CIGI organized the first International Conference – (ICGSD I) in CIGI H.Q Calicut. It went off exceedingly well in terms of participation and presentation of research papers. Delegates from different states in India and some other countries actively joined the deliberations. Plans are afoot for organizing a second International Conference on Grassroots Social Development.

3. International Journal on Social Development studies.

CIGI Institute of Social Development Studies (ISDS) is contemplating to bring out a high-quality reference journal online on social development issues. Background work on this project has started. It is proposed to have it peer reviewed and ISSN numbered before issue.

4. Knowledge Management Centre (KMC)

A skeleton arrangement is already put in place; we have to develop it into a full-fledged center manned by expert professionals. Such a center is necessary for easy access to authoritative information on all subjects. It will involve gathering relevant information/research papers from all over the world. Once the KMC is fully operational it will be of great use to research scholars.

5. Digitalisation of CIGI Services

In keeping with the times, we intend to establish a fully digitalized laboratory to make CIGI activities easily accessible online. Initial work on this has begun with a pilot survey of requirements, infrastructure, initial investments, operating cost etc., at the initiative of CIGI International.

6. Extension of CIGI Learning and Better Life Clinic

Based on experience from the working of our clinic in HQ, we feel there is a need for extension centers in other districts. Accordingly, we are planning to extend this service to a few places outside HQ.

7. Additional Infrastructure
8. There is a felt need for an open-air multipurpose hall for use as a convention facility/conference hall/student camps. Cooking facility and canteen also to be provided adjacent to the hall.
9. The existing prayer hall/Musallah has to be expanded and carpeted suitably to accommodate the increasing number of visiting students/parents for offering salah as and when necessary. This work is nearing completion. A reference library is being set up.
10. In our vacant land in Kotamparamba, we propose to build a skill development training facility/campsite which can be used for other educational purposes also.
11. Our research wing has to be strengthened to facilitate research studies/ surveys on the educational needs of the poor Muslim families in the backward coastal areas.