The following is a firsthand account from our Founder, Puan Sri Norma Hashim, highlighting her visit to Egypt and the meaningful connections that continue to shape our mission.

I didn’t just learn about ancient history in Egypt but I also learnt about Taha Hussein — a household name in Egypt, who overcame poverty and blindness to become a scholar of Arabic literature and the Egyptian Minister of Education in 1950.

Dr Hussein, who had studied at Al-Azhar and the Sorbonne, started schools for the blind and abolished school fees to enable poor children to attend school. In the first photo my friend Dr Zaki and I are standing in front of the Taha Hussein school مدرسة المركز النموذجى و طه حسين للمكفوفين which he attended as a child. Now Dr Zaki has started an NGO to take in kids from the school for extra classes in English and other subjects.

The Malaysian Embassy in Paris recently presented Al Fitrah Foundation’s Braille Qur’an set to the Rector of the Grande Mosquée de Paris, Chems-Eddine Hafiz. The handover ceremony was officiated by Ambassador H.E. Datuk Eldeen Husaini Mohd Hashim.

This meaningful initiative was made possible through the dedicated efforts of the Embassy team, led by Mrs. Wan Maisarah Md Isa (Student Attachée) and Ms. Haneen Rahim (Communications), and reflects a shared commitment to promoting accessibility and inclusion for visually impaired members of the Muslim community.

Alhamdulillah, 45 visually impaired students in Cairo have received braille styluses and paper—thanks to Al Fitrah Foundation and Ain Alkafeef Association for the Blind. This ongoing effort is opening doors to learning, one tactile tool at a time. In Shaa Allah, many more will benefit soon.

Alhamdulillah, the third phase of Al Fitrah Foundation’s Braille Quran initiative with BRFP began in August and will continue through December 2025. Since its continuation, students across various regions of Pakistan have started receiving Braille Qurans—see the photographs of recent recipients from this Waqf program.