Messages of support and love for centre
Naema Nadeem Khan is surrounded by a circle of excited children.
From the ceiling hangs a heart with the words ‘‘Aroha Nui’’, one of many messages of love and support given to the An-Nur Childcare Centre, in Hornby, Christchurch.
Khan, a teacher at the childcare centre, returned yesterday for the first time since the March 15 terror attack. And she brought her birds – two cockatiels that jumped from arm to arm, delighting the children.
This is a community trying to return to normal routines. Khan had been away from the centre to support her sister, Ambreen Naeem, who lost her husband and son in the attack. ‘‘It’s so good to be back and be with the children,’’ she said. ‘‘But my heart and soul is still with my sister at the moment.’’
The centre, which is run by the AlNoor Charitable Trust, closed for about two weeks after the attack. Trust chairman Dr Mohammad Alayan, who was shot at the Deans Ave mosque and spent time recovering in hospital, said families had been scared for the safety of their children.
It reopened some time ago, but an official ceremony attended by Greater Christchurch Regeneration Minister Megan Woods and Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel took place yesterday.
Speaking at the event, Dr Maysoon Salama, manager of both the Christchurch and Dunedin An-Nur early childhood centres, thanked the Government for standing with the Muslim community. While the pain and loss had been immeasurable, she said it was important to avoid looking back, ‘‘and that’s exactly what we plan to do’’.
‘‘This is the hardest thing we have ever had to go through, but by the grace of Allah we are resilient and we are determined to continue fighting against discrimination and hatred,’’ Salama said.
‘‘The only way to fight against
‘‘By the grace of Allah we are resilient and we are determined to continue fighting against discrimination and hatred.’’
Dr Maysoon Salama
hatred is with love, so we will continue to spread love, peace and acceptance.’’
Salama and Alayan lost their son, Atta Elayyan, in the attack. His young daughter, 1-year-old Aya, was at the centre yesterday with her mother, Farah Talal. Salama said she was still grieving for her son, who played for the national and Canterbury men’s futsal teams, but being at the centre around children helped.
‘‘I feel they give us a lot of strength,’’ she said. ‘‘There are a lot of children and families who really need me to be here.’’
It was also good for the children to be back with their friends, to have a sense of normalcy and to to be kept busy. Before it reopened, Salama said there had been discussions with the teachers and the Ministry of Education about how best to provide support. The programme had also been altered to make it easier for the returning children, aged up to 5.
Some children had lost loved ones, others had loved ones who had been injured. One young centre attendee, Alen Daraghmih, was still in Starship Hospital in Auckland. Salama said when her granddaughter, Aya, saw a picture of Alen she reacted immediately. ‘‘She misses Alen,’’ she said.
An-Nur Childcare Centre was, when it was established in 2000, the first Muslim-based childcare centre in New Zealand. Almost two decades later, Salama said it continued to play an important role.
‘‘Education will certainly play a major role in moving forwards and we hope to be part of the solution.’’