Al-Qalam 
By Nabeelah Shaikh
The Auwal Socio-Economic Research Institute has welcomed a new member to its team, Anwar Jhetam Hoosen, 35, who will be responsible for grooming ethical future leaders in his capacity as Manager of its Civic Leadership Programme.
The Institute also has set its sights on big achievements in 2023.
Jhetam, who completed a three-year undergrad in logistics management from the University of Johannesburg, proceeded to complete six years of undergraduate and postgraduate training in the classical Islamic sciences, including the derivation of law, history, philosophy, and the methodology of knowledge. Having served in various roles in student leadership, he continues to serve and volunteer with several community organisations.
“I’m quite excited about what has been done within the programme at ASRI already. It’s quite visionary. And I’m quite excited and hopeful about what more we can do in this programme. South Africa needs good ethical leadership. Ethical leadership is a crisis globally. But I think as South Africans, we feel this crisis on a daily basis. So at ASRI, what we’re hoping to do through our Future Leaders programme is to contribute towards producing good ethical leadership,” said Jhetam.
The ASRI Future Leaders programme is an intensive, full-time, graduate training programme that develops young university graduates for careers in the Civil Society and Government sectors, by recruiting individuals who are socially and politically active in their communities.
It seeks to recruit young people who aspire, in different spheres, to create change in South Africa. In developing these young people, ASRI enhances their social and human capital in a way that not only accelerates their personal growth but which also translates into increased opportunities in the future.
Jhetam said considering the last three years dealing with COVID, it was now the first year back of the programme returning to being a contact-based environment.
He hopes to see a good vibe and atmosphere returning to the programme this year.
“I am looking forward to being the manager of a programme where future leaders will emerge from, whether it is in government, NGOs or the private sector. And they will be using their skills, applying good values and upholding the ethics that they will be learning at ASRI. All of that will be used towards making South Africa a better place, with good and ethical leaders,” said Jhetam.
ASRI Executive Director, Muhammad Cajee says Jhetam is tasked with growing and expanding the Programme, which is a full time fellowship programme, established in 2016 and now with over 100 programme graduates; alongside the ASRI-MSA Leadership Development Programme for university students; and the ASRI High Schools Programme for scholars.
Cajee added that 2022 saw major achievements for ASRI, and this year will be no different.
“In 2022, ASRI formalised a relationship with the Presidency by placing five of our ASRI Future Leaders Programme Fellows as interns within the Research Office of the Presidency; 2023 is another big year for ASRI. We envisage ASRI becoming formally accredited and registered as a training provider with both the Services Seta and the Local Government Seta, and ASRI moving further into the training and development space providing communications and leadership training to public representatives, including Ward and PR counselors, and new Members of Provincial Legislatures after next year’s elections.”
He said these strategic initiatives were in addition to the ASRI Civic Leadership Programmes that Jhetam now leads, and ASRI continuing its public commentary and analysis programme.
“This is in addition to our applied policy research and advocacy programme on public education, public health, youth unemployment and good governance,” said Cajee.
