Ahmadiyyat - The Renaissance of Islam — Page 345
THE RENAISSANCE OF ISLAM 345 backward of all the countries of West Africa so far as medical and educational facilities were concerned. For instance, anyone who was in need of dental care or attention had either to reconcile himself to the continuous endurance of the deficiency from which he suffered, or had to undertake a journey to' Dakar, the capital of Senegalj which was the nearest place where dental attention was procurable. Under the Nusrat Jehan Scheme half a dozen health centres have been established in Gambia, including a dental clinic and a centre for the treatment of tuberculosis. There is an excellent secondary school just outside the capital which is running so well that there is already keen competition for admission to its classes. While the success of the NusratJehan Scheme in its initial stages is most encouraging, it is recognized that this is only the pioneer stage of a grand project and that the work so far initiated and in progress touches only the fringe of an enor- mous human problem. ~t is hoped, however, that by the grace and mercy of God, the start that has been made will go on expanding and multiplying till not only West Africa but the whole of the continent, hitherto designated as the Dark Continent, is illuminated with the heavenly light of Islam, and the standard of Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, peace be on him, is planted on all the heights and in all the valleys of that vast continent. The Movement was formally initiated in March 1889 and will complete its first century in March 1989. Hazrat Khalifa- tul Masih II had directed that the centenary of the Movement should be celebrated with great iclat. In view of this direction Khalifatul Masih III decided to make an announcement con- cerning the celebration of the centenary of the Movement in the Annual Conference of 1973, in which he enumerated a number of projects which he had in mind in connection with. the centenary. These projects include, among others, the building of mosques in different parts of the world; the publication of the translations of the Holy Quran in French,