Zeb Akhtar/Ranchi

Mujahid, from Hindpiri, a slum area in Ranchi, capital of Jharkhand, dreamed of becoming an engineer. He cleared the IIT entrance exam in 2013 but couldn’t afford the fees and had to give it a miss. The next year, he appeared for the competitive exams again and cleared it.

This time, Tanveer Ahmed and his team from ‘From friendship to education’, a social initiative launched to help underprivileged students, stepped in to pay for his admission. Today, Mujahid is a professional engineer.

Similarly, Mohammad Arif from Ramgarh and Nafees Akhtar from Latehar are pursuing MBBS at Tata Medical College, thanks to Tanveer Ahmned’s Group sponsoring them and making the two underprivileged youth fulfil their dreams.

In Jamshedpur, Javed Ansari’s education at Al-Kabir Engineering College continued only because the society paid his fees.

Tanveer Ahmed giving a cheque to a needy woman

Tanveer Ahmed and his friends launched their initiative in 2010, when areas like Islam Nagar and Baba Khatal in Ranchi were demolished under encroachment drives, rendering hundreds of families homeless.

The greatest sufferers were children—many missed their exams, while others dropped out of school permanently.

Moved by the plight of the children, Tanveer Ahmad and his friends decided to help them out of their circumstances.

Tanveer thought that if circumstances have taken schools away from children, why not take education to them. This idea marked the beginning of a mission, “From friendship to education.”

Tanveer Ahmed and his colleagues registering potential beneficieries

Tanveer Ahmad says, “Our mission is to reach underprivileged children in Ranchi and other areas of Jharkhand who are drifting away from school. We believe education is the key that can transform their future.”

Ranchi conjures up images of lush greenery, hills, and a rapidly developing city. However, hidden behind this romantic image lies another reality—a large section of the city’s population lives in slums and makeshift settlements.

Helping the inmates live decent lives and outlive their reality is a challenge.

Tanveer decided to take up this challenge. He was joined by like-minded friends—Mohd. Khalil, Qamar Siddiqui, Shamim Akhtar, Mohd. Javed and Mazhar Hussain. Together, they went door to door in the slums, befriending families and encouraging children to return to school. They convinced parents that their children’s education mattered and assured them that they would stand by them.

But convincing families wasn’t enough. The biggest obstacle was money—school fees, books, uniforms, and other expenses. To overcome this, Tanveer and his friends devised a plan: they started collecting 10–20% of zakat (charitable donations given during Ramzan) to fund the education of poor children.

Tanveer Ahmed speaking at an award function

Through this initiative, they initially adopted 85 children. They paid for their school fees, books, and basic needs. However, the challenge didn’t end there. Many students began struggling academically and risked dropping out again.

To tackle this, Tanveer and his team launched “Home Coaching Tuition”—free tutoring centres within the same slum areas so that students wouldn’t fall behind. Separate batches were set up for classes 9 to 12. These “Homework Guidance Centres” helped children regain confidence and return to the rhythm of learning.

Gradually, they also started a scholarship program to reward academic excellence so that others, too, feel inspired. They provided financial support and became a powerful source of motivation.

Today, this initiative is known as Friends of Weaker Society. Over the past 12–13 years, Tanveer Ahmad and his team have supported the education of more than 6,000 children, from school to professional courses like medicine and engineering.

Tanveer Ahmed and his team mates with a family

Their work goes beyond education. Every winter, they distribute warm clothes and sweaters to children. During Ramazan and times of crisis, they provide rations and food supplies to needy families. They also organise free medical camps and conduct “door-to-door on-spot admission programs” to ensure that no child misses school enrollment.

For minority students, they hold information sessions about government scholarship schemes.

The real success of Friends of Weaker Society lies in the success stories that were impossible without their support.

The society’s efforts have significantly reduced dropout rates. Many children who once faced the threat of leaving school due to poverty are now studying in top engineering and medical colleges.

For over a decade, Tanveer Ahmad and his team have worked on trust, compassion, and community support. They have made education not just a matter of books but a mission of friendship and faith.

READ MORE: Mukhtar Alam transformed crime den of Azad Nagar into respectable locality

Today, nearly 2,000 children across Ranchi and its neighbouring areas directly benefit from this team’s dedication.