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Some people can take their hobby and mould it into something practical. A young innovator creates an online cultural community to build student interaction.
- By Manal Ismail, Staff Reporter
- Published: 23:29 January 12, 2008
- Fayaz Ala'a Al Deen, a student web designer displays his new website on his laptop at the Burjuman centre in Dubai.
- Image Credit: Asghar Khan/Gulf News
Some people can take their hobby and mould it into something practical. Their passion for a certain subject works as a powerhouse of ideas and innovations. For Fayaz Ala'a Al Deen Fatoo, that passion was in web designing.
Fatoo, a business student at the American College of Dubai, used his love for web design to create an interactive portal for students. This website allows students to discuss and read about various topics including entertainment, poetry, technology, education and friendship. Mainly targeted at the desi community, Fatoo's website is the place to go for the latest in desi entertainment.
Connecting students
"I got the inspiration to make the website from various other sites available online," Fatoo said. "I never intended to develop the website for financial gain. It was just a hobby and more of an idea for me."
Today, Fatoo's site hosts over 6,000 members since its establishment in January 2007. He recovers part of his overhead costs through donations and advertisements hosted on the website. Fatoo hopes that his site will be an inspiration for others.
"The site works as a networking portal for young students and entrepreneurs in and outside the UAE," he said.
Intellectual stimulation
Members of the website enjoy a variety of activities and have the chance to express and communicate their ideas about various subject matters across a single platform.
Nasreen Salim, BBA student at the Emirates College of Management and Information Technology, called the website a perfect "boredom killer" that does not compromise one's intellectual.
"Not only does it have the latest information about desi entertainment, it also includes discussions of thought provoking matters," Salim said. "If you need to pass time you can literally spend a whole day on the website without getting bored."
Saisal Shaikh, mass communication student at MAHE Manipal University in Dubai and member and co-founder of the website, said their main aim was to create an "online community."
"We want to give students an opportunity to form relationships with each other across different levels," he said.
A vision for the future
Fatoo soon hopes to go global with his website. In 2008 he hopes to establish a student-based portal for UAE students, which will contain information such as university reviews and study guidelines.
"We may even go as far as offering student loyalty cards to our members, allowing them to receive discounts at various shopping and food outlets across the UAE," he said.
Though Fatoo has a long journey ahead of him in his efforts to create a global online student community, he is determined to meet the needs of his student audience.
"It is not only important to know what students want," he said. "It's important to know how we deliver that information. Through this site and what I hope to establish in the future, I hope to involve all areas of student life."
You can visit Fatoo's website at www.desijaan.com.
What is Desi?
Desi is a slang term for people from the subcontinent, which includes countries such as Bangladesh, India and Pakistan.
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