Shirin Center Classes
In order to broaden the scope of Shirin Center activities, in June of 2001, Dr. Taalebinezhaad brought the necessary equipments such as oscilloscope, frequency meter, laptop computers, function generator, multimeter, Microchip (EPROM) programming system, ... for establishing an electronic and computer lab at the center. He offered the first hands-on lab at the center on the assembly and application of micro controller boards (PIC processor based). Offering such a technical and hands-on lab for free, energized scores of sincere and talented individuals who volunteered their time and expertise in sharing their knowledge and expertise with the community for free. This process grew like a wild fire. By the end of that Summer, Shirin Center had about 100 staff who were offering about 50 classes a week and served about 2000 people in a wide range of science, technology, and art subjects. We broke many norms in every step despite countless difficulties we were facing. Our class/lab was a 6x8 meter room constructed out of two cargo containers which was donated by the Red Crescent. Our team took it from there and maintained every aspects of it, from electrical, phone, and networking wirings to its routine cleaning. We offered our classes in a coed and healthy environment for the first time in the city and resisted tremendous external pressures or separating men from women. We could not accept such a segregation because it would result in dividing our limited resources in half. We challenged the authories to show their deeds by asking them to build and staff another classroom so we can separate men from women without limiting our resources. They failed to do so and we were able to continue our highly efficient classes in the healthiest social environment ever seen before in the city. We neither got any tuition from our students for taking our classes and using our facilities and equipments nor paid any salary to our instructors for teaching them. In fact, it became an honor to teach at Shirin Center and we did not have enough time slots to accommodate all the voluntary teaching offers we were getting. Our students, ranged from school children to university students, working fathers, and even house wives. They were many who had traveled from neighboring cities to take advantage of what we were offering at Shirin Center. This project became a very noble and successful model for a productive social work where everybody in the community was benefiting from the result of sincere team works. We did not give any degree, certificate, or diploma for completing our classes so we neither seeked any permission from any organization nor allowed anyone from outside to interfere with our classes and teachings. We had a very democratic system for running our affairs. Once a week, we had an open-to-public meeting where about 100 of our staff were deciding about the Shirin Center affairs in a democratic manner by direct voting. The following is a
list of the classes offered at Shirin Center just in Summer of
2001.
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