Ismailimail » Ismaili Muslims in the News

Ismaili Blind Man Trekking Mount Everest: An Incredible Journey undertaken To Raise Funds For The World Partnership Walk 2013

ismailimail — Wed, 22 May 2013 18:45:51 +0000

Mary Hassanali: One of the Founding Member of the Partnership Walk in Canada fundraising for Shabudin Hussein and his wife Shaida.

Who is this man?

He is the first totally blind Canadian to have graduated from U of C in Computer Science (BSC)
He has received several gold and silver medals in cross country skiing and volunteered his time to teach and mentor beginners.
He is the first visually impaired Canadian to have reached Uhuru Peak, Mount Kilimanjaro raising funds for Focus Humanitarian Assistance in June 2012.
He is also the first blind Canadian now climbing Mount Everest almost the same height but more difficult than Mt. Kilimanjaro in Nepal with the goal of raising $30K for the World Partnership walk 2013

Shabudin Hussein believes that in today’s world, extreme poverty and inequality are unjustifiable and unfair so he decided to do something. Shab with his wife Shaida, a registered nurse has taken up a challenge of raising funds for the World Partnership Walk this year by trekking Mount Everest. They both are in their senior years.

On June 2012 Shabu and Shaida climbed Mount Kilimanjaro raising funds for Focus Humanitarian Assistance, challenge rarely undertaken by a visually impaired person. Accolades were heaped on Shabu by the media for his various feats. After their successful ascent to Uhuru peak they returned to Calgary. In no uncertain terms their achievements have conveyed footprints for the upcoming generation that there are all kinds of possibilities given the will to accomplish their goals.

As you read this, Shabu & Shaida are already trekking almost the same height but more difficult than Mt. kilimanjaro in Nepal with the hope of raising $30K for the World Partnership walk 2013. In their absence they have asked Mary Hassanali to raise funds on their behalf.

Good News is that Mary has a private donor who is matching your funds up to $12,500.

AN OFFICIAL TAX RECEIPT WILL BE ISSUED TO YOU FOR YOUR DONATIONS BY WORLD PARTNERSHIP WALK AND 100% OF YOUR CONTRIBUTION GOES TO THE RECIPIENTS.

Here is the link to sponsor Shabu and Shaida. Let’s remember that while you are enjoying the comfort of your home, they have made this choice to battle global poverty. Lets show support in whatever little amount you can afford.

Click here to visit the fundraising page.

Alkarim Devani fights urban sprawl one sustainable home at a time | Alberta Venture

ismailimail — Wed, 22 May 2013 17:45:53 +0000

Sometimes, it pays to stand out from the crowd. That’s what Alkarim Devani, the owner of Calgary’s Beyond Homes, is discovering. At a time when the homebuilding industry in Calgary is pumping out a decidedly familiar-looking product (one might even describe it as “cookie-cutter”) and adding to the already imposing sea of beige homes, Devani is thinking – and building – differently.

via Alkarim Devani fights urban sprawl one sustainable home at a time | Alberta Venture.

Faizmeen Pirali: UHV student receives Salute to Nurses scholarship

ismailimail — Wed, 22 May 2013 16:45:13 +0000

Faizmeen Pirali, center, receives her scholarship award during the Houston Chronicle’s Salute to Nurses event, which honors nurses and nursing students. Jack Sweeny, chairman of the Houston Chronicle, left, and Kathryn Tart, dean of the UHV School of Nursing, were on hand to present Pirali with her award.

Faizmeen Pirali recently became the fifth University of Houston-Victoria nursing student to receive a Salute to Nurses Scholarship.

The Second Degree Bachelor of Science in Nursing student was one of five from the Houston area to receive a $1,500 scholarship as part of the Houston Chronicle’s Salute to Nurses event.

Pirali attended a May 9 Salute to Nurses Awards Luncheon and was featured in a May 12 nursing special section in the Houston Chronicle.

via Victoria Advocate | UHV student receives Salute to Nurses scholarship.

Earlier: Faizmeen Pirali receives Salute to Nurses Scholarship Award – Houston Chronicle

Naseem Somani – Winnipeg medical lab opens new digs

ismailimail — Tue, 21 May 2013 15:30:43 +0000

Mayor Sam Katz was on hand to help a Winnipeg-based medical laboratory cut the ribbon on a new expanded space in the city Monday.

Gamma-Dynacare Medical Laboratories have consolidated and relocated their laboratory testing operations in Winnipeg to a newly designed and renovated 30,000 square-foot space on King Edward Street.

“We are excited and proud to be celebrating the grand opening of our new world-class laboratory in Winnipeg,” said Naseem Somani, president and CEO of Gamma-Dynacare Medical Laboratories in a release.

via Winnipeg medical lab opens new digs | Metro.

Dr. Aleem Manji – Youngest Ismaili Periodontist

ismailimail — Tue, 21 May 2013 14:30:22 +0000

Source

Short Film: Beyond the Heights – Featuring Samina Baig and team

ismailimail — Mon, 20 May 2013 19:46:54 +0000

Produced by Mirza Ali. Directed, filmed and edited by Jawad Sharif.

Breathtaking scenes from Gilgit-Baltistan. Beautifully captured.

Movie link: http://youtu.be/lWg7bz1KUao

Also watch, the making of: http://youtu.be/7b6tCgFYy0k

Ismaili Flag on Mount Everest

ismailimail — Mon, 20 May 2013 12:21:32 +0000

Updated with VOA, BBC and GeoTV reports. Links below.

Samina Khayal Baig is a 21 year old mountaineer from the Shimshal Valley of Gojal (upper Hunza). She created history by becoming the only Pakistani woman to climb Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak. She, along with her 29 year old brother Mirza Ali, was part of a team that scaled the highest peak of the world in Nepal on Sunday.

Mirza Ali became Pakistan’s youngest male mountaineer to climb Everest. The first man from Pakistan to climb Mount Everest was Nazir Sabir from Hunza Valley.

Interview with BBC Urdu
2011 Interview with Voice of America, with documentary footage.
GeoTV Pakistan video

Pamir Times – Times of Oman – The News International – The Hindu – Business Recorder – Hindustan Times – Express Tribune Blog – Voice of America Urdu – Dawn – Associated Press of Pakistan – Radio Free Europe

President felicitates first Pakistani woman to scale Mount Everest

All related Ismaili Muslims in the News: Mountaineer Nazir Sabir

Samina Baig becomes first Pakistani woman to scale the world’s highest peak of Everest

ismailimail — Sun, 19 May 2013 22:33:44 +0000

Samina Baig and her brother Mirza Ali are Ismaili Muslims from the Shimshal Valley of Pakistan. We have featured them before at Ismailimail. Several media outlets have reported this news, including BBC Urdu. Below are some of the links.

Express Tribune – Mirza Ali’s Blog – The Himalayn Times – Spectacular Pakistan Facebook – BBC Urdu – Photographs

Related: Ismaili Flag on Mount Everest

Rizwan Janmohamed’s Aromas of Zanzibar – from business concept to working reality

ismailimail — Fri, 17 May 2013 16:00:07 +0000

Born and educated in Morogoro, in 2006, young Rizwan Janmohamed, having a certificate in Hospitality and Tourism, was happy to be working at the Ammani Kendwa Beach Resort in Zanzibar.

He stayed there for four years, by which time he knew that his interests and talents were best utilised in a creative outlet, and that running his own business could be the way to achieve this.

Once the decision was made, instead of leaping into the unknown, he gave himself a year in which to observe and learn about the handicraft and arts curio sector, before opening his shop, Aromas of Zanzibar, in the Stone Town in February 2011.

via http://www.ippmedia.com/frontend/index.php?l=50644.
http://www.vijana.fm/2011/10/21/five-questions-with-store-owner-rizwan-janmohamed/

Nazeem Mohamed, CEO Kampala Pharmaceutical Industries: Universities urged to focus on practical skills

ismailimail — Wed, 15 May 2013 07:45:04 +0000

Kampala Pharmaceutical Industries is a branch of The Aga Khan Development Network. John Tugume talked to Mr Nazeem Mohamed, the chief executive officer, about the sensitive job of producing quality life-saving drugs.

via Universities urged to focus on practical skills – Jobs and Career – monitor.co.ug.
http://kpi.co.ug/index.php/about-us/our-management

Jimmy (Sadrudin) Rawji – Ponoka’s volunteers given spirited ceremony

ismailimail — Tue, 14 May 2013 15:07:34 +0000

Bernie Martin (left) received this year’s Rita Scott Volunteer Award and Jimmy Rawji was given the Morna Chorney Heart and Soul Award.

Ponoka County Reeve Gordon Svenningsen asked the question what it really means to be a volunteer. And the answer is embodied by this year’s two prestigious recipients.

The Morna Chorney Heart and Soul Award was given to Jimmy Rawji. The award for Rawji was a planned surprise and he was shocked after the Chorney family announced his name.

Rawji says people kept making a “fuss”, asking if he was attending the ceremony. His son, Jamil, even went as far to ask if he was changing his clothes but he never realized what the fuss was about.

Rawji, who was a beloved teacher for many years and continues to substitute in his retired years, moved to the Bluffton area from East Africa.

He says it was there he learned about volunteering and the fire was lit within him. “I couldn’t have done it alone . . . I learned it from all of you.”

Rawji told many stories of his time in Bluffton and the people there who made it their goal to welcome him into the community. “They took me Christmas shopping. They taught me how to wear long johns,” he said with a laugh.

There was also a woman who Rawji made special efforts to comfort. She had cancer in her leg and was hospitalized.

She wouldn’t eat for the staff and it was Rawji who convinced her to keep fighting.

The woman would eat only if he made her Campbell’s soup. “What a simple request,” he said, astounded that something so effortless could brighten her day.

This story of kindness won’t come as a surprise to those who know Rawji. Attendees of the ceremony and others in the community have only kind words about his selfless character.

“He volunteers as much as anyone can. He doesn’t even realize the good he does,” said Janice Mackie, coordinator of volunteer services at the Centennial Centre for Mental Health and Brain Injury. “He’s an amazing, amazing man.”

Although the award was given to him, Rawji humbly denied it was solely his, it was the result of an entire community’s kindness. He said volunteering is his way of repaying that kindness.

via Ponoka News – Ponoka’s volunteers given spirited ceremony.

Jimmy (Sadrudin) Rawji of Red Deer Ismaili Centre, as described by Rev. Ross Smillie of St. Andrew’s United Church

ismailimail — Tue, 14 May 2013 15:04:54 +0000

Rev. Ross Smillie

In Central Alberta, we have had really good relationships with a Muslim mosque in Red Deer, the Ismaili Centre. The Ismailis are a progressive Muslim group headed by the Aga Khan, who encourages his followers to seek out relationships with people of other faiths. One of the members of this mosque, a man named Jimmy Rawji, lives in Ponoka, and in obedience to the teachings of his Muslim community, he sought out the Ponoka United Church. Every Sunday, this Muslim man goes to the United Church and sings in their choir because he respects the worship of God in whatever form it takes and he believes that we need to build bridges and not barriers. Over a number of years, he has accompanied our confirmation classes on tours of the Isamaili Centre and given them talks on the Muslim faith. He is a man whom I admire and respect. He is a Muslim who strikes me as close to God. He is a Muslim whom I think offers a good example of the scandalous love that Jesus taught and to which his followers are called. And so I think that this weekend when we think about Jesus’ scandalous love for those whom we are tempted to despise and fear, we also are called to reach out to our Muslim neighbours.

via http://www.lacombeunitedchurch.ca/sermons2010/september%2012.html
http://www.lacombeunitedchurch.ca/index.html

Alisha Kaba – Shanti Uganda Intern

ismailimail — Mon, 13 May 2013 17:00:16 +0000

A doctor, an accountant, a nurse, a teacher- these are the aspirations of the young girls who participate in Shanti Uganda’s Teen Girls Health and Empowerment Program and these are the bright souls who surround me at the beginning of my journey. I come from Canada while they come from Luwero and its surrounding towns; despite our diversity it is apparent that as women we share one goal: to educate ourselves and prepare for our futures as independent and contributing members of society.

Click here to read more Shanti Uganda | Aspirations and Empowerment: Mobilizing the community…one woman at a time..

Dr. Shafik Dharamsi: Early Childhood Development Program improves lives of kids in developing nations | Vancouver Sun

ismailimail — Mon, 13 May 2013 15:00:07 +0000

Dr. Shafik Dharamsi is the former Regional Program Director of the Aga Khan Foundation’s Madrasa Early Childhood Development Program in East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda). We had the chance to sit down with Dr. Dharamsi and ask him about the work he did to help improve the lives of kids in these developing countries.

Dr. Dharamsi is currently a professor with the UBC Faculty of Medicine and serves as Lead Faculty of the Global Health Network with the UBC Liu Institute for Global Issues. He served as the Associate Director of the UBC Centre for International Health from 2005 to 2010. He recently received the prestigious UBC Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies Visiting Scholar Abroad Award to develop a global perspective and long-term international research agenda on social accountability in medicine and the development of socially responsive physicians.

What are the benefits of the Early Childhood Program as implemented by the Madrasa initiative in developing nations?

Click here to read interview at Vancouver Sun.

Faizmeen Pirali receives Salute to Nurses Scholarship Award – Houston Chronicle

ismailimail — Fri, 10 May 2013 14:45:02 +0000

Faizmeen Pirali is a student at the University of Houston – Victoria School of Nursing and was nominated by Dr. Kathryn Tart, founding dean and professor.

She was inspired to pursue the nursing profession by her faith. As a Shia Ismaili Muslim, she adheres to its values of kindness toward all of humanity, sharing one’s time and life-long learning.

“I felt that the nursing profession aligned perfectly with all the values that my faith has instilled in me,” Pirali said. “Nurses provide so much positive energy, selfless care, enrich lives, promote health, and help patients maintain their dignity in the most vulnerable times.”

After graduation, she plans to gain experience in a hospital setting and volunteer in vulnerable areas of Third World countries that lack needed health care services, realizing her dream of completely devoting herself to the service of others.

“This scholarship is a blessing that helps me in moving forward with a career choice that I am so passionate about,” Pirali said. “To me, the scholarship signifies the support of our society to future nurses, like myself, to help us become leaders within our communities.”

via Salute to Nurses names scholarship winners – Houston Chronicle.

Six city youth awarded Duke of Edinburgh Awards at the Ismaili Centre Burnaby

ismailimail — Fri, 10 May 2013 14:00:24 +0000

BY JENNIFER MOREAU, BURNABY NOW - Six youth from Burnaby received bronze Duke of Edinburgh Awards on April 27 at the local Ismaili Centre.

The Burnaby award recipients are Imaan Shivji, Sanna Huda, Amaara Dhanji, Serena Li, Arshaan Merchant and Nicholas Luong.

The Duke of Edinburgh Awards are part of an international program for youth, aged 14 to 25.

Participants chose a level – either bronze, silver or gold – based on their age and experience.

To earn the award, participants have to volunteer, go on a camping trip, join a skills program and spend time being physically active.

Once the requirements are met, the participants receive their awards.

There are seven million people participating in the awards program from 141 countries.

via Six city youth awarded for skills, efforts.

TEDxCalgary is sold out – But you can still watch Rahim, Hussein, Fatima and others Live Online

ismailimail — Thu, 09 May 2013 21:05:28 +0000

Join to watch TEDxCalgary’s Energy: Full Spectrum event live! It will be streaming content from the session from approximately 10 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Mountain Standard Time.

For those not able to participate in person, the event is being webcast in full on May 11th.

On May 11, click here for TEDxCalgary | Live Webstream.

Rahim Sajan, Curator TEDx Calgary

ismailimail — Thu, 09 May 2013 20:56:25 +0000

To highlight Rahim’s fundamental role in TEDxCalgary, we’ve borrowed from the TED lexicon and dubbed him our “Curator”, a term of great respect. From many conversations with interested people, it was Rahim who ultimately took the final step toward securing an event licence and who continues to lead our overall efforts as an event team. Rahim also leads our all-important programming committee.

Rahim is a community organizer, educator, adventurer and self confessed bookworm. He is a teacher in the local board, where he currently works with both teachers and students. Before this sweet gig he had other unbelievably cool jobs where he taught science, physical education, robotics, astronomy, and math. He has extensive experience working in a number of different environments and educational levels, including a 2 year stint as a teacher close to the NWT in an isolated First Nations Community, shortly after he graduated for a second time from the University of Calgary.