PRESS RELEASE Community Empowerment Fund.
The Muslim Institute and the Halal Food Authority are pleased to announce the first recipients of their new joint Community Empowerment Fund.
The Muslim Institute and the Halal Food Authority have come together to provide grants each year to grassroot UK Muslim organisations and individuals working for the common good in our most neglected and overlooked communities. The fund will seek out and promote excellence and high achievement.
The first beneficiaries of the Community Empowerment Fund are a new Oldham-based voluntary organisation whose mission is to empower young people and foster their self-confidence to help them believe in and achieve their goals.
Be will be in receipt of a grant for £10,000 to help them plan and deliver tailored support to young people in Oldham, particularly those who are vulnerable and at risk from violence and criminal behaviour. The funds will allow Be to engage young people through diverse activities, including workshops, street outreach work, events, and residential programmes.
Hushair from Be says: “ The management team at Be are thrilled to be generously awarded the Community Empowerment Fund jointly from the esteemed Muslim Institute and the Halal Food Authority. This grant will play a pivotal role in furthering Be's mission of making a positive impact on our community and empowering the youth to reach their full potential.
The grant will make a substantial difference in the work we do. It will be strategically utilised to develop and implement new initiatives, facilitate workshops, organise impactful events, and offer mentorship programmes aimed at building confidence, promoting entrepreneurship, and encouraging educational pursuits among the young individuals we serve”.
Hassan Mahamdallie, Director of the Muslim Institute QUOTE MI:
Matin Khan, Chair of the HFA, QUOTE HFA:
This is just a start of many projects in the future to signpost, help and support the young vulnerable people get involved in productive and constructive activities so that they can avoid violence and other criminal behaviour.
ABOUT BE كن!:
Be is run by Hushair Ali and Nanu Miah. For more than two decades Hushair has been actively involved in various grassroots and outreach projects in Oldham, Lancashire, consistently striving to empower young people and instil confidence in them to pursue their goals. Nanu has an extensive background in community and youth work spanning over three decades. Recognizing the pressing issues of gang violence, violent crime, and drug-related problems within his community in Oldham, Nanu has established various initiatives aimed at addressing these issues head-on.
The organisation’s name Be كن! derives from Quranic verses that highlight Allah's divine powers, where His command "Be!" brings forth existence. The name Be serves as a powerful reminder to believe in oneself and to strive towards personal growth and empowerment. It symbolises the organisation’s commitment to empowering young people.
ABOUT THE MUSLIM INSTITUTE:
The Muslim Institute, a registered charity, is a Fellowship society of thinkers, academics, artists, creatives and professionals. It aims to promote and support the growth of thought, knowledge, research, creativity and open debate within the Muslim community and wider society. The Institute emphasises the diversity and plurality of Islam and Muslims to promote dialogue, cooperation and collaboration between Muslims and other cultures and within Muslim communities. The Institute holds regular events, including the flagship Annual Ibn Rushd Lectures, and publishes the much acclaimed Critical Muslim quarterly journal. It seeks to apply this learning to social activism that benefits our communities. musliminstitute.org
ABOUT THE HALAL FOOD AUTHORITY:
The Halal Food Authority (HFA) is an independent, voluntary non-profit organization and the trading arm of the Halal Food Foundation charity. The HFA is involved in the supervision, inspection, audit, certification, and compliance of halal principles and practices in the UK food and beverages industry. The HFA’s mission is to establish the most practicable and robust halal assurance system facilitating comprehensive traceability of halal food serving the Muslim community and halal industry. halalfoodauthority.com