Muslim Institute and Halal Food Authority launch Community Empowerment Fund
The Muslim Institute and the Halal Food Authority, two organisations with a shared history, 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 Fund was launched at the Annual Ibn Rushd Lecture on 4 July 2023.
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, says: “The Muslim Institute is delighted to be partnering with the Halal Food Authority to launch our new Community Empowerment Fund.
We have chosen Be to be the first awardees because Hushair and Nanu’s work with the young people of Oldham exemplifies the purpose behind the fund. The fund will concentrate on our most neglected and overlooked communities, to encourage and support those often unrecognised individuals and organisations doing excellent and impactful grassroots work.
Be have plans to use the fund to help on a one-to-one basis through a series of exciting programmes, and to bring together young people from across Oldham’s communities to work together to change their futures for the better. We are proud to support this work.”
Matin Khan, Chair of the Halal Food Authority, says: “This is just the start of many projects in the future that will signpost, help and support young and vulnerable people to support them into 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 Qur'anic 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.
July 2023