Muslim Link interviewed Rayanne Bendaoud about how her encounter with a Syrian refugee in Ottawa inspired her to organize the United for Syria Soccer Tournament this Saturday, July 23rd to raise money for refugees supported by the United Nations’ Refugee Agency (UNHCR).

(If you would like to register as a team or individual for this all ages tournament click here for details.)

In the Ottawa community, it's a challenge to meet someone who does not know Khadija Haffajee. She is seen as a pioneering figure in the nation’s capital, as well as on a global scale as a lecturer, educator, mentor and social activist. But not everyone knows the unique backstory on how a South African woman ended up holding such a public role in Canada.

Muslim Link interviewed to Ottawa-based entrepreneur and university student Nayaelah Siddiqui, founder of EIDY, a product aimed at helping children celebrate Ramadan who live in non-Muslim majority countries.

Montreal-based Syrian Canadian journalist Oussayma Canbarieh has made multiple documentaries exploring the challenges faced by Muslims navigating their identity within North American societies. In particular, her ground-breaking web series for Radio Canada International, “Me, The Muslim Next Door”, follows the lives of seven young Muslim Canadians in Montreal and Toronto. Oussayma was awarded the Lys de la Diversité Prize for web-journalism in 2013.

The United Muslim Organizations of Ottawa-Gatineau were able to raise $64,000 in donations for Fort McMurray Fire Relief. Much of these donations came in from the Muslim community at Friday Prayer Services on May 6th. These donations are being channelled through the Canadian Red Cross, so they will be matched dollar for dollar by the Canadian government inshallah.

The team behind Serenity Islamic Mental Health Awareness is organizing a major conference from May 20th to 22nd to destigmatize mental illness within Muslim communities in Ottawa. Subjects that will be discussed during the conference will include depression, suicide, and addiction. “We want to destigmatize the mystery around mental illness and normalize it because it’s there every day,” Berak Hussain, the conference director, stated. Berak, an Iraqi Canadian professional counsellor, works with Carleton University’s Health and Counselling Services, who have endorsed the event.

Students at Maingate Islamic Academy in Mississauga participated in a workshop called The Blanket Exercise, which explores the impact of colonialism on the indigenous peoples of Canada. Student reporters from the school Zaynab Mamai, Sumaya Abdulle, and Dima Traboulsi, with the support of their teacher,  Sanaa Ali-Mohammed, wrote the following article about their experience.

One Muslim woman is devoting much of her time to raise awareness about Islam across small town Ontario through a series of presentations and interfaith dialogue.

Barbara Helms was born in Saskatchewan to American parents, who were both accomplished classical musicians teaching in Canada. Shortly after she was born the family moved back to the United States, where Helms was raised with her older sister in Princeton, NJ. She returned to Canada in her 20s to study at McGill University.

Last year, Haitian Canadian Fatima Estime visited the drought stricken village of Desab in Haiti. The village is facing chronic challenges around accessing clean water. Fatima is now determined to work to help support the village.

Muslim Link interviewed Fatima about her experience in Haiti, including visiting with Haiti's Muslim communities, and her work to collect resources and find sustainable access to clean water for Desab. She hopes to return there this summer.

The I.LEAD Conference returns to Ottawa this Saturday, April 16th. This year’s theme is Living the Legacy: Those Who Believe and Do Righteous Deeds.