11/20/2004 9:20:00 AM GMT
Hindustan Times
A Muslim student, who lives in North London, has won a prestigious award from Britain’s Home Office for establishing a Muslim Youth Helpline to give young Muslims the chance to talk about their personal problems.
Regarding the award, which he won from a field of more than 500 nominees in four categories of arts, sports, community and environment, Mohammad Mamdani, 21, said: "It is great to be acknowledged for the work you do and it inspires you to work even harder."
Mohammad, a student at Oxford University, set up the helpline three years ago while he was still at school.
The helpline has grown enormously and has received phone calls and e-mails from at least 2000 young British Muslims over the past year. Some 30 percent of the total number of calls and e-mails comes from people who suffer from depression and other mental health problems.
When asked about the reason behind the large number of young Muslims in Britain who suffer from such problems, Mohammad said; "Many young Muslims here feel like they are living double lives, because of the pressures they face from their community on the one hand and from Western society on the other.
“I felt there was a need for a service that was non-judgmental and understood the cultural context that young Muslims operate in."