Munaf Zeena receives award for social work

LONDON: Munaf Zeena, Chairman of the Council of Indian Muslims has been felicitated with the Uthman Dan Fodio Award for Excellence in Community Development.

The award, sponsored by the Department of Communities and Local Government, was presented to Zeena by the Director General of the Department Susan Scholefield here, the Council said in a statement on Saturday.

Secretary of State for International Development MP Hillary Benn was the chief guest at the awards ceremony on Wednesday.

Receiving the award, Zeena highlighted problems faced by faith children who were sent to foster parents belonging to other faiths or who have no faith.

"The award will go a long way in the recognition by the local authorities of the acute need of faith children being sent in the family of the same faith."

He said that this is the recognition by the judges of the problems faced by the faith children and secondly myself and my co-director Ismail Amaan, who are of Indian origin and thus, this is the recognition of the service of two British Indian Muslims.