Richmond Hill’s First Annual Women of Inspiration and Leadership Award (WILA) ceremony will be held on Monday, April 26 at 6:30pm.
The event is to honour our 2021 winner, Sajida Habib, founder of the Salaam Foundation. Noeline Paul, President of the Richmond Hill Rotary Club will be presenting the award. Richmond Hill MPP Daisy Wai will provide a congratulatory message to Sajida. Also participating will be representatives from the Sandgate Women’s Shelter of York Region.
Sajida will be honoured at an award ceremony on Monday, April 26, 2021 over Zoom. Anyone wishing to join the festivities, please register in advance for this meeting.
Sajida has contributed to the Richmond Hill community since arriving as a newcomer from Pakistan to Richmond Hill in the 1980s. As a volunteer leader, she has served as a parent volunteer on local school board associations, worked as a facilitator at a York Region kindergarten, as a principal at the local Sunday school, led civic engagement in local marginalized communities for the 2015 and 2019 federal elections, sponsored and supported Syrian Refugees, started the Homework club in Jaffari Housing, and founded a non-profit Muslim Women for York Region that provides food and essential needs like PPE to foodbanks and shelters throughout the GTA. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization has helped over 13 shelters food banks, donating in excess of $170,000 with support from 140 Richmond Hill volunteers.
Sajida said, “I feel privileged and honoured to be the first recipient of WILA by the Richmond Hill Rotary Club. I thank the Rotary Club of Richmond Hill for recognizing the work that women are doing in this community.”
The Rotary Club of Richmond Hill launched the Women of Inspiration and Leadership Award to recognize a woman who through her leadership, achievement, and example of the highest distinction has inspired the residents of Richmond Hill. She may have done so through her contribution to a corporation, government, not-for-profit, start-up, or service to the community. More information on the award is available.
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