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A letter from our Interim Director

Posted on 15 July 2020

Assalamu alaykum

Dear Muslim Youth Helpline Community,

I would like to introduce myself to you as the Interim Director of Muslim Youth Helpline. It is a huge honour to have an opportunity to lead a dedicated team and serve our community. The organisation continues to work tirelessly to provide free and culturally sensitive support to those in need, by offering a safe space that young Muslims can turn to if they’re struggling with their mental health and wellbeing.

In my previous role, I worked for a Strategic Communications company in the UAE and Jordan, where I managed a government relations project spanning India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. After three years, I longed for the familiarity of family and community, and in 2019 I returned home where I joined Muslim Youth Helpline as Co-Chair on the Board of Trustees.

Over the last year, MYH has gone from strength to strength. The helpline is busier than it has ever been in our 19-year history, which tells us both that our service users are hearing about our service, and that the need for it is greater than ever. The challenges we have had as an organisation have also changed, moving from a position of uncertainty, to knowing that our Helpline is an essential frontline service. We know that service users benefit from our Helpline every day, and we’re grateful that the community supports MYH both as a service by spreading the word, and through donations.

It’s an exciting time for Muslim Youth Helpline to challenge itself to grow. We currently have a skilled, committed team, but we need more staff to ensure we meet demand. This is a challenge I’ll be looking at during the next few months, and if you’re able to help, please do ,,get in touch.

I would like to thank ,,Zohra Khaku who leaves MYH as Director. Zohra has worked with MYH in several capacities, starting off as a Volunteer, then as a Trustee on the Board, and eventually becoming Director, where she helped transform the organisation in the short space of time. Zohra has formed strong foundations that I’m excited to build on.

Thank you to the Helpline team who are the lifeline of the organisation, and who have shown resilience and service during the hardest moments for our beneficiaries. You have saved lives, and improved the quality of life of countless people in this country. It’s hard to express how grateful we all are for your work.

And finally, thank you to everyone who continues to support Muslim Youth Helpline; whether through your generous donations, your thoughtful letters and messages of support, or your heartfelt prayers; each recognises why we do the work we do, and helps us support the people who need it most.

As Director of MYH, I’m here to serve our clients and our community. I’m sure my role will be full of challenges, and the MYH community and supporters are best placed to help. Please do email and introduce yourself – I’d love to hear from you.

Please continue to remain safe and healthy during these turbulent times.

Kind regards,

Maaria Mahmood