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Location: Calgary, Alberta
Already a champion in chess, Muhammad Saim’s volunteer activities have also proven to be winning moves for those whose lives he has touched. Just as in a game of chess, Muhammed is making every move count.
Grateful for chess’ positive impact on his life, at 16 years old, Muhammad set out to provide others with an opportunity to connect and improve their mental health post-pandemic. To that end, he was instrumental in establishing The Checkmate Foundation, a provincial non-profit providing opportunities to communities to foster development through chess education. To date, Muhammad and his team have hosted 60 events and taught the intricacies of the game to over 2,000 Calgarians.
Muhammad is just as dedicated about sharing his skills on the soccer pitch as he is on the chess board. Wanting to use his experience playing soccer, Muhammad also coaches intermediate soccer to
25 participants with intellectual disabilities, leading warm-up exercises to prepare the team to face the challenges of the game. Muhammad is skilled at using soccer as a means to help these individuals develop the social skills and independence needed to face the challenges of life.
Remembering his own family’s struggle with food insecurity as newcomers to Canada, Muhammad has leveraged his own experiences to help launch a local chapter of the food-rescue non-profit Zero Food Waste. Zero Food Waste works to redirect excess food from restaurants, hotels, grocery stores and catering companies to disadvantaged communities and the people who need it the most. Each month, Muhammed helps to host a downtown Calgary buffet, where as many as 200 people experiencing homelessness can access a meal.
Muhammad has also taken the cause of children with severe neurological disabilities to heart, working to raise $10,000 for research in support of the Calgary Pediatric Brain-Computer Interface Program, more widely known as BCI4Kids. Through the program, children are able to access cutting edge technology to gain independence and actively participate in activities that would otherwise be impossible.
Muhammad’s commitment to improving the lives of youth and Calgary’s most vulnerable makes him a much deserving recipient of Northern Lights Volunteer Recognition honours!
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