Ismaili receives Award in Calgary

Zee's Notes: The Albert Oil sector has ridden the global economic boom train over the past 2 decades. There are well over 10,000 Ismailis who live in Calgary and Edmonton and the community has prospered along with the $147 barrel of oil. Just 10 years ago I remember you could buy a condo in the Belt Line area of Calgary for less than $50,000 and prices have tripled if not quadrupled since then. But the Ismailis have given back and how - the community participates fully in the fabric of the cowboy lifestyle and examples include Rahim Jaffer - the high profile member of the ruling Conservative Government who sadly just recently lost his seat - though I have no doubt Rahim will be front and center soon in Ottawa - the nation's capital.

Jaffer served city well -The Edmonton Journal : Saturday, Oct. 18


Energy TV recently recognized Ayaz Gulamhussein , the dynamic coordinator of the World Partnership Golf and Bridges that Unite in Calgary.



Here is Ayaz at the opening of the Bridges that Unite launch.(turn up the volume)





Here is an interesting video of the Ismaili float at the world famous Calgary Stampede - the Calgary Ismaili float team has won numerous Team and Individual Awards at the festival over the past 25 years.


Thanks to our colleagues at IsmailiMail for this one.

Congo - National Post series on 'Worst Places to Live"

Heidi Kingstone on Congo: A country with everything, but whose people have nothing

Zee's Notes: It's been 30 years since the mass exodus 'Out of Africa' for Ismailis - however many stayed in Congo - the land of diamonds and gold - a country of incredible but risky opportunities. If you had the guts, and many did, millions could be made. I remember the stories of the wealth accumulated by some legendary Ismaili businessmen. Today Congo is suffering - poverty and depravation for it's people and the sad part is the International Community doesn't care - though there is still a sizeable Ismaili presence in neighboring Zaire judging from the following article in TheIsmaili.org :

Congolese Jamat hosts a dinner in celebration of the Golden Jubilee

As well, here is a great piece on the history of the Ismaili experience in Zaire:

Tomorrow: Kenya's slums...

Kenya's black hole
Second of four parts; London-based journalist Heidi Kingstone has reported from some of the world's most wretched places. This week, she profiles the worst of the worst
Heidi Kingstone, National Post Published: Tuesday, October 21, 2008