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Mohamed Sofa receives Mayor's City Builder Award

Ottawa StartThursday, June 23, 2011 Mohamed Sofa with Ottawa Moyor Jim Watson Mayor Jim Watson and Beacon Hill-Cyrville Ward Councillor Tim Tierney today presented Mohamed Sofa with the Mayor's City Builder Award at the City Council meeting. Mayor Jim Watson and Beacon Hill-Cyrville Ward Councillor Tim Tierney today presented Mohamed Sofa with the Mayor’s City Builder Award at the City Council meeting. Mr. Sofa is a respected community activist and community builder who has had a significant positive impact through engagement in his neighbourhood by identifying needs and seeking positive solutions. He is a strong role model for youth in the west end of Ottawa and started volunteering and helping neighbourhood youth at an early age. He helped to initiate and implement homework clubs, soccer teams, basketball leagues, sports nights, and celebrations for youth and other community members. He is one of the founders of Young Somali Professionals of North America-Ottawa Branch (YSPNA-OB) whose mission is to provide professional development and networking opportunities for Somali professionals and to create social and business community enhancement projects and advocacy for Somali professionals in the Ottawa area. Mr. Sofa is also chairperson of and helped to establish in 2003 the Somali Youth Basketball League (SYBL), a non-profit organization which aims to provide an affordable venue to help youth and young adults, especially those considered to be at risk, develop leadership, social and basketball skills and become more confident. The league serves more than 200 youth from across the city.He is a member of the board of directors at the Britannia Community House and the Catholic Immigration Centre and as a community youth worker at Pinecrest-Queensway Community Health Centre, he supported the development of the Somali Youth Support Project in the west end. He has been instrumental in engaging youth and parents by developing positive relationships and building trust.The Mayor’s City Builder Award is a civic honour created by Mayor Watson to recognize an individual, group or organization that has, through outstanding volunteerism or exemplary action, demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to making our city a better place today and for the future. This may include lifelong service, outstanding acts of kindness, inspiring charitable work, community building or other exemplary achievements.Individuals, groups or organizations may be nominated by members of City Council or the public. The award is presented at the beginning of each City Council meeting