Member Article

Private sector candidates shine in Yorkshire awards for inspirational young people

An Afghan refugee turned business investment manager, a Wakefield law student and a skin aesthetics entrepreneur are among the 33 candidates vying to become Yorkshire’s Asian Young Achievers 2022.

Habib Karimi, of Bradford, couldn’t speak a word of English when he arrived in the UK but, since graduating with a BA and an MSC, he has worked for Santander bank, Yorkshire Building Society and is now an associate investment manager with the Business Enterprise Fund.

The greatest challenge Sarah Asghar Ileyas, of Wakefield, says she has had to overcome is being part of the LGBTQ Community. Completing her law degree, Sarah found work in her current company where she is purchasing administration manager. She has spent the past two years studying part-time for her Masters in Law.

Shortlisted in 2022 for ‘Skin Specialist of the Year’ by the British Hair and Beauty Awards, Maihvish Iqbal, of Bradford, established AestheticsbyM three years ago at the beginning of lockdown. Her success is testimony to the clients she has coming from all over the country for treatments. Maihvish also manages to combine running her business with studying for her Masters in Pharmacy.

All three are shortlisted in the Achievement in the Private Sector category of the awards – dubbed the YAYAs – which are open to any young person aged 16 to 30 of South Asian heritage (Pakistani, Indian, Bangladeshi etc) who was born in, or lives and works in Yorkshire.

Aimed at rising stars who have overcome deprivation and disadvantage, or have broken down traditional barriers to progress, this year the YAYAs have attracted a record entry from throughout the county.

The awards will culminate in the announcement of the overall Young Achiever of the Year 2022 title, which was won last year by NHS worker Huma Malik, of Bradford, who was recognised for volunteering during the pandemic, despite her own long-term health problems. Since winning, she has become a trustee of the Mental Health Foundation, and is progressing in her role as an engagement officer for NHS Leeds CCG.

This year’s winners will be announced during a celebration dinner hosted by BBC TV and Radio presenter and stand-up comedian, Noreen Khan, at the Cedar Court Hotel, Bradford.

Bradford-based QED Foundation, a registered charity which exists to improve the social and economic position of disadvantaged communities in partnership with public, private and civil society organisations, worked with their headline partners, York St John University, to organise the awards.

Dr Mohammed Ali OBE, QED founder and chief executive, said: “We are absolutely thrilled with the quality of entries from across Yorkshire. Many have overcome great obstacles to achieve what they have and it’s wonderful to be able to share their stories with a wider audience and highlight their successes and achievements in such a positive way.”

The 11 award categories are: Achievement in School or College; Health/Mental Health and Healthcare; The Arts & Creative industries; the Private Sector; Media; Education; the Public Sector; the Not-for-Profit Sector; Sport; Achievement as a Young Entrepreneur; and Achievement in Overcoming Life Obstacles.

Other sponsors and supporters of the awards include: Regal Foods; the University of York; the National Science & Media Museum; LOCALiQ; People Cert; Morrisons; Bradford Council; the Home Office; Barnardo’s; MyLahore and the University of Bradford.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Perry Austin-Clarke .