Penny Appeal Canada, a Muslim relief and development charity, and B.C.-based non-profit Foundation For a Path Forward are launching a program called Project Falah — an Arabic word meaning salvation, happiness and well-being, and an acronym for Facilitating Advancement in Life, Addiction and Mental Health.
“We’re already behind the ball due to the way the community has always dealt with these issues, and we don’t have the tools or the supports,” said Fawad Kalsi, the chief development officer at Penny Appeal Canada.
Kalsi, an imam — a Muslim religious leader — said the cause is close to his heart, having suffered an opioid addiction himself after being prescribed pain medication to deal with a chronic medical condition.
He said drug use and mental-health issues are further stigmatized in the Muslim community than in other groups, making people reticent to publicly admit they have an issue or seek help.
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This is just one of the news events highlighted by Norma Marr — a long-time Herald researcher/librarian who prepared a feature called The H Files, in which she looked back at a variety of Calgary happenings.
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