Community Matters
Muslim Dentists Treat Haitians
Dental Relief is the newest branch of Muslims Without Borders, a studentbased relief organization, reached out to the impoverished people of Miragoâne, Haiti. MWB — Dental Relief sent a team of eight volunteers, including six dental profession-
als, on a four-day mission trip. While there, the team was able to successfully treat 450 patients, ranging from 6 to 90 years in age. Haiti was specifically targeted due to the lack of accessible dental care. “We were in the right place,” says Dr.
Scholarship Sponsors Recognized
Salman Ravala, founding director, Dollar-A-Day Scholarship Fund (D.A.D.) was invited to address the White House forum on Faith-Based Social Innovation. D.A.D was one of only nine (and the only Muslim American organization) to be highlighted at this forum, attended by more than a 150 leaders, including various senior Administration officials. D.A.D. was selected for this conference because of its “positive impact on our society and economy” and Ravala expressed D.A.D.’s commitment to advancing the ideals of scholarship, leadership, and public service. “They are American values. They are also Islamic values... and we are advocating for every Muslim American to get an education, engage in citizenship and to give back,” Ravala said.
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Shuaib Malik, a Chicago-based oral surgeon on the mission trip. Only three of the 450 patients treated displayed evidence of any previous dental treatment. Despite the success of this trip, the harsh reality is that most of the conditions treated could have been avoided. Sulekha Abdi, a fourth year dental student at Ohio State University on the mission trip regrets how many patients lose out on early detection opportunities. “If those teeth were caught earlier, they could have been simple fillings,” Abdi says. “We did extractions on teeth that should have been kept for the rest of their lives.” As the MWB-Dental Relief continues to prosper, their goal is to transition from emergency to preventative and restorative dental care. The inaugural mission set the foundation for future service trips abroad. The Dental Relief team is applying the knowledge and experience gained towards a future mission trip to benefit the people living in the Palestinian territories, where they will visit refugee camps and provide a range of services to the area’s pediatric population in December 2012.
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Fighting Childhood Obesity ISNA was represented by Janan Najeeb, a local Muslim community leader, alongside religious leaders in Wisconsin, who joined First Lady Michelle Obama’s fight against childhood obesity. They launched their state initiatives with representatives from the White House and the nonprofit Save the Children on Aug. 28 in Racine, Wis. “Each of us have a role to play in solving the problem of childhood obesity, and faith Dr. Janan Najeeb leaders are uniquely positioned to build healthy congregations and communities for our kids,” the First Lady said in a statement announcing the collaboration. Save the Children’s Campaign for Healthy Kids is hoping to organize 1,000 faith leaders in Wisconsin and five other states to promote Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move Faith and Communities initiative. Leaders are being asked to convene health councils, and promote programs that create a healthy start for children, empower parents and caregivers, increase physical activity and improve access to healthy foods in schools and the community.
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Islamic Horizons November/December 2012