NYC Youth Leader Completes 10 Years of Community Service
Ayouth empowerment advocate and social worker, Mohammed Shafil, 27, has completed his 10 years of community service where he helped countless poor families, students and those in urgent need of assistance after a house fire.
He is the founder of the nongovernment organisation, Nakasi Youth Club (NYC), which was formed in 2020 and recently celebrated its three-year anniversary.
Originally from Labasa, Mr Shafil said his past experiences of struggling with school resources when he was a student himself, was a driving factor that encouraged him to assist those facing similar challenges.
His interest in community service grew in 2012 when he was still in Year 11 at Lautoka Muslim College.
He completed his primary education at Lautoka Primary School and was residing at Waidamudamu Settlement in Koronivia, Nausori.
“I received a gold medal for my dedication to the Duke International Awards programme that was co-ordinated by the Ministry of Youth and Sports,” he said.
He thanked his Commerce studies teacher, Mr Faiyaz, for encouraging him to join a youth club and engage more in community work.
His passion grew with the establishment of his NYC youth club and every time an assistance was made to the poor and needy, a simple smile or ‘thank you’ encouraged him to do more.
The soft-spoken man is employed at one of the leading hardware company chains in the Nakasi area.
Mr Shafil is an inspiration for his two sisters and three brothers and believed family support was the greatest strength throughout the project.
“My continued engagement with community work led to many of my friends requesting if they could join me, so this was evident in the NYC club formation,” he said.
Despite, many planning to engage in merry-making during Christmas and New Year, he is involved in preparing back-to-school resources and school packs for needy students for the new academic year in 2023.
His nature is best described as humble, loving, caring, and friendly and has the heart to assist the vulnerable and needy.