Scots fundraiser wins Burns accolade

25/01/2010

International relief efforts recognised by Humanitarian Awards

This year’s international Robert Burns Humanitarian Award has been picked up by a Scottish fundraiser for his work with relief agencies helping people in disaster zones across the world.

Since 2003, Habib Malik has been head of Islamic Relief (Scotland) and a member of the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), most recently involved with emergency funds to help victims of Haiti’s earthquake, and crises including the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami in South East Asia.

When collecting his award, Malik said he was humbled to have been chosen, and expressed his gratitude to the “true heroes”, the volunteers and donors.

He said: “My work with Islamic Relief has never been for my sake, but for the sake of those voiceless millions around the world who scream, but are not heard. Robert Burns himself was born into poverty, and has been described as a poet of the poor and an advocate for social change.”

Other nominees for this year’s Award included 12-year-old Zach Bonner, who began helping homeless people and children living in poverty across the USA in 2004, after Hurricane Charlie hit near his home in Florida, and Mark and Caroline Cook, for their work providing homes for children of disasters overseas.

The winner of the Award receives 1759 guineas (circa £1,800), marking the year of Burns’s birth.

Now in its ninth year, the awards at Turnberry Hotel, Ayrshire, were hosted by Kaye Adams and presented by Fiona Hyslop MSP.  The winner was chosen by a panel including last year’s winner, Guy Willoughby, Adams, author Muriel Gray, Mike Duguid and Graham Peterkin of the Robert Burns World Festival.