Halal brands has potential to make Pakistan proud, prosperous, says minister

ISLAMABAD: Enormity of Halal business cannot be denied whereas importance and significance of value added exports in any economy could not be over emphasized, said Minister for Science and Technology Mir Changez Khan Jamali. He said contrary to the common understanding, Halal business was not limited to Muslim communities and countries rather because of its high hygienic values the Halal products are attracting non-Muslims as well. He was chairing the first meeting of National Steering Committee for promotion and development of Halal products, on Friday. The minister said Halal market and Halal branding was today a global phenomenon and it had the potential to make Pakistan proud and prosperous. The minister said without research and development no industry could go far in that competitive world so S&T organisations had to make sure that private industry was fully supported by applied Research & Development work. Jamali said there were only four Islamic Republics in the World including Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan and Mauritius, and Pakistan was the only country with such a potential for production and export in Halal market. The participants included Federal Secretary Irfan Nadeem representatives from Ministry of Religious affairs, Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Ministry of Live Stock and Dairy Development, Ministry of Industries and production, Ministry of Commerce, and Ministry of Law, Board of Investment representative of each province, Lahore and Karachi Chamber of Commerce etc. staff report

Courtesy By: Daily Times

Information | Establish good dietary lifestyle early

This past week, I had the pleasure of going into my daughter's kindergarten class to discuss healthy eating with her classmates.

There was plenty of energy and excitement around the room and I felt like a rock star when I left.

But then, smoothies and fruit with dip are always a hit with the under-six crowd.

Helping children understand why their little bodies need healthy food can be challenging and I am very careful to not demonize less than healthy foods lest I trigger some food issue later in life. Developing healthy eating habits early will lead our children to a healthier adulthood and all the grown-ups around them have to join in the effort.

Schools around the world are wrestling with food policies that will enable them to deliver healthy food to children while still being fiscally responsible. I have the honour of working with the Calgary Board of Education on healthy eating policies and initiatives and it is a daunting task.

What, after all, is healthy food when there are so many definitions and interpretations? Add in religious, health and economic issues and it gets even more complicated.

For example, when I go out to talk to a school group, I have to consider food allergies, intolerances and dietary restrictions if I'm bringing a treat.

So, Jell-O fingers may sound like a good idea, but as gelatin is derived from animals, I might need to find a halal or even vegetarian option so that all the children can enjoy the treat and not feel left out. I also have to ensure that ingredients for the take-home recipes are accessible to all students regardless of geography and economic means. If they can't recreate it when they get home, then the learning is lost.

What amazes me most is how open-minded young people are; they do want to talk and learn about food. While a five-year-old may not care abut a food's glycemic index or how an animal was dispatched, she knows that food is important for survival and may also have a sense that what we eat is part of who we are.

My daughter does not really understand why her friend next door doesn't eat pork or regular marshmallows, but she does know that we need to have halal snacks on hand if her friend is to enjoy afternoon tea at our house.

Healthy eating doesn't have to be difficult and, as an example, I have included our recipe for Apricot and Banana Squares. They are a great snack for a quick pick-me-up and they freeze well.

There is oat bran, which is a good source of fibre and other essential nutrients, in this recipe. The apricots and bananas let us check off another selection from Canada's Food Guide, and the macadamia nuts make a nice change from the ubiquitous walnut-banana pairing in so many recipes.

I encourage you to have conversations with the young people in your life about healthy food choices. Canada's Food Guide (easy to find on the Internet) is a good place to start, but you have to make sure children understand what it means beyond the colour coding and pretty pictures. We can't just assume they understand why making healthy choices matters.

The more we talk about food with our kids, the more we raise smart eaters.

Courtesy By:Business Journal

For Elderly Muslims, Few Care Options Outside the Home

Nazli Currim lived for 14 years at the intersection of tradition and frustration. After her father died, her mother moved into Ms. Currim’s home. She cared for her mother full time, even after a stroke six years before she died.

Ms. Currim, 69, founder of the American Muslim Women’s Association, never considered finding a nursing home for her mother. Her attitude is common among Muslims in the United States, many of whom are reluctant even to consider placing an aging family member in a facility.

Part of that decision was a personal one, but part of it was practical: It is difficult for Muslims to find nursing homes and assisted living facilities that reflect their way of life.

Cultural competence has become a buzzword as adult children seek elder care solutions that acknowledge an older person’s cultural and religious identity. But the Muslim community faces a particular challenge. The elderly segment of that population is quite small, representing “only 0.5 percent of our American Muslim population,” according to Aneesah Nadir, president of the Islamic Social Services Association U.S.A., based in Phoenix. “Most of the elders of those who have immigrated here are still overseas. We’re a youthful population.”

Older parents who do come to the United States often live an insulated existence. “They don’t speak the language, so people can’t communicate with them,” said Ms. Nadir. For them, life in a majority of residential facilities would be an alien experience.


“Many of the facilities are not equipped to provide the kind of care a Muslim elder needs — requirements for diet, for prayers, for things that would make a comfortable setting,” she said. “We can’t count on those things in most elder care facilities. They’re not used to us.”

Demand for these facilities may not yet be enormous, but that seems likely to change. The Pew Research Center reports that the Muslim population in the United States will double by 2030, which means that more adult children will need a greater range of options for their aging parents. Without expanded services at existing facilities, or a combination of Muslim-run residences and an increased willingness to use them, the coming generation will face a care crisis.

The traditional model of a full-time stay-at-home caregiver will not survive as the elderly population increases and Muslim women step into the work force. Ms. Currim knows that she was able to do it only because she had both time and a network of supportive relatives to help out.

“Many of the women in our community are stay-at-home moms, even though we’re very educated,” said Ms. Nadir. “We’ve been fortunate that way. But the next generation is not going to stay at home. My daughter’s not going to stay at home.”

As the community enters a period of transition, the need for outside help will increase.

“I envision facilities where ethnicity and religions would be taken into consideration,” said Ms. Nadir, which for her family would mean that only women would attend to female residents; that halal foods, in which animals are slaughtered according to instructions, would be available; and that the staff would be aware of the presence of alcohol or animal gelatin in any medications or preparations.

For now, she focuses her outreach work on smaller steps, interim changes that provide services short of full-time care. “First, I have to get the Muslim community to admit we have social issues, like everyone, that we have to start preparing for,” she said. “Then I have to get my Muslim colleagues to recognize that the Muslim community is going to be part of this elderly community.”

“We need more social support groups within our own community, more things we can do together so our daughters and sons won’t worry,” said Ms. Nadir. “Take lunch. I don’t like to cook alone or eat alone — so if we could go somewhere and have lunch together, even that would be a start.” Until there are residential facilities or community centers that cater to the halal dietary restrictions that many Muslims observe, her options for meeting her friends are limited.

Ms. Currim says that her mother drew comfort and peace of mind from her religious and cultural practices. “My mom passed away as serenely as she lived,” she said, “her soul pouring out as easily as water from a glass laid on its side.”

She and Ms. Nadir anticipate that providing a peaceful end of life will not be as simple for the next generation of aging Muslims.

Courtesy By: The new Hork Times

Mellow Hope (HTDS) Reaches a Milestone in Indonesia

The Indonesian Muslim Association inspected the Mellow Hope plant that produces the ACYW135 and A+C Meningococcal Polysaccharide vaccines. Mellow Hope plant and method of production of these vaccines met the HALAL certificate (Halal Assurance System) requirements. The Indonesian Muslim Association is well-known and regarded as the most authoritative Muslim organization in the world. The HALAL is a difficult certificate to receive, and Mellow Hope believes that there are only two companies in the world that have obtained this certificate.

With the HALAL certificate in hand, Mellow Hope believes that it will have advantage in marketing its MEVAC-ACYW and A+C in Indonesia and other Muslim countries. Mellow Hope is participating in tenders of Group ACYW135 in Indonesia and Bangladesh, and believes that the ability to acquire HALAL certificate will be a great help in securing the tenders.

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Courtesy by: Sys- Co Media