16 year old Ahmad El Haj Youssef is a local hero. Just a year ago, he had a heart transplant following a sudden cardiac arrest. He also had his right leg amputated. But, being a true fighter, Ahmad learned how to walk again. Then, following five months in hospital, he walked in a charity event.

Ahmad’s incredible achievements have been recognised in the Canterbury-Bankstown 2022 Children and Youth Awards, which honour the kids who are making a difference in so many ways. In our City we have kids working against injustice, supporting the environment and helping their classmates get healthier.

Canterbury-Bankstown Mayor Khal Asfour said he’s very proud of the amazing achievements of the kids in our City

“What an incredible group of young people – no doubt they are putting many of us adults to shame! The future of our City is incredibly bright having these kids who are already driven, motivated and achieving so much,” Mayor Asfour said.

The ceremony on 15 November celebrated the achievements of 46 local kids including Ahmad who won the “Inspiration” award. Other children were awarded prizes in the following categories:

Leadership - Anhaar Kareem

15 year old Anhaar attends Al Noori Muslim School and recently founded the Islamic Women's Welfare Association Youth Subcommittee. Anhaar is a strong youth advocate and has featured on podcasts and the ABC’s show, Q&A. Anhaar uses her spare time to run free public speaking and creative writing workshops for children in her community to empower them to speak out on issues that matter to them.

Creative and Performing Arts - Gabrielle Daggar

13 year old Gabrielle attends Beverly Hills Girls High School and is a member of Council’s Talent Advancement Program. Gabrielle has been in several musicals including Billy Elliot. She’s also solo vocalist at several events and has filmed a TV pilot.

Academic Achievement - Fatma Hussein

14 year old Fatma attends Wiley Park Girls High School. Fatma has excelled in maths, English, music and technology at both Wiley park Girls and Beverley Hills Intensive English Centre. Fatma can speak 5 languages and is now an Arabic translator for the English centre.

Community Involvement - Salma Kareem

13 year old Salma has been a volunteer at the Islamic Women's Welfare Association in Lakemba for the last 5 years. Salma volunteers her time to cook for and feed people who are homeless and also collects and wraps presents for EID every year. She has raised money for a number of charities and local youth programs.

Sporting Achievement - Luke Tiberti

15 year old Luke attends Picnic Point High School and has achieved success in his sports, as both a player and leader. Luke excels in both touch football and rugby. He has been a captain of many teams and selected in several representative teams and development squads for both sports.
The kids awards featured the categories of “kindness” and “contribution.”