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Ismaili community helps non-profit build homes in Richmond

The Ismaili community in Richmond dedicates one weekend a year to volunteer in the community - this year about 200 people helped on a non-profit construction site and to clean up the watercourse at Minoru Park.

 The Ismaili community focuses its volunteer activities on the last weekend of September. One project this year was on a Habitat for Humanity construction site. Photo submittedThe Ismaili community focuses its volunteer activities on the last weekend of September. One project this year was on a Habitat for Humanity construction site. Photo submitted

The Ismaili community in Richmond dedicates one weekend a year to volunteer in the community - this year about 200 people helped on a non-profit construction site and to clean up the watercourse at Minoru Park.

It’s part of the Ismaili faith to give back to the community by volunteering, explained Shelina Dilgir with the Ismaili Council for British Columbia.

Every year, the fourth Sunday of September is Ismaili Civic Day across Canada and, in Richmond, these two events were organized to give back to the community on Sept. 28 and Sept 29.

Members of the Ismaili community helped on the Habitat for Humanity build on Ash Street on the Saturday and worked on cleaning up the watercourse at Minoru Park on the Sunday.

Environmental initiatives are important for their community, Dilgir said, but the housing project will add to people’s quality of life.

Dilgir recalled the joy the first families displayed when they moved into the Ash Street complex that is partly completed.

“Those kids' lives are transformed,” she said.

Ismaili Civic shows Islam’s values of peace, compassion and caring for others, according to Dilgir.