White House Honors Two Pakistani Women

By Ayub Khan, MMNS

WASHINGTON D.C- Sisters Naila Alam and Yasmeen Durrani have received the Honor of Hope Award from the White House’s Faith and Community Based Initiative at a ceremony held late last month.

They were honored for their work with Express Care, a service which helps those in need of health care and employement.

In 2007, Express Care received the Champion of Compassion Award from the White House Faith and Community Based Initiative (FCBI) through the Northern Virginia Workforce Investment Board.

The program was a success as the participants who enrolled in the Express Care Personal Care Assistant Training were empowered to become self-sufficient. After they got certified as Personal Care Assistants, they were placed into jobs.

Until now, through the auspices of Express Care, 119 students have received graduation certificates from the Department of Medical Assistance Services.

They are already working in the field of health care. The two sisters’ work and service to the community have also won awards from three mayors of Herndon, Virginia, where they are based.

They have also won awards from the National Association of Muslim Women and the Council of American Islamic Relations, as well as the Herndon Rotary Club.

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