Today, Monday, 17th February 2025, His Excellency Dharambeer Gokhool, President of the Republic of Mauritius, welcomed to the State House Mr. Mohammad Yaaseen Edoo and Mr. Ahnas Abdool Careem, two amazing and inspiring youngsters with a passion for information technology and inclusion as disability rights activists, alongside members of the Muslim Ladies Council. Both Yaaseen and Ahnas are role models for everyone in our country and across the globe.
The President wholeheartedly congratulated Mr. Mohammad Yaaseen Edoo and Mr. Ahnas Abdool Careem for their remarkable achievements, despite the various challenges they have faced in their lives. Yaaseen has demonstrated outstanding academic success despite never attending primary school, along with his dedication to advocacy work as a Disability Rights Activist, which led him to win the prestigious Queen’s Young Leaders Award from the late Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace in June 2015. This was indeed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Yaaseen not given to everyone to meet Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Ahnas, being a laureate for the scholarship he obtained in the HSC results of 2023 and being a Hafiz Ul Quran, is a distinction not granted to everyone. His Excellency also congratulated the parents of Yaaseen and Ahnas for their unconditional love and unwavering support to their children.
The conversations focused on the challenges faced by people with mobility issues, the importance of inclusive infrastructure such as accessibility at all levels, and the opportunities that exist in the digital realm to create meaningful impact. His Excellency the President welcomed the ideas of Mr. Mohammad Yaaseen Edoo and Mr. Ahnas Abdool Careem regarding inclusion in the educational sector. Yaaseen emphasized the critical role of education in the lives of persons with disabilities, which should begin from primary school through tertiary studies and beyond. Only then will inclusion become a reality in our society, he stated. Ahnas, for his part, mentioned his learning experiences with the Department of Inclusion and Engagement at the company where he works. Both young men are committed to continuing to advocate for the equal rights of persons with disabilities, and the President assured his full support for the disability cause.
It was also an opportunity to reflect on the journey and honour the significant contributions of the late Dr. Swabir Goodur, whose love for the Urdu language and culture, along with his outstanding efforts to promote them in Mauritius, remains commendable and unforgettable. The Vice President of the Muslim Ladies Council, Mrs. Nazma Auladin, on behalf of the President of the Muslim Ladies Council, gifted a biography book on late Abdul Hamid Golam Mohamed Issac father of the President of Muslim Ladies Council to His Excellency.
The President expressed his sincere condolences to Mrs. Mariam Goodur, President of the Muslim Ladies Council.
