THE 500 MOST INFLUENTIAL MUSLIMS - CESD

DevelopmentSouthern AfricaSOUTH AFRICApatel, ebrahimPatel is the current minister for economic development of South Africa and a former spokespersonfor COSATU (the umbrella organization for South African trade unions). He is important becauseSouth Africa’s booming economy is paradoxically leaving behind much of the population; thisis because of both the HIV/AIDS situation and also the fact that South Africa has one of thehighest unemployment rates in the world due to mass migration caused by the unstable situationin Zimbabwe.sooliman, dr imtiaz ismailSooliman is the founder of the Gift of the Givers Foundation. It is the largest disaster relieforganization of African origin on the African continent. His organization has delivered over $37million in aid to 25 countries around the world. The organization has also designed and developedthe world’s first and largest containerized mobile hospital, which has been deployed in Bosnia. Italso runs 24 development projects in South Africa and Malawi.Middle AfricaANGOLAdrame, famarDrame is founder and vice president of the Associacao Islamica de Desenvolvimento de Angola.It is the first and the only Islamic organization in a country of 13 million people and the onlyIslamic organization recognized and authorized by the government of the Republic of Angola. Itis charged with the responsibility to build a mosque with a school attached to it to teach Islamicknowledge, Arabic and Portuguese.East AfricaBURUNDInkunduwiga, harunaNkunduwiga is the secretary general of the Muslim Community of Burundi. He has been workingrecently to battle the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Burundi with other faith leaders to raise awareness,asking people to ‘stay clean’. HIV/AIDS is a serious problem in Burundi, affecting close to 20percent of the urban population and near to 10 percent of the rural population.KENYAkhalifa, sheikh mohammedKhalifa is the organizing secretary of the Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya, he is also thehead of the as yet unregistered Islamic Party of Kenya. Relations between the Muslim population ofKenya and the broader society, especially the government, have frayed recently with the instancesof the demonizing of Muslims as terrorists. There is widespread displeasure among the coastalMuslim population with the national government.MALAWIchabulika, sheikh dinalaChabulika is the Islamic Information Bureau’s national coordinator. He is known as an Islamicrights activist and has taken it upon himself to present the need to address social issues as religiousduties. Chabulika works on health issues, exploitation, and has built bridges with non-Muslims inMalawi. He has also fought against the forced teaching of religious texts to school children.143