uTurn Project
Building a better community! "There is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares about." – Margaret J. Wheatley
Building a better community! "There is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares about." – Margaret J. Wheatley
At uTurn Project, we are proud to have such a diverse team working to improve lifes and create awareness. This diverse group comes from many different cultural backgrounds and have wide variety of skills and experience that help shape the identify of uTurn Project.
George Reimche is the uTurn Project Inc. President. George, along with four others, helped found uTurn Project Inc back in 2009. Being the president George overseas everyday operation. He is currently working in the transportation sector. He started with uTurn after his trip to India when him and his wife saw all the hardships that the people faced. Therefore, he wanted to make a difference and started by giving back to the community and enhancing community relations. Also, he is a huge hockey fan and would never miss a hockey game.
Sam Arshi is the uTurn Project Inc. treasurer. Being the treasurer involves issuing receipts and making sure the organisation has enough funds before starting a project or where the money is going to come from or how uTurn is going to fund each of the projects. Sam helped start uTurn Project Inc. Along with three others, after feeling he needed to give back to society. The moment that spurred uTurn Project Inc.'s formation was when he heard about a girl in India who was raped while on her way to relieve herself in a field. uTurn Project’s portable toilet and water sanitation projects were a result of hearing this story.
Jay Chowdhury is the Project Director of uTurn Project Inc. and a founding member; he is also a member of the South Asian Calgary Police Service South Asian Portfolio that helps the CPS to better interact with members of the South Asian community, and he is a Vice-Chair of the 538 Buffalo Air Squadron. Jay believes that it is essential to engage New Canadians on a community-based level to provide proper communication methods to show New Canadians what it means to be a Canadian citizen, what Canadian opportunities, freedoms, and rights look like, behave like, and feel like.
Mahroh Afzal is the Executive Assistant at uTurn Project Inc. Recent graduate from Mount Royal University with a degree in Journalism. Going on her second year with the uTurn Project Mahroh Afzal is excited to take on her new role of a project director. She hopes to incorporate everything she learnt last year with future projects, and help connect communities from all over by continuing to bringing awareness to the various social issues and differences that many newcomers experience. Her passion lies in photography.
Monika Ilchibekova is the Events Co-ordinator at uTurn Project Inc. Monika has been with uTurn Project for three years and has enjoyed working with uTurn to spread awareness to various social issues that newcomers experience through community events and community engagement. Monika has graduated from the University of Calgary and is now doing her Law Degree in the UK. Her favourite event to host with uTurn every year is Canada Day, she says “everyone on Canada Day is so jubilant and I love seeing that joy spread, because we know that we are in the land of opportunity.”
Masih Sadat is the Communication Directer and Web Developer at uTurn Project Inc. Masih is a recent graduate from the University of Calgary. He pursued a degree in Computer Science with a specialization in Information Security. Masih brings forth lots of experience and wants to improve uTurn's Media outlet. He is excited to be with uTurn Project and wants to make a difference and create awareness for mental health with new immigrants coming to Canada. You can find him programming or watching a hockey game. If hes isn't watching a game you can catch him exploring the Rocky Mountains.
Hello, my name is Franciska Konji, i’m fifteen years old. (Bonjour, je m’appelle Franciska, j’ai 15 ans.) I am currently a grade 9 student, at Ecole de la Source. (Je suis présentement une étudiante de 9ème année, à l’Ecole de la Source.) I am bilingual speaking french and english. (Je suis bilingue parlant le français et l’anglais.) I am an athlete playing club volleyball, as a middle position. (Je suis une athlète jouant le club volleyball, et j’occupe la position de centre.) I am also an air cadet with the rank of sargent, this year I received top air cadet of my level. (Je suis aussi une cadette de l’air avec le grade de sergent, Cette année j’ai reçu le prix de meilleur cadet de mon niveau.) I volunteer very often, I have volunteered at heritage park, and during after school activities under PIA. (J’aime faire du bénévolat et dans le passé j’ai fais du bénévolat pour la PIA durant les activités après l’école et au Festival du sucre à Parc Héritage.) Currently, I’m occupy the project research post at Uturn as a summer student. (Présentement, j’occupe le poste de Recherchiste en Projet à Uturn en tant que stagiaire. )
Jabez Chowdhury is Executive Assistant. He is a student at Father Lacombe High School filling in the uTurn summer student position for the 2019 year. Jabez spends his time on his studies achieving distinction levels, and enjoys volunteering within his community. He is a flight sergeant at 538 Buffalo Air Cadet squadron, serving 5 years within the program. At his position at UTurn he will be writing, documenting, calling high positions within the Canadian government, and assist in organizing community events. Jabez hopes to learn much from his time at uTurn, learning how to work towards ending long term, contemporary, local, and international issues.