Ottawa, MINA – An app that integrates psychology with Islam has won second prize in the social entrepreneurship pitch competition at the G20 Young Entrepreneur Alliance Summit in Germany.

Founded by Omar Khan, the Rūh app is designed for the half-billion people in the global Muslim community who experience mental health issues. About IslamSunday (20/11)

Khan was part of the Canadian delegation to the G20 Young Entrepreneurs Alliance Summit and showcased his team’s creation, Rūh.

Omar expressed his deep gratitude to the leaders and teammates whose hard work resulted in this award.

Omar said he learned a lot from the 250 delegates who came from G20 countries and was able to highlight the need to design diverse and inclusive solutions, including for mental health.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), depressive disorders are the fourth leading cause of poor health and disability in adults worldwide.

Around the world, many Muslims are reluctant to consult mental health professionals because of the stigma attached to mental illness or because they fear that Western-trained therapists do not understand their culture or religion.

Fighting the stigma associated with mental health issues, the Islamic Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, began offering special services to its members in January 2018.

Earlier in 2016, a group of mental health workers and Muslim community advocates in Ottawa organized a conference to help those suffering in silence. (T/R7/P1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)