Employer Recognition Award to an employer for leadership and commitment in providing a workplace that supports the principles of multiculturalism and equity. The recipient is selected from among the employers who took part in the placement of participants of MOSAIC employment programs.

Criteria for the award:

MOSAIC Employer Recognition Award is presented to an employer for leadership and commitment in providing a workplace that supports the principles of multiculturalism and equity by:

• Having a diverse, multicultural staff.
• Providing a work environment that acknowledges and works with immigrants and refugees with language barriers.
• Supports immigrants’ and refugees’ integration into the Canadian workforce by providing opportunities such as work placements, job shadowing, information interviewing, volunteering, and employment.

Recipients:
1998 Golden Bough Herb Company
1999 PMC-Sierra
2000 The Metropolitan Hotel
2001 White Spot Restaurants
2002 Que Pasa Mexican Foods Ltd.
2003 Savoury City Foods Ltd. and SGS Canada Inc.
2004 SerVantage Services Corporation
2005 Granville Island Hotel
2006 Small Potatoes Urban Delivery (SPUD)
2007 Open Box Integration
2008 Canada Safeway Limited
2009 Vancouver Coastal Health
2010 BC Hydro
2011 Coastal Contacts Inc.
2012 Vancity
2013 Fortinet Technologies (Canada) Inc.
2014 Fairmont Hotels and Resorts
2015 RBC Royal Bank

Started as Britannia Secondary School Bursary Award, its name was changed to Secondary School Bursary Award in 2014. The award is made to students of immigrant or refugee background, from the graduating class of selected secondary schools in the communities served by MOSAIC. The selected students must want to pursue post-secondary education, academic standing and demonstrated tenacity are also considered. The award is made on the recommendation of the participating schools.

Recipients:

2000 Thai Ngo and Avana Vranic (Britannia Secondary)
2001 Siu Ching Tsui and Lan Ngo (Britannia Secondary)
2002 Peter Zhang, Curtis Tsai, and Can Huynh Ngo (Britannia Secondary)
2003 Tongxin Feng, Jimmy Li, Samuel Liu and Andrey Luchnaninov (Britannia Secondary)
2004 Rosa Chae Dong and Annie Chow (Britannia Secondary)
2005 Antonio Joao and Carter Zhang (Britannia Secondary)
2006 Bin Gao and Susan Salame (Britannia Secondary)
2007 Yasmin Chaeichi and Ya Zhi Liu (Britannia Secondary)
2008 Charlie Ni and Tu Tai Khuong (Britannia Secondary)
2009 Divia Mattoo and Berny Siu (Britannia Secondary)
2010 Jessie Sun and Neell Young (Britannia Secondary)
2011 Shurooq Khan and Mariana Ruiz Esparza Medina (Britannia Secondary)
2012 Carmen Loh and Patricia Poon (Britannia Secondary)
2013 Sariah Conor and Rachel Bwishe (Britannia Secondary)
2014 Dasha Tyukova and Murtaza Jaffery (Britannia Secondary)
2015 Helen Dinh and Mary Arakelyan (Britannia Secondary); Melannie Osorio (Burnaby South Secondary); Karen Bautista and Sodaba Orya (New Westminster Secondary); Hamida Haji-Bolow (Windermere Secondary)

Kasval Chetty, known as Kes to his friends, was born in South Africa in 1927. As a fourth generation South African, he grew up steeped in the history and culture of South Africa, but he also carried with him a deep sense of his Indian heritage. And because of his Indian roots, he suffered first-hand the effects of the apartheid system, a political philosophy that had as its hallmark institutionalized racism.

Despite the unequal educational opportunities for people of colour, Kes, a keen student, obtained a medical degree. His work brought him increasingly face to face with the wrongs of the system, with the result that he became more active in politics. In 1962, fearing arrest, he left South Africa. After a short stay in Zambia, he went to London, England, where he took a degree in pediatrics.

Although he would have been quite content to stay in England, the late 1960s saw a rise in racism. So, once more on the move, he answered an ad for a doctor in Vancouver, and immigrated here in 1970.

Vancouver quickly became a place he loved, and soon after his arrival he began to take an active role in community life. He contributed to local NDP politics, believing this party was best able to deal with issues of social justice. At meetings, dinner parties, and Sunday brunches, he loved nothing so much as debate and discussion about current ideas with old and new friends. People were drawn to him for his kindness and generosity, his wit and intelligence, his compassion and integrity.

Despite being far from his original home, he never lost sight of South Africa, and worked tirelessly to establish an aid group for South African refugees. At the same time, he was working on health concerns among immigrant groups in B.C., as well as serving on the Board of Directors of MOSAIC.

Kes had a great passion for learning, and particularly loved to pass this enthusiasm on to young people. His love of people and of life, his sense of humour, his strong sense of social justice will be remembered by all those who knew him.

Scholarship criteria:

The award will be made to a MOSAIC client, immigrant or refugee who wants to pursue academic or vocational studies. Financial need, a commitment to enriching the Canadian community, and academic standing will be considered. The award will be made on the recommendation of MOSAIC staff.

For further information on the Dr. Kes Chetty Award, please call MOSAIC at 254-0244.

Recipients:

1992 Aracely (Cecibel) Martinez
1993 Edward Mikhalkov and Adnan Obeyd
1994 Jose Espinoza and Danesh Nahibzada
1995 Eduardo Azmitia Prado and Albert Leung
1996 Lillian Abella Cuerques and Anita Slabikowska
1997 Chole Shen and Hana Solyman Tozy
1998 Janine Malikian and Amita Taneja
1999 Kin Sung and Saeedeh Bitaraf Jafarabadi
2000 Tam Thien Nguyen, Sivapalini Kurooparan and Tamella Riabkova
2001 Victoria Nevmerjitskaia and Lilia Berzner
2002 Guzel Pistruga & Gladys Matilde Moreno
2003 Regina Piotrowska, Marina Rojas de Rojo, and Olga Shcherbyna
2004 Wagma Khawar, Francisco Fernando Granados, and Nimota E. Uthman
2005 Natalya Smirnova and Farhiya Hassan
2006 Nathalie Lozano and Shi Hui Zhang
2007 Jennifer Sarkar
2007 David Shoolestani
2008 Christable Sarkar and Seung Hwa (Jacqueline) Yang
2009 Odette Moukolo and Sin Rocham
2010 Amal Omer and Muzit Woldegabr
2011 Ana Cristina Mateescu and Tigist Dubus Tesfamariam
2012 Nahid Hashemi and Farah Shukur
2013 Siam Fisaha
2014 Salim Zitouni
2015 Simran Sarwara