Farouk Khailann Receives Global Youth Torch Bearer Award

The Chief Operations Officer of Royal Africa Holdings, a huge multinational Properties and Commodities Company, Mr Farouk Khailann has been honored for his inspiring life by Youth Icons Ghana. The award celebrates global youth leaders under the age of forty years who are doing great things and impacting the world and their communities.

At an impressive ceremony at the plush Holiday Inn Hotel in Accra, on Friday 19th September, Mr Farouk Khailann was presented with the Global Youth Touch Bearer Award for being one of Africa's outstanding Young Business Leaders under the age of forty years and for his exemplary life which is an inspiration and motivation for other youth.

The opening lines of the the citation read: “Youth Icons Ghana recognizes as Global Youth Torch Bearers those young individuals whose lives exemplifies and motivates others to dream and serve the good of humanity, a life that continuously celebrates excellence as a value and way of life. Your willingness to serve others with grace humility and cherished value of patience coupled with a versatile spirit of continuous improvement through learning has seen you rise from one level of success to the other.”

Mr Farouk Khailann has braced all the odds to rise to the enviable position of Chief Operations Officer of a multi-national Company. Before getting appointed to this position, Farouk, who started as a musician managed to balance his life to attain university education while pursuing his musical career.

He founded Stockrush, an investment advisory, research and project management company he in 2009. He has been a strong believer and advocate for education and has embarked on several speaking engagements especially within the Zongo communities where he grew up as a young boy.

Presenting the award to Mr Khailann, the Founding President of Youth Icons Ghana, Nana Yaw Osei-Darkwa admonished young people to take their education serious and believe in themselves.

He reiterated the critical need to always have a balance in life and manage time in a way that would enable young people harness their talents without necessarily forgoing their education. He said Farouk Khailann's life was a great story unfolding which he believes needs to be celebrated to serve as inspiration to others.

“I know Mr Khailann finds it extremely difficult to be standing in front of us because he is being honored. He has lived a very simple and quiet life but we of Youth Icons believe his life is an inspiring one that other young people need to know off and emulate,” he said.

In his acceptance speech Mr Khailann urged young people to take their education serious no matter their talents seems education permeates every aspect of life. He also encouraged the youth to develop strong reading habits and ask a lot of questions. He further admonished the youth to identify and approach role models who could guide their life path. He was however quick to emphasize that the God factor could not be played down and that the youth must remain very loyal to their confessed faiths.

Youth Icons Ghana is a vibrant youth-oriented NGO committed to the empowerment of the youth of Ghana and Africa.

FAROUK KHAILAIN