Mahamed co-founded the Brixton Soup Kitchen in January 2013 with his co-founder Solomon Smith, both Lambeth youth workers of 19 years, and lifelong Brixtonians. Realising the desperate need for such an organisation, they help homeless people and Londoners in need by providing free food, support and company. Their aim is to empower people in a warm and friendly environment, helping them to gain the confidence and self-worth needed to get back on their feet.
Mahamed is also heavily involved in the community and is a representative of several community groups. These groups include: the Lambeth Community Police Consultative Group, the Lambeth Stop & Search Monitoring Group (former chair), Pan London Community May Monitoring Network for Stop and Search (former chair), London Probation Trust Forum, Territorial Support Group Community reference group (TSG CRG), the Trident Independent Advisory Group (Vice Chair) and the Black Mental Health Commission in Lambeth.
He has also been recognised for his work by South London Press, who awarded him with the ‘Our Hero’s Award’, has been featured in the Independent on Sunday’s Happy 100 list, as well as in the Evening Standards top 1000 influential Londoners in 2015, 2016 and 2019. In 2016 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Philosophy by London Metropolitan University in recognition for “outstanding work with young people and the wider local community”.
Most recently, Mahamed became the first Elected Somali Councillor in Lambeth, representing Stockwell Ward and won the national LGIU Councillors Achievement Awards just 6 months into his new role.
