FALSE: Photo does not show the drought situation in Embolioi, Kajiado County, in October 2022
Admin At least 6000 families from Nairobi slums will be fed during the holy month of Ramadhan by Zakat (A Muslim for Muslims initiative).
The first batch of 1000 bags was flagged off from Nairobi’s Industrial area on Sunday morning, as the organization’s chairman Ali Khalid was optimistic that they are going to meet their objective.
“This is something that we have been doing for the last four years. As we head into our fifth year, it is becoming more difficult with the challenges of Covid 19 socio-economically. Today we have managed 1000 bags in our first phase and we are hoping that we will get more bags as time goes on,” the chairman said and added that Zakat needs financial assistance from well-wishers in the fundraising of the iftar program dubbed the ‘Muslims 4 Muslims initiative’.
As the holy month of Ramadhan is approaching, it is of concern to Zakat that there are needy Muslim families in Nairobi and its immediate environs who go a day without food for suhur or iftar.
The organization which has been active for the past 4 years managed to feed 1600 families in 2017, 3460 in 2018, 4055 in 2019 and 5037 in 2020 and now this year they are going for 6000 families.
“The target for 6000 families is owed to the current pandemic and the loss of jobs that may have been experienced our Muslim brothers and sisters. Our family food pack consists of food items that cost 4,000 shillings a pack,” said Sharrif who is one of the leaders at Zakat.
A food pack consists of 10 kilos Maize meal, 10 kilos Wheat Flour , 5 kilos Spaghetti , 5 kilos Sugar , 0.5 kilo Tea Leaves , 1 kilo Salt , 5 liters Cooking Oil and 12.5 kilos Rice
The initiative is a partnership of over 20 masjids and community-based organizations working in slum areas in Nairobi that saw the first phase of the distribution head to Dandora phase 1-5, Kangemi, Embakasi, Mathare, Starehe and Kamukunji.
Zakat is now appealing to well-wishers to come forward and help their initiative to see 6000 families across Nairobi slums get fed during the holy month of Ramadan.
By Shadrack Andenga Odinga
