Muslim Aid distributes dry rations for Ramadan

COLOMBO: Muslim Aid Sri Lanka Field Office (MASL) will provide dry ration packs and Ifthar to about 24,500 widows, orphans and disadvantaged people across Sri Lanka during Ramadan this year.

In association with 33 local partner organisations and a supermarket chain, the MASL has begun distributing packs with tea, rice, dhal, sugar, dates and spices to feed a family of five for one week.

Ifthars for 7,500 people are being held in schools, mosques and Muslim religious schools. At the end of Ramadan, a further 833 special Eid packs will be distributed among the poor who would otherwise not be able celebrate the festival.

Funds totalling Rs. 5 million rupees were received from the UK and Australia offices and from a Turkish donor organisation, IHH. "By distributing dry ration packs and Ifthar during Ramadan, we hope to make this fasting period better for those who have so little all year round," said Ishak Ahamed, MASL Head of Operations.

At every Ifthar, talks are held on water conservation and sanitation as part of MASL's Ramadan theme, "Water For Life" while each dry ration packs contains a leaflet on water conservation. "We want this Ramadan to be a time of awareness on water conservation and sanitation through our Ifthars," Ishak Ahamed explained.

The MASL is raising money for an integrated programme to construct small scale water supply schemes building wells, supplying tanks, pumps and pipelines to the rural poor who have no ready access to clean water.

Health and hygiene awareness and water conservation campaigns will also be carried out to educate people on water issues in the six selected districts of Moneragala, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Kurunegala, Kandy and Galle.

A fundraising Ifthar dinner will be held on September 25.