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In the second week of Ramadhan I received an email titled ‘The UN Refugee Agency Ramadan Appeal’, from a fellow South African blogger whose PR agency is working on the Ramadan appeal.
I had not read more than two sentences when it felt like a cold hand had grabbed hold of my heart and started squeezing very tightly. I was reminded of how much we take our comforts for granted and how much we have to be thankful and grateful for. I thought of my late father who was orphaned at a very young age, but survived and thrived because he had the love of his older siblings who raised him.
We have warm beds to sleep in, clean running water and food to eat for suhoor and iftar, yet all around the world there are people who haven’t eaten in days or slept for fear of violence, persecution or war.
A video link that my brother sent me broke my heart. The look on a shy Syrian orphan girl’s face when she was asked about whether she had eaten breakfast, lunch or supper that day…
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- UNHCR Head of sub office, Jorge De la Mota meeting with some of the kids who are playing in the park.
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- Returning families receive their winter and core relief items that UNHCR is distributing in east Aleppo
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- Tens of thousands of people fled for their lives from Afrin to surrounding areas, to the town of Nubul, 26km northwest of Aleppo Syria
Why Donate to help a refugee?
Millions of people are experiencing Ramadhan without access to proper shelter and sufficient food, living in refugee camps, informal settlements and partially destroyed buildings. Displaced people who have no resources whatsoever and rely solely on the generosity of strangers.
The World Women’s Network are assisting the UN High Commission for Refugees with an appeal to the South African public for donations that will help provide lifesaving assistance and secure food and clothing for their children.
If one of your goals this Ramadhan is to be more charitable, then this may be one way to increase good deeds. If like me, you have felt helpless in the face of this much suffering, then this may be a way to help them.
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- Rohingya children shelter from the heavy monsoon rains at Kutupalong refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh.
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- The first of 350 families identified as vulnerable to monsoon and irrigation flooding are relocated from Camp 7 to Camp 17 in Kutupalong.
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- UNHCR is relocating Rohingya refugees threatened by floods and landslides in Bangladesh and upgrading shelters and infrastructure as heavy rains loom.
How to Donate?
The official platforms to donate to the Ramadan appeal are as follows:
- SMS the word ‘Syria’ to 42656 to donate R30 – this available in South Africa only.
- SMS the word ‘Ramadan’ to 42656 to donate R30 – this available in South Africa only.
- Vist the online donation pages of UNHCR at Donate: Ramadan – Syria or Giving: Ramadan – Rohingya.
If you have any questions about the donation or their work you may contact africa@unhcr.org.
For more information or for banking information please contact:
- Zeenat Abdool, National Information Officer, United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) | abdool@un.org
- Aziza Vawda, Private Sector Partnerships Officer, United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) | vawda@unhcr.org
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- Adnan, 4 years old, fled with his mother from East Ghouta to Herjalleh. As of 29 March , nearly 100,000 people have left Eastern Ghouta.
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- Three children are playing near one of the housing units.
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- Staff, youth and local residents at a newly opened community centre in Dier Hafer, rural Aleppo
#HandinHand we can make a difference to the lives of those left behind in shaa ALLAH. May Allah accept our good deeds and yours, this Ramadhan and always.
All photos courtesy of UNHCR.
Ramadhan seems to have flown by and we have already passed the halfway mark. If you are not observing the fast, do you know any people who do?
With two weeks left for Ramadhan perhaps you may find these Tips for a Successful Ramadhan useful for the remainder of the month in shaa ALLAH. Do you have any tips you would like to share? Please pop over to the blog post to leave a constructive comment.
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8 Comments
David Allen Elliott
June 4, 2018 at 4:31 amThis is awesome, you considering and doing for others here. And helping other people to remember for those who are in need. That’s great.
Clarice Lao | Camping for Women
June 3, 2018 at 8:24 pmJust shared this post. It also breaks my heart to read something like this. Will see how we can support this cause more. Thank you for sharing about it.
Razena Schroeder
June 3, 2018 at 8:42 pmEvery little bit helps and it does not take much to help even one family. Thank you!
remo
June 3, 2018 at 9:38 amVery well intentioned post. Hopefully, they get all the help in the world. Thanks for sharing1
Razena Schroeder
June 3, 2018 at 2:28 pmYou are most welcome.
jefferson
June 2, 2018 at 2:37 pmcool! since I’m a International Relation student, I know how serious the problem of refugees are. And since this month is ramadan, it will be a good moment to do good things. UNHCR is cool!
Elizabeth O
June 1, 2018 at 8:58 pmThis is a superb post, it is awesome of you to raise awareness for the UN Refugee appeal. This is definitely something everyone should try and help out with.
Razena Schroeder
June 1, 2018 at 10:50 pmVery often in our busy lives we see the images and reports on our newsfeeds, but despite our best intentions, it takes a back seat to our own issues. There is nothing quite like a daily 16 hour fast to refocus our minds and our hearts to what is good and necessary for ourselves and our fellow human beings.