Providing Ramadan Food Packs: How Muslim Hands Supports Communities in Need During the Holy Month
As the blessed month of Ramadan approaches, millions of Muslims around the world prepare to fast from dawn to sunset, drawing closer to Allah (swt) through worship, charity, and reflection. However, for many people in our Ummah, Ramadan brings an additional challenge: the struggle to put food on the table for sahur (pre-dawn meal) and iftar (meal to break the fast).
At Muslim Hands, we are committed to ensuring that vulnerable families can observe Ramadan with dignity and good health. Our Ramadan food packs or parcels are a vital lifeline, bringing relief to those in need and reminding them that they are not forgotten. Here is everything you need to know about this essential project.
What Are Ramadan Food Parcels?
Ramadan food parcels are specially curated packages filled with staple foods and essential items tailored to meet the dietary and cultural needs of the communities we serve. These parcels are designed to sustain a family throughout the holy month, enabling them to focus on their worship without the burden of food insecurity.
Each food parcel typically includes:
- Rice or pasta, flour, and pulses like lentils: Staples that form the foundation of many traditional meals.
- Cooking oil, salt and sugar: Essential for preparing dishes and tea and coffee for iftar and sahur.
- Tinned Goods: Including beans and other protein sources and tinned tomatoes.
The exact contents may vary depending on local needs and availability, ensuring the parcels are culturally appropriate and beneficial.
Where Do We Distribute Ramadan Food Packs?
Muslim Hands delivers Ramadan food packs to some of the most impoverished and conflict-stricken regions around the world, including:
- Palestine: In Palestine, more than 90% of people are dealing with food insecurity. Gazans in particular are facing record levels of hunger and malnutrition after 15 months of relentless bombardment. We distribute food parcels and hot iftar meals in both Gaza and Jerusalem.
- Yemen: With no ending insight for the conflict in Yemen, alongside our long-term projects, we will continue supporting families facing one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises with iftar and sahur provisions.
- Syria: With a tentative peace in the country, we are providing relief to displaced communities and refugees as they try to rebuild their lives after 14 years of war.
- Pakistan: In Pakistan 82% of the population still cannot afford a healthy diet. We support the families most vulnerable to food insecurity, with a special focus on orphans and widows.
- Somalia: Flooding, drought and political instability have taken their toll on communities in Somalia, with 3.6 million people facing high levels of food insecurity. Our Ramadan food packs are reaching the most vulnerable, including displaced families living in camps.
- Bangladesh: 26% of people in Bangladesh are facing high levels of food insecurity. Our teams are distributing food packs in the worst affected areas.
- Sudan: With nearly 5 million people facing emergency levels of hunger, we provide essential relief to a population on the brink of famine since the outbreak of civil war.
- Afghanistan: More than a third of Afghans are going hungry due to years of conflict and instability, exacerbated by natural disasters. We are distributing food essentials to families in dire need.
Altogether, our food parcels are being given out in x locations across Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Our global reach ensures that even in the most remote areas, vulnerable families receive the help they need.
Who Benefits from Food Parcels?
Our dedicated teams and trusted local partners ensure that the aid reaches those who need it most, including:
- Orphans and Widows: Families who often lack a steady income, having lost their main breadwinner.
- Refugees and Displaced Persons: People forced to flee their homes due to war or natural disasters.
- Elderly Individuals: Those without family support or the means to support themselves.
- People with Disabilities: Where necessary, we also deliver our Ramadan food packs to people with mobility issues.
- Low-Income Families: Struggling to meet their basic needs.
By prioritising those in greatest need, we aim to alleviate the burdens of poverty and hunger during this sacred month.
How can you help?
The impact of a single food parcel is profound, providing enough food to sustain a family for the entire month of Ramadan and the days of Eid. With your support, we can expand our efforts and bring hope to even more families. With food insecurity levels across the world up 10% from last year, here are three ways you can help us alleviate global hunger in Ramadan and beyond:
- Donate a Food Parcel: A contribution of £65 can provide essential items to a family in need.
The Prophet (saw) said, 'Whoever feeds a person breaking his fast will earn the same reward as him, without anything being lessened from the reward of the fasting person'. [Tirmidhi]
When you give a Ramadan food pack you will be providing a family of five with iftar and sahur for the entire 30 days of Ramadan. That means you will gain the reward of 150 fasts! It would take you five Ramadans to earn the same reward just by fasting yourself.
- Share the Campaign: Spread awareness and inspire others to give.
- Make a General Donation: Transform lives beyond Ramadan, including through our water projects and bread factories.
[Donate Now] to bring relief and blessings to those in need this Ramadan.
