The holy month of Ramadan, which is expected to conclude on Saturday with the arrival of Eid al-Fitr, is traditionally a time for reflection and as well as acts of solidarity and generosity.
This Ramadan, in an effort to embody these values, Miles2Smile foundation reached out to Rohingya refugee communities who have suffered greatly from persecution in their homeland Myanmar. These families have lost their homes, families, and livelihoods and rely solely on humanitarian aid for sustenance.
We feared the fasting children from among the community may remain hungry during iftar time, as they do not experience the festive atmosphere that is typically associated with this holy month.
Last year, they struggled without electricity or enough food. However, this year Miles2Smile Foundation’s daily Suhoor and Iftar program alleviated some of their hardships.
For the entire month, our community kitchens in the Rohingya refugee settlements have been a hive of activity, buzzing with the sounds of clanging pots and pans, and the laughter and chatter of a hundred kids and volunteers, as we served nutritious meals to over a hundred and fifty refugee, orphaned & Madarsa going kids.
In addition, our recent Iftar event, held on April 16 in the Imam-ul-Bukhari, turned out to be a great success, as the children relished their Iftar Dinner with Smiles on their faces and to hearts content they were very Happy. Seeing their happiness brought Peace & happiness to the Miles2Smile Foundation’s Founder & Director Mr Aasif Mujtaba.
Mr. Mujtaba along with his volunteer team carried all the Eatables to the Madarsa for enjoying an Iftar evening among the community member. Volunteers and community members helped in getting the Iftaar Dastarkhaaan ready for the Orphans, Guests, and children & served them well.
The Ramadan kitchen relied on the support of individual charitable donations, and every contribution made a significant impact on the lives of these children.
Mr. Mujtaba believes that feeding someone Iftar as a form of charity is very pleasing and it was practiced by the Prophet Muhammad. It is very gratifying to feed people, and feeding a fasting person in particular is much more rewarding. Such a person receives as many rewards as the fasting person receives without any reduction in the reward of the fasting person.
He is proud of the work that his team has done and is grateful to everyone who has contributed to making a difference in the lives of these kids.
In addition to the iftar meals, Miles2Smile foundation also gave Eidi to every child in the Rohingya refugee camp. Eidi is a traditional gift given during Eid al-Fitr, the festival that marks the end of Ramadan. It is typically given by elders to children as a token of love, blessings, and gratitude.
Miles2Smile understands the daily hardships faced by these children in the camp, hence, to uplift their emotional well-being, and to remind them that they are not forgotten, the foundation gave them a token of love with hopes to spread joy and happiness among the children.
