As the coronavirus threat lingers, people across the Middle East are using the hashtag #Feed_Your_Brother to encourage others to help the hungry by leaving home-cooked Ramadan meals on their own doorsteps for the homeless and vulnerable to take.
Millions of people are forced to stay separated and isolated at a time when socializing is almost sacred. Closed mosques, bans on mass prayers and curfews from Iraq to Morocco have overshadowed the spirit of the holy month of Ramadan. It’s supposed to be the time of the year when the homeless and isolated people in the Middle East can count on hot meals and organized Iftars, but not this Ramadan because of coronavirus lockdowns.
Therefore, due to the lockdowns and many restrictions, the Arab community had to find a way to help those who are suffering the most during the pandemic; for those who live in slums and can barely survive on the streets, the meals can be a vital lifeline. According to Reuters, many irregular workers who were renting rooms in the southern city of Inezgane, Morocco have found themselves living on the streets due to the measures that were forced on them to curb the coronavirus, but luckily the Association for Good, a local homeless charity, has come to the rescue by turning an abandoned gym hall into a shelter for the workers during the holy month.
In Cairo, Egypt people are turning to bicycles to deliver meals to those in need. Another Egyptian charity, Hurghada Gives, is taking things a step further to help secure food for those in need by organizing donations. It’s headquartered in the seaside city of Hurghada where well-stocked supermarkets prepare Ramadan donation bundles that contain rice, sugar, and pasta, according to Reuters.
Millions of people in the Middle East are on the edge of poverty and are struggling to find food especially during such hard times. So take advantage of this month to help out by either leaving a cooked meal on your doorstep or volunteering in your community’s charity in order for you to truly live by and express the spirit of giving this Ramadan.