Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News – 16-06-2017
Dressed in a myriad of different color burqas, Somalia is a predominantly Islamic country that loves the deen of Islam.
I was told yesterday by one of the coordinators that before a child goes to school, they have to learn a significant portion of the holy Qur’an or go to Qur’an school first.
This shows the emphasis and deep spirituality of the Somali people. Islam plays a pivotal role in their lives.
This spirituality and compassion also resonates with the members of the Al-Imdaad Foundation team who I have accompanied on this mission to Mogadishu in Somalia.
It’s totally mesmerizing to work with a bunch of caring and wonderful individuals and reporting on their efforts to make the world a better and happier place, one country at a time.
Its these individuals, CEO Yacoob Vahed, Ml. Muhammad Motala, Zaakir Rawat and Ml Abdullah Chohan who unlike many others choose to remain behind the scenes and are content with assisting the less fortunate than getting recognized for their efforts.
This is true humatarianism which leaves you with a sense of bewilderment and joy that there are still people that do care.
With more than 12,000 food aid already distributed to the Somali people, if there is one incident that stands out and there were many, it’s the incident of the orphan girl and Apple headphone earpiece.
Mariam was sitting all alone and when we asked to photograph and interview her.
We learned that she lost her parents and walked a great distance to collect the food aid and that she had to walk all the way back with the pack which weighs about 5kg or even more.
What caught my attention though was a piece of plastic which she had in her hand. Upon closer inspection I realized that it was a headphone piece of technology company Apple.
Oh the irony! Here is an orphan girl who has no parents, is in desperate need of food and was playing with piece of product from a billion Dollar company.
There are many like Mariam, like the orphans from the Al Fajr School run by the Zam Zam Foundation who despite suffering abject difficulty and poverty, they have the most beautiful hearts and always find a reason to smile.
I call those “guys” my homies, they made their home my home and that is a present and a gift that I will cherish forever even more than my Apple gadgets, a sentiment shared by the Al Imdaad Foundation who just do what they do out of love…
No fame, no glory, just love and compassion.
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