Muslims chip in

Roughly 1,000 needy families across Barbados are to benefit from food hampers from the local Muslim community.

On Monday, a team from the Jumma Mosque in Kensington New Road, St Michael put together more than 400 packages to distribute, which they said would be shared “before weekend”.

President of the Jumma Mosque Abdul Kothdiwala told Barbados TODAY that a decision was taken to do a hamper food drive after the country went on lockdown on February 3 because of the experience from the lockdown in 2020 when some families were desperate for basic food items after not being able to earn a living.

“It was overwhelming and it was heartening for us to go back and give the community something,” recalled Kothdiwala.

He explained that while the distribution will start in and around the Kensington New Road area, several other inner city communities are to benefit including Chapman Lane, New Orleans, Kings Street, Westbury Road, and Lightfoot Lane, among others.

The leader said the food drive began last week and the response from the community members has been very good, adding that while some 2,000 hampers were distributed last year, they would be seeking to do about half that amount.

“Our target is about 1,000 this time, although last year we did close to 2,000. This year we should be able to get at least 1,000. Although a lot of people are not working and they are on the pause, the community is coming forward and donating generously,” said Kothdiwala.

Equally, he said, needy households were eagerly looking forward to receiving the basic food items.

“They are looking forward to getting these hampers. We are getting calls regularly. They are looking forward to it and we want to do something for the community,” he said.

“We have put together 400 hampers so far, and we still have some stuff left back and whatever we run out of we are going to order some more and do another 600 in a couple of days,” he said.
(MM)