Eid-el-Adha: 20,000 Muslims benefit from Human Appeal Sallah rams
By Saheed Afolabi
No fewer than 20,000 Muslims across the country were blessed with rams to celebrate the last Eid-el-Adha festivals in Ejigbo by Human Appeal Qurbani, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) based in the United Kingdom.
The project in which 942 rams, 50 cows and 25 goats were slaughtered and shared for the beneficiaries for the festival was coordinated in Nigeria by Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation.
The Qurbani project of Human Appeal supervised by Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation was carried out in 21 states in Nigeria including the federal capital territory, Abuja.
According to the Executive Director, Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation, Prince Sulaiman Olagunju and the Project Officer, Qurbani Nigeria, Misbaudeen Ismail, the project, tagged Qurbani Project, was meant to put smiles on the faces of indigents, aged, widows and physically challenged who can not afford to kill ram on the Eid-el-Adha celebrations.
The organisers said they were moved by the plight of many Muslims across the world and one of the ways to attend to their welfare needs.
“With the high rate of job loss, it is almost certain that many who hitherto slaughter rams during previous Eid-el-Adha may not slaughter this time around. As such, many parents and children are going to be indoors sadly since they will not be able to receive meat packages particularly because of the reduction in the number of Muslims that will slaughter sacrificial animals. One critical implication of this unsavoury trend is that many families would be denied access to the protein in the meat parcels which is usually taken during Eid. This unfortunately further endangers the health condition of the poor who are already battling with deteriorating health conditions which are unattended to due to lack of funds to pay medical bills.
“Unfortunately, the Muslim Ummah or community in Nigeria has a very poor welfare system and the number of standard charity organisation is also very limited. Therefore, helping the poor to be able to feed on nutritious meals during the period of Eid-ul-Adha will go a long way to improve the health and well-being of the poor who may only be opportune to eat meat as a protein during this period of the year.”
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke to ECHONEWS commended the gesture.
