Muslim Aid has begun distributing 10,000 meals as it launches its flagship Feed The Fasting campaign in the UK to combat the cost-of-living crisis during Ramadan.
Muslim Aid, the second oldest British Muslim charity in the UK, carried out launch event for the distribution at East London Mosque in partnership with Euro Foods.
Feed The Fasting takes place every Ramadan with the aim of feeding people in poverty across the world to cover their meals throughout the holy Muslim month.
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Attending the distribution include local high-profile figure such as Dilowar Khan, the director of East London Mosque, Lutfur Rahman, mayor of Tower Hamlets and Shelim Hussain MBE, managing director of Euro Foods.
Last year, Muslim Aid’s Feed The Fasting campaign delivered over 2.2 million meals across the world in 12 countries. The charity is planning to roll out the campaign in the UK by engaging with civil organisations, businesses and local political leaders to become partners in this national endeavour.
Muslim Aid’s leadership team also spoke of their experience in food poverty and the way their experience drives their humanitarian work.
“Sadly, we do have poverty right here on my doorstep right here in Tower Hamlets,” Muslim Aid’s chair of the board of trustees, Mustafa Faruqi said.
“I myself, I grew up not far from here in a council estate in Hackney, and I remember as a child, my mother and I used to live alone and I used to come home from school and there wasn’t hot food in the house.”
Head of fundraising and marketing campaigns at Muslim Aid, Abul Kalam said: “The distribution was a massive success and we are proud that Muslim Aid has extended our Feed The Fasting campaign by launching it at one of Europe’s largest Mosques, and we are looking to roll it out to the rest of the country as we find more partners to work with.”
Interim CEO of Muslim Aid, Khalid Javid also commented: “Muslim Aid is based in London’s borough of Tower Hamlets, where 56 percent of children live in poverty, it felt natural for us to launch this campaign closest to home.”
It comes as Asda is catering to Muslim customers by launching new shelves dedicated to Ramadan in 150 stores nationwide, an increase of 47% from last year.
