Yesterday we provided eight pots of food to communities of Ottery, Parkwood and Samora Michell for people to break their fast. How people flock to our religious places in the various communities seeking aid when hungry and when faced with many other challenges. Our religious places should be the centre point in our communities for people to turn to. In addition to providing food to the communities, we also undertook breaking our fast and sharing a meal with orphaned children, what a humbling and amazing experience it was.

Feeding initiative

“Trying to put an end to poverty is a complicated issue, but feeding people those in need of food is not”

We fed approximately 2,000 people yesterday taking our total feeding to 107,670 which includes the feedings this week. How fortunate are we to be able to give back to our communities, inspiring them with hope and positivity. We pray that the Almighty alleviates them from the adversities.

Serving the orphans

“The true character of a society is revealed in how it treats children”

Nelson Mandela

According to UNICEF, it is estimated that 153 million children worldwide are orphans with approximately 5,700 children becoming orphaned daily. UNESCO released statistics that approximately 263 million children and youth are out of school and the World Bank released a statement indicating that there are 69 million children worldwide who suffer from malnutrition. If children is the future leaders, surely we need to make a change today.

As we arrived at Junaid Safe Haven orphanage last night, we were welcomed with smiles and the faces immediately lit up from excitement. We had the opportunity to break our fast and share an evening meal with fourteen orphans ranging from one year to fifteen years old and two caregivers, being Uncle Junaid (Husband) and Aunty Fouzia (Wife). We would like to thank Uncle Junaid and Aunty Fouzia for the opportunity and welcoming us into your beautiful home.

After preparing the meal, we finally got the opportunity to engage with the children and caregivers. Uncle Junaid and Aunty Fouzia indicated that they have been fostering children for thirty years, picking children up from the streets, people leaving there children with them and never returning and receiving foster children from Social Services. Although all these sacrifices, ensuring the children obtain an education, are nourished and clothed daily, they do not receive an sustainable income from government and have to live off their saving to ensure the upkeep and nurturing of the children.

We applaud Uncle Junaid and Aunty Fouzia for all your efforts and to all others helping children that have been orphaned or abandoned.

We would like to thank all our sponsors, the team and volunteers for all your support, without you we would not be able to create joy on the faces of these children.

Zakaah is one of the Pillars of Islam and it’s importance cannot be stressed, yet so much of us neglect this duty bestowed upon us. Zakaah is an Arabic word that relates to cleanliness, growth, blessings and praise. Zakaah is defined as a form of charity to purify our wealth, increase our blessings in life of which we will obtain a great reward. It has been made obligatory for every Muslim to give this charity once a year calculated as 2.5% of one’s excess wealth to widows, orphans, disabled, the needy and destitute. In simple terms, Zakaah is considered right of the poor on the wealth of the rich, therefore withholding Zakaah is depriving the poor of their due share. We see how peoples morals are impacted, arising from the love and greed of wealth. By giving charity, it assists us to detach ourselves from our wealth and prevents us from becoming enslaved chasing after wealth on a daily basis.

Despite our religions and beliefs, charity and the importance of being of service to humanity is a duty for each an everyone of us. Have we ever asked ourselves why the Almighty has made certain acts obligatory upon us and others not? One can only imagine it’s importance, how much these obligatory acts are loved by the Almighty and how these will be of benefit to us when rendering these acts.

Today we fed approximately 2,500 people in the communities of Vrygrond, Retreat, Lavender Hill, Belhar and Khayelitsha with dhal, rice and akni . We thank our distribution partners, sponsors, the team and all those that volunteer, this would not have been possible without your support. We ask the Almighty to make us realise that giving is actually receiving, that less is actually more and allow us to be grateful and serve humanity.

As human beings there is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up. We go through life to eventually find our gift, then slowly realise that the purpose of life is to give it away. How many of us give our all and feel as though it cost us nothing, this is what one considers true generosity. As we approach the holy month of Ramadaan, May the Almighty allow the blessings of this month to penetrate our hearts, for us to be more generous in giving back and for us to become conscious and cognisant of the Almighty.

Today we managed to feed approximately 2,500 mouths from the communities of Lavender Hill, Vrygrond, Khayelitsha, Retreat, Parkwood, Ottery and Samora Michel. We would like to thank all of the team, sponsors and distributors for your continued support. We would also like to say thank you to Ebrahim Mia for providing us the opportunity to feed the community of Samora Michel and may we grow to establish a kitchen in the community if God wills.

We humbly request your support towards our ramadaan initiatives, we received a total of 20% of the funding required Algamdulila to ensure that these initiatives are excecuted, these include cooking, food parcels and iftar at the orphanage. Thank you for all your support, together we are able to assist more people in our communities.

See below pictures of todays feeding initiative:

We firstly want to thank the Almighty for allowing us to feed those in need another day and for allowing us to realise that giving is actually receiving. Thank you to our sponsors, volunteers, the team, distribution partners, associate kitchens, family and friends for your support both big and small, every little helped in achieving our milestone. We are pleased to announce that we have reached our target for our 2023 financial year, having fed in excess of 100,000 mouths to date since the April 2021. Last year we fell short by 4,000 mouths fed of our target of 30,000 mouths, yet through consistency and perseverance we managed to double the amount of mouths fed this year. This would not have been possible without your support and for that we are grateful.

Despite the tough economic conditions with the rise of food and energy prices, many people have committed to contributing generously towards feeding their communities. The increase in mouths fed is directly linked to the donations received, therefore we urge everyone to spread and support our initiatives, as well as commit to a monthly contribution, if possible as we set our goal on continually growing the number of months fed annually.

Today we fed the communities of Lavender Hill, Vrygrond, Retreat, Parkwood and Khayelitsha taking the total mouths fed to date to 100,620. We hope that todays feeding allowed people to understand that their present circumstances don’t determine where they can go, but rather determines where to start.

As Nelson Mandela said, “It always seems impossible until it’s done”. Thank you all for making this possible, may our journey continue in support of the impoverished, orphaned and destitute.

See below pictures of todays feeding:

Recently we have witnessed many things that have taken place, both in our country as well as globally, the most significant being the destruction of Turkey and Syria as a result of the recent earthquake. We ask the Almighty to grant all those going through challenges patience and ease all their difficulties.

This disaster resulted in many people and organisations flocking to assist the people of Turkey and Syria. Assistance in the form of temporary medical facilities, meals, tents, temporary homes, etc. Around the world people reacted to this devastation in different ways and immediately funds were being raised to do our part to support our fellow brothers, sisters and children. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Verily, the believer among the people of faith is in the position of the head to the body. The believer feels pain for the people of faith, just as the body feels pain in its head.” It is clear from our actions that we as humans feel the pain these families are enduring for the past two weeks and we pray that we remain grateful for everything the Almighty has granted us.

This disaster like any other event is a chance for us to draw ourselves closer to our creator and reflect on the many lessons we can draw from it. Within a short period of time people became homeless, people became jobless, people lost their wealth, children became orphans, etc. We should ask ourselves what lessons we can take from this? We should reflect on our current situation and remember that within a blink of an eye it can completely change, therefore we should not take for granted the blessings both big and small we have been gifted by our Creator. We should also ponder regarding how people globally serve the creation of the creator and how we too can be of service on a regular basis.

Today we managed feed approximately 2,500 people from Khayelitsha, Vrygrond, Lavender Hill, Ottery Flats and Parkwood, taking the total mouths fed to 97,040 mouths and set to achieve our target of reaching 100,000 mouths. How heartwarming it was seeing our guests faces filled with smiles and joy receiving their warm meal.

We would like to take the opportunity to thank all the sponsors, the team, volunteers, family and friends for all your support which made this initiative a success. May the Almighty increase your wealth and grant you all the best of health. As Rumi said, “God sends hope in the most desperate moments. Don’t forget the heaviest rain comes out of the darkest clouds.” May we be the rain to nourish and bring hope to the impoverished, orphan and destitute.

Please see below a few pictures of the initiative:

We thank the Almighty for granting us another year to build our Falaah Foundation community in order that we may together help feed our surrounding communities suffering from the adversities of poverty due to unemployment and inequality in our country.

We would also like to thank the Belhar and Lavender Hill teams for cooking over the holiday period. It was amazing seeing both old and new faces today, all working towards providing a warm meal for those in need in our communities. Thanks to the Almighty, we could assist in nourishing approximately 2,500 people from Lavender Hill, Vrygrond, Khayelitsha, Parkwood and Egoli Informal Settlement taking the total mouths fed to 93,040.

We would like to thank our sponsors for their contributions in cash or kind, the volunteers and the team which allowed this initiative to be successful. We pray that the Almighty allow us to touch many hearts, feed their tummies and to create a spirit of hope and joy in our communities the year ahead.

Each day we go through life reflecting on the oneness of the Almighty. Reflecting on the number “One” has many lessons we can draw from in our lives. As an example we have many parts of our body, each having a different function, legs to walk, a mouth to talk, eyes to see and although so many more, all these parts form part of One body that functions together. Similarly, your contributions in cash and kind, your donations and prayers is an indication how together we can operate as One to alleviate poverty and hunger in our communities. How true it is that with Unity there is strength, with teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved.

Despite the gloomy weather, on 16 December 2022 with your assistance we were able to provide party packs to 1,500 kids from Lavender Hill and the surrounding communities. Although it is true that children are our future, we seem to spend so much time worrying about what a child will become tomorrow, yet we forget that they are someone today. So our focus was to create a spirit of joy and hope in our communities, it was amazing seeing the joy on the faces of the kids, which was extremely heartwarming. We end off the year having fed a total of 84,750 mouths to date.

The committee would like to take the opportunity to thank each and everyone for your continued support, we are eternally grateful. We wish you a joyous festive season and a prosperous new year. During this time let us not forget those suffering with numerous challenges, you are in our prayers. Never forget that we can take all the wisdom that exists to understand the reason for a problem, but remember that the Almighty has not created the problem without reason and remember that with difficulty comes ease.

See below some pics of the initiative:

As we look back at the lessons learnt in the past year, let us reflect on the moments and memories, both good and bad that will shape the years ahead. Sometimes we are so stuck in the past that we don’t realise that our new beginning is forged from the past and not the abandonment thereof. During this year we overcame the pandemic that affected everyone globally. Before we were faced having to wear masks, quarantine, isolate and sanitising on a regular basis. As we meet our friends and family during the festive season, may we treasure life and family, as well as remember our loved ones that have past on.

Today was our last cooking for the year, however we aim to provide ingredients to the communities in Belhar, Lavender Hill, Retreat and Kuilsriver in order that the kitchens can continue feeding the people in their communities. Last year we communicated our intention to grow our feedings beyond only kitchens in Ottery and Belhar feeding their surrounding areas. With your support we are now providing ingredients to kitchens in Lavender Hill, Retreat and Kuilsriver as well.

Today we fed approximately 2,700 people in the communities of Khayelitsha, Vrygrond, Ottery, Parkwood, Lavender Hill and Retreat taking our total mouths fed to date to 80,350 mouths fed.

Although this marks the end of another successful year, it is just the beginning of our journey being in existence for just over a year and a half. To everyone in the team, volunteers and sponsors we are grateful for your support and wish you all a safe and joyous festive season and remember that your present circumstances don’t determine where you can go, but it merely determines where you start.

Below are a few pics of todays feeding:

As we grow older we tend to realise the importance of our health, unfortunately it is either as a result of a condition or illness we experience sometime in our lives. There is an Arabian Proverb that beautifully describes the importance of our health, “He who has health has hope, and he who has hope has everything.” This proverb is profound not only for those that have, but more so for those facing the adversities of poverty and hunger.

For many in our communities in the Cape Flats our health provides hope that allows us to see the light, despite all the darkness/adversities. Health is therefore critical to instil hope in others, however this requires people to be sufficiently nourished. A characteristic of the Almighty in Arabic is “Al-Muqeet”, which means The Nourisher. It is amazing how we as the creation of the creator are used as instruments to nourish the impoverished, orphaned and destitute by providing food or by contributing towards these initiatives which makes it possible to feed another day.

Today we fed approximately 2,500 the communities of Vrygrond, Khayelitsha, Ottery and Retreat. Additionally, feedings in Kuilsriver and Belhar have resulted in the total mouths fed to date to 75,850.

We would like to take the opportunity to thank each and everyone of you for your continued support, contributions, efforts and prayers, it is much appreciated. To provide an update to all our sponsors, we have now managed to support kitchens in Belhar, Kuilsriver, Lavender Hill and Retreat, which allowed us to increase feeding from two pots a week a year and a half ago, to thirteen pots weekly and twenty two pots bi-weekly going forward. We are hoping to feed 3,500 mouths weekly and 6,000 bi-weekly. May we continue nourishing the people in our communities and instil hope in their lives with a plate of food.

The Almighty can be described by the name Al-Wahhab in Arabic which means, the Giver of All. This name describes one of the qualities of our Creator in terms of His generosity in giving plenty without expecting anything in return, but have we ever contemplated regarding the lessons we can draw from implementing this quality in our lives?

We can reflect on this quality in two ways, the first is upon receiving and the second relates to giving. When one looks at this quality from the perspective of oneself, this should create contentment, gratitude and appreciation within ourselves as we realise how our lives have been blessed in many ways by the numerous bounties the Almighty has bestowed upon us, both big and small. However, when it comes to giving, many people have realised the need of giving, whether it be helping a hungry person with a plate of food, someone suffering from financial difficulties or by an act of kindness even if it be saying a kind word or a smile.

Sometimes our struggles prevent us from realising our blessings and distracts us from being contented. Whilst distributing today many kids already started asking when we will be coming again, therefore to create self awareness we should start by recognising people less fortunate than ourselves and recognise how we have been blessed.

Today we fed approximately 3,000 people from the communities of Vrygrond, Khayelitsha, Bonteheuwel, Ottery, Lavender Hill and Parkwood. Additionally, the Belhar kitchen fed the communities of Valhalla Park and Belhar. Recently we decided to pilot another kitchen in Kuilsriver feeding the communities of Kuilsriver and Wesbank, we welcome more kitchens to join our family as we look to serve many other communities in the future. All this could not have been achieved without the team, volunteers and generous sponsors, we appreciate your support in being generous with your wealth and time.

See below a few pictures of the feedings today and earlier this week.