With a strong focus on generosity and strengthening community ties during Ramadan, VOC is again calling on the Muslim community to support its flagship Ramadan outreach project, Ahlan Wa Sahlan (AWS). The radio station’s core staff and structures are ploughing their efforts to roll out a mass iftaar every Sunday over the course of the month. This is the 16th year of the social upliftment project.

“The idea of Ahlan Washlan is to welcome the month of Ramadan through the Quran. And what better way than doing this through reaching out to the poor and needy,” says AWS coordinator Prof Ebrahim Arnold.

VOC has again roped in the help of Gift of the Givers to provide soup, dates and a warm plate of food for congregants. The AWS team hope to feed 500 to 1000 Muslims each week. However, VOC listeners are advised to support one of the masajid selected this year to contribute to food parcels.

“Take note of the venues we will be visiting and interact with the community close to you. Many times, we have people not Muslim that come because they are desperate for something to eat. We can’t turn them away. So we can’t touch the surface for the poverty in our community,” said Prof Arnold.

In the first outreach programme, the AWS have targeted the revert community who frequent the Stegmann Road masjid in Claremont.

“Claremont may not be a poor area, but it’s certainly a conduit to target the revert community, many of them who are impoverished. We want to encourage the revert community to listen and recite the Quran with us,” said Prof Arnold.

The masjid venues for this month:

Sunday 21 June
Al-Jaamia majid – Stegman Road, Claremont
Contact: Sheikh Riyaad Walls – 082 297 3030

Sunday 28 June 
Masjidul Kareem –  11th Avenue, Eagle Park.
Contact: Sheikh Faizel Lillah – 082 419 9989

Sunday 5 July 

Masjidul Jumu’ah – Silversand & Delft Roads, Delft
Contact: Imam Mustapha Ahmed – 083 759 2628 / 021 696 7465

Sunday – 12 July 

Masjidul Ameer  – Waverend Street, Ruyterwacht
Contact: Sheikh Fuad Hendricks – 021 534 8180 / 073 803 4077.

The programmes will start from 3pm, with the live broadcast to begin at 4pm. VOC