“This Ramadan will stay with me for a very long time. It was starkly different and at most times, intensely emotional. Every day was a reminder to me about the plight of the less fortunate in our community.”

Those were the words of Islamic Relief South Africa (IRSA) ambassador, Irafaan Abrahams who offered much of his time this past month in the way of assisting Cape Town’s homeless and destitute. The month proved to be extremely rewarding for the host of VOC’s Sports Hub show, who recounted his journey with VOC News.

Abrahams’ work with IRSA saw him get involved with the relief organisation’s ‘Blankets and Boeber’ project, which sought to distribute warm blankets and a hot meal to those less fortunate, many of whom are resigned to using cardboard and plastic as a means of keeping warm. Starting out as a mere group of 10 staff members, they went out to various parts of the city after Taraweeh every weekend, engaging with and assisting those struggling to cope with the harsh conditions of winter.

The group usually started their ventures near the railway station in Lansdowne, on the doorstep of the IRSA headquarters. According to Abrahams, here they met young community members who had abandoned their homes and were now living in makeshift homes made of cardboard and plastic. The group also frequented the massive homeless community in Wynberg, but the most striking for Abraham proved to be those residing under the bridge opposite the Castle of Good Hope.

“To explain the poverty and deprivation these people are living under; young babies living with their mothers in a box. Words cannot describe it. What we found is that there are so many young Muslims living there, and even our brothers and sisters from various parts of Africa,” he said.

Abrahams was overwhelmed that despite their plight many Muslims on the street were still keen to observe the fast.

“In the second week a couple of brothers came and were preparing dried sugar beans. We asked them what it was they were doing and Allahu Akbar, they said the little beans they were busy cooking would be for their Suhoor the next morning,” he recalled.

The project gradually expanded as weeks went by and the size of their group grew from just 10 individuals to a “motorcade of more than 10 vehicles”, with each volunteer bringing along their own forms of donation.

During their outings the group also spent time interacting with those they were assisting, many of whom clearly left an indelible mark on Abrahams.

“We met a guy in town under the bridge called Shaun, who had a laceration and gash from his ankle to his knee, which he got hurt while working. He was in so much pain, but he had dignity and humility when we chatted to him and tried to make his plight easier. It really warmed his heart that there were people who cared about him,” he recounted.

While balancing his humanitarian work, Abrahams, an educator at Rocklands high school, also made time for his learners by giving extra classes during the school holidays. The dedicated and passionate teacher spent a lot time with his Matric class, in between running around carrying soup pots and loaves of bread.

If this wasn’t enough, Abrahams still found the time and energy to travel to Johannesburg for IRSA’s live orphan’s pledge on ITV on July 11th. IRSA raised R310 000 and counting during the live pledge.

Apart from his work with IRSA, Abrahams was also involved in project with a group called Fie Ghiedmatiel Ummah, which feed people on a daily basis for iftar. Soup was distributed in area like Browns Farm, Tafelsig, New Horizons, and Manenberg amongst others.

“There was never enough. The more we made the more people would come… once you start giving and you start feeding people, the day you don’t you feel that there is a void,” he said.

Abrahams also spent a lot of time with orphans from various orphanages, and roped in family and friends to assist with contributions for Eid clothes for them.

Despite Ramadan drawing to a close, Abrahams and his volunteers returned to the same communities they had frequented throughout the month on Eid ul-Fitr, and dished out meals in the morning following the Eid salah.

“We thought that, how can we feed the people during the month of Ramadan but on the most auspicious day where Allah rewards those who fasted. We don’t see to the people we fed during the month. That is what motivated us to continue,” he stated.

Abrahams stressed that such initiatives were an ever present amongst different relief groups throughout the remainder of the year, calling on community members to make some form of contribution in that regard. VOC (Mubeen Banderker)