With the holy month of Ramadaan coming to a conclusion, Islamic Relief South Africa (IRSA) is in the final stages of wrapping up its various Ramadan outreach initiatives. The organisation has been especially active in aid and relief distribution throughout the past month, assisting the more destitute members of the community both locally, and in neighbouring Zimbabwe.

With Eid ul-Fitr drawing ever closer IRSA spokesperson, Shanaaz Gire said their staff, management and volunteers were now in the preparation phase of distributing fitrah hampers to needy communities across the border, which would likely be distributed in coming days.

“We’ve also got food hampers being finalised today at our offices in Cape Town and Durban, and those will also be distributed to needy families across South Africa inshallah,” she explained.

The month has proven fruitful in terms of community support and donations to IRSA, with Gire describing the public’s response as ‘”positive and heartwarming”. This has also led to the organisation also lending a hand to the homeless, distribution boeber and over 100 blankets every Friday and Saturday night to those living on the city’s streets.

“So many of our volunteers have gone out on their own as well, trying to further this little project,” she noted.

IRSA also held a mass iftaar this past Sunday, in a bid to raise funds for its orphan’s and vulnerable children’s project. She described the support seen on the evening as “phenomenal”.

“At this stage we just have to say a big shukran to the community of Cape Town and the broader South Africa for supporting this event. Without you we could not be able to do the work that we do,” she said. VOC (Mubeen Banderker)