As VOC celebrates 21 years of Ramadan broadcasting, it has adopted a novel initiative in partnership with Awqaf South Africa, to renovate certain masajid in  impoverished communities across the Cape Flats this Ramadan. The VOC/Awqaf Masjid Renovation Project supported by Sanzaf  is a first and will see the radio station taking its social investment programmes to new heights.

“With the theme being generosity for Ramadan 1436 the station hopes to keep the ideals of Islam alive in the hearts of the less fortunate during this auspicious month. We aim to sustain the poor through social cohesion,” says VOC programme manager Mishka Darries.

This is seen as an opportunity to meet up with the community to exchange ideas and to unite the community while giving to the less fortunate.

“It is an exciting project which we hope will get the communities to exchange ideas, brotherly and fraternal love,” says Awqah partner Mickaeel Collier.

Awqaf has had many Iftar projects that assisted them to engage with the township communities.

“When distributing the Iftar packages into the township communities it was heart breaking to see the conditions Islam has to exist in,” says Collier.

The organisation recognises that Islam often exists in impoverished conditions where communities don’t have proper infrastructure.

“Some of these communities don’t even have clean running water but Islam exists in these conditions and is alive in the community’s heart,” says Collier.

“We visited a masjid in Khayelitsha and it was raining on that particular day and there wasn’t even a carpet only sandy ground. The conditions in which some township masajid exist is appalling.”

The aim of the project is to renovate 21 masajid over the Ramadan period. R10 000 has been donated to this project from Awqaf waqf project.

“We will be renovating certain masjids that were nominated. It is a very exciting, inspiring and challenging program,” says Collier.

The masjid is one of the most sacred institutions in the community of Islamic civilization.

“It is the heart of the Muslim community. The masjid was the central point the Islamic armies were dispatched from the communities,” says Collier.

The project offers an opportunity to educate the Muslim community how to better their understanding of Islam.

“What we do for our community as they bring more people into Islam and they try to understand Islam better,” says Darries.

This initiative is targeted towards redefining the masjid.

“It is the heart of the community. Our masjid is still trying to do this even though it is under challenging conditions. It is heart breaking to see the conditions that Islam has to exist in,” says Collier.

The station will accept nominations from listeners in the following way:
1. Drop off your motivation at the VOC studios
2. Email your motivation for the chosen masjied to info@vocfm.co.za
3. Sms “Masjied: Name of Masjied and a short motivation”
Deadline for nominations are 26th June 2015 by end of day.

Criteria for nominations:
-the area must be underpriveledged
-the masjid must preferably be located in the Cape Town and Boland Areas.

Banking details for contributions:
AWQAF SA
Nedbank
Account Number: 146 905 3934
Branch Code: 146905
Ref: VOC Masjied Project