By: muslimaid.org.au
Source: www.muslimaid.org.au
Girls face starvation, homelessness
More than 200 orphan girls are facing starvation and severe hardship, possibly even homelessness, unless Muslim Aid Australia (MAA) can raise at least $84,000 by July to fund their care for six months.
The CEO of MAA, Sheikh Hassan Elsetohy, has warned that if the money cannot be raised swiftly at least 150 of the 200 girls at the Sayyidah Fatimah Girls’ Education Centre in Garba Tulla in northern Kenya will be left with no money for food, clothing and education.
Sheikh Hassan said some of the girls were as young as eight years old and had no family in the drought stricken region.
He stressed that as well as raising the $84,000 needed in July, MAA had committed itself to giving on-going support for the orphanage and needed to raise that amount every six months.
The Sheikh travelled to Kenya late last year as part of a regional projects-field-monitoring mission. While there he visited several sites including the education centre which also serves as an orphanage.
“The complex was built by an elderly brother from Saudi Arabia, who appears to have passed away, Even though no-one is certain, it seems he may have carried out the project in secret and that none of his family knew about it. As a result no further funding is available from him,” he said.
“In light of the dilemma facing the girls I felt Muslim Aid Australia had no option but to step up and take on the responsibility of sponsoring them
“I was impressed by the extent of the complex, which includes dormitories , kitchens, an eating hall, classrooms, playing fields, a small farm and a masjid. However, despite being impressed I was also deeply concerned to discover there were no funds available for the ongoing care of the orphans.
“At the time I committed Muslim Aid Australia to funding the project on a six-monthly basis. We were able to provide sufficient funds from the ‘general donation pool’ for the girls up to the end of June this year, but now we urgently need to fund them for another six-month period,” Sheikh Hassan said.
“The funds from the ‘general donation pool’ provided the girls with uniforms, books, girls’ necessities and food supplies for six months.”
He said: “I could not turn a blind eye to their plight after what I saw of the orphanage and also the serious poverty that is pervading the area. I took on the responsibility with confidence that our generous community won’t fail us.”
The Sheikh appealed to the community to visit Muslim Aid Australia’s youtube presentation about the trip. See the video above for the presentation.
He said: “Muslim Aid Australia is appealing to the generosity of the community, a generosity and sincerity that we know only too well exists in the hearts of our Brothers and Sisters in Australia, to help us support these children.”
The Sheikh warned that if MAA was unable to raise the money that the orphanage may close its doors and the girls could become homeless.
“The whole area has been seriously affected by the terrible drought that hit the East Africa region in mid-2011. The drought has been described as the worst in 60 years and has led to many deaths from malnutrition and disease,” he said.
“If these girls become homeless they will not only face the prospect of dying from starvation but they could fall prey to the terrible violence that has plagued this region off and on for many years.
May Allah forbid that this should happen!”
If you can help, contact Muslim Aid Australia (MAA) on (02) 8016 9500 or donate directly online at www.muslimaid.org.au .