Muslim Hands- The Gambia Chapter has donated 124 bulls worth four million, eight hundred thousand dalasis (D4, 800,000) to needy Muslims within Banjul, Kanifing Municipality and West Coast Region of The Gambia.
The distribution was held on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 28th, 29th and 30th June respectively at various beneficiaries'communities. The beneficiaries' communities included Banjul, Mile II Central Prison, Kanfing South in KM, Jambur in WCR, Tujereng in WCR, Busuranding in WCR, among other places.
The charitable organisation was supported by partners including Turkiye Diyanet Foundation, Muslim Hands Members in United Kingdom, Canada and South Africa. The gesture aimed to support vulnerable people have food security in the Islamic feast of Eid al-Adha ("Tabaski').
The organisation distributed 124 bulls to 868 households in 30 communities within the three regions. In total about 6000 persons including widows, orphans, aged and people with disability benefited from the gesture.
Ousman Jammeh, Executive Director of Muslim Hands-The Gambia said the gesture aimed to provide bulls for vulnerable people in society to enhance their food security during the festive period.
"We initiated this gesture to ensure the vulnerable are food secured in the days of the Islamic feast (Tabaski). Therefore, this year Muslim Hands-The Gambia in collaboration with its donor partners are distributing 124 bulls to 30 communities comprising about 6,144 persons," he said.
"This is to help the poor who cannot afford rams and bulls for sacrifice in the Muslim feast," he added.
Speaking further, he advised Mosque Committees and Village Development Committees who are coordinating the distribution to demonstrate a high sense of fairness, honesty and professionalism in their identification of deserving people.
Jammeh commended Muslim Hands-The Gambia's partners for their support. He said their support to charitable organisation has been recognised and well appreciated.
Also, he thanked the staff of Muslim Hands- The Gambia for their commitment to supporting Muslims during the feast. He said while people were enjoying the feast, the staff were going around communities to ensure vulnerable people get meat.
Masamba Senghore, Imam of Masjid Abdullah Jobe in Banjul, commended Muslim Hands-The Gambia and its partners for the gesture. The gesture, he said, would help the poor within Banjul to get meat in the feast.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
"We are very happy with Muslim Hands for the gesture. Even Prophet Muhammed S.A.W has enjoined Muslims to help one and another," he said.
He acknowledged that the charitable organisation has been helping the people of Banjul and Gambian Muslims in general for the past 35 years.
Receiving the gesture on behalf of the Director General of the Gambia Prison Service at Mile II Central Prison, Commissioner Lamin Sowe, commissioner of operation for GPS said: "We are very much impressed with Mulim Hands-The Gambia for giving Mile II Central Prison inmates' six bulls. This gesture will help the inmates to feel that they are at home today."
He urged all to emulate the organisation in supporting prisoners, saying no person is more vulnerable than a prisoner.
Lamin Drammeh, member of Alhul Khair Mosque Committee in Faji Kunda in Kanifing Municipality described the gesture as very good to the vulnerable. He said beneficiaries of Faji Kunda are very happy with Muslim Hands- The Gambia and its partners for the gesture.
Gallo Bah, a beneficiary at Jambur village in the Kombo South District, WCR said: "The gesture will significantly help us to get meat for our families."
They all thanked Muslim Hands-The Gambia for the gesture and prayed to Almighty Allah to bestow his blessing on the local organisation and its partners.
