Stories from the Field

Stories from the Field
Islamic Relief
http://www.irw.org/qurbani/stories.html#qurbaniumaima

short slide show of charity recipients
http://www.irw.org/

Umaima's Struggle

Forty four-year-old Umaima Abdel-Aziz Abdel-Salaam is unemployed and
lives in Helwan, Egypt with her six children and one granddaughter.

"This difficulty started after my husband got fired from his work,
when he refused to take a bribe. He lost all the will to do anything
other than shut himself in the house. Our conditions kept worsening
and worsening and finally he left us.

I wonder how rich we would have been if we had accepted the bribery,
would I be asked that question from you, would I be struggling to
find food? Indeed, I would not. But I know that being honest has a
price, and I would rather be poor and honest than having millions and
being corrupted.

We have been through many struggles, but the hardest of them all was
when I had absolutely nothing in my house to eat and I had no one to
help me. My children had not had a single meal for a couple of days.
So I had to take some rotten bread from the rubbish bin of my
neighbor's, washed it and then put it into some water to boil, and
served it to them.

I swear I had no other option except to starve and I could bear
hunger, but my kids could not. There are no harder words than `mommy
I want food' or `mommy I'm hungry.' It kills me when I cannot do
anything to change it. I feel so helpless and weak."

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Case Studies

Niger: Assisting in Change

Islamic Relief staff interviewed 66-year-old Agali Washahouré, father
of 16 children and farmer in the village of Haybangou, Niger.

Q: What is your typical day like?
"After dawn prayer, I carry the livestock to the farm. Then I go to
the cereal stock to take millet from the granary for my wives. I then
go to the well to fetch water for my donkey. Around 4PM I go for
prayer and when I get back I take my lunch. In some instances, when
I'm not tired, I return back to farm until the evening."

Q: How many people do you live with?
"I'm living with my children, my daughters in law, my grandchildren,
my grandmother and my two wives."

Q: What problems do you face in earning money?
"You can not earn money here by just selling millet or livestock,
nobody ahs enough money during the lean period. We wait for exodus to
send money for us; otherwise we have to work as laborers on wealthy
people's farms to earn either millet or money."

Q: What other difficulties do you face in your life?
"We have no health center and there is no road to link our village
with the closest center in Bankilaré. In case of a food shortage we
have to go elsewhere but it is more difficult in case of sickness
because the only means of transport is a donkey and the health center
is far from our village."

Q: Are you and your family in good health?
"Nobody is healthy in this area."

Q: Was life different for you before?
"Life was better before. There was enough food and we had more
livestock."

Q: What do you do to cope with these difficulties?
"We do whatever possible to overcome these difficulties and keep
hoping that solutions will come from somewhere. We've experienced
difficult situations before and we survived by Allah's mercy and by
the support of our migrant relatives."

Q: What changes do you need to improve your quality of life?
"We need a sustainable change to deliver us from this uncertain life
definitely."

Q: How has Islamic Relief helped you and your family?
"Islamic Relief assisted us to change our living conditions. We
received food from them before and now meat [Udhiyah/Qurbani]."

Q: If Islamic Relief were not here to help, what would your situation
be?
"It would be a great loss for us."

Q: Is there any message you would like to add for the donors?
"We need support to read food self-sufficiency, portable water and
roads to facilitate our movements."

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Afghanistan: Providing for Families

Islamic Relief staff interviewed 55-year-old Shin Khalai, umeployed
widow living in the village of Mandihisar, Kandahar, Afghanistan.

Q: How many people do you live with?
"There are 16 people living with me in my home. I have two sons and
their wives. My third son died in coalition forces bombardment five
years ago and his widow is also living with us. There are also 10 of
my grand children from three sons living with me in the same home."

Q: How do you usually spend your Eid?
"I am old and poor so I spend Eid day very simply and without any
celebration. I eat the simple things that we eat daily. We are poor,
so there is no specialty on Eid. If we slaughter an animal for
Qurbani, then I get meat to eat. My life is about surviving."

Q: What types of foods do you eat normally?
"I normally eat vegetables like potato, okra and squash because it's
affordable. I like to eat anything which fills my stomach. There is
no desire for special delight because I am old and have lived my
life. We eat meat like once or sometimes twice a month. Meat is very
expensive and my family is large so we cannot afford to buy much
meat."

Q: Have you had to deal with any food shortages in your village?
"There is no food shortage in our village. Everything is readily
available but to buy them, needs money. These days, you can find
fresh vegetables throughout the year. During the drought years, we
migrated to a neighboring country because wheat and vegetables were
scarce and prices went very high. We could not afford anything to
eat."

Q: Have you ever struggled to find food for you and your family?
"I struggle everyday to find food for my family because my family is
large and I have to do something to support it. Due to social
restrictions, it is very difficult for a woman to support her family
and also because I am old and illiterate so cannot work in offices.
Yes, the struggle to find food for my family's support had always
been a regular problem for me and other members."

Q: What other difficulties do you face in your life?
"There are many difficulties like we all are uneducated, there is no
future for my grandchildren. Only two people are earning while 14
others are just eating. There is a burden on all of us."

Q: How did the Udhiyah/Qurbani pack from Islamic Relief help you?
"I have not received any other package from Islamic Relief before
this. This is a good package with enough meat to provide my family
with food for two days. After a long time, I will eat meat so
frequently. Thanks to Islamic Relief and I pray for their success."

Q: Do you have any hopes for the future?
"I don't have any future plans because I have lived my life and now I
am old but I want my grandchildren to get education and become good
human beings."

Q: Is there any message you would like to add for the donors?
"I want to request the helpers (donor community) to help the poor
people to get education and become self-sufficient. Please help us,
make schools for us, and bring peace and security to our country by
educating people and making factories so that all people are
employed. Illiteracy and unemployment are two main reasons for the
insecurity and continuous fighting."

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You Can Make A Difference!

For many people around the world, the time of Eid is one of joy and
celebration. But for those suffering from severe poverty and hunger,
Eid is just another day of hardship and a struggle to survive.

This Eid, as you reflect on the sacrifices that Prophet Abraham
(peace be upon him) made for his Lord, sacrifice from your own
bounties and help provide for those in need. Donate to Islamic
Relief's Udhiyah/Qurbani Appeal today!

Click here to take part in Udhiyah/Qurbani 2008.

https://www.irw.org/donate_now/Qselection.aspx

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