| Aziz Idris |
SIX volunteers from Hand4handbn, a local non-governmental organisation (NGO) focussed on humanitarian relief work, left for Bangladesh yesterday for an aid mission dubbed ‘Ramadan4Rohingya’ to distribute 25,000 ready-to-eat food packs to refugees in Cox’s Bazar.
Hand4handbn founder Iqbal Damit, who is experienced in the distribution of food aid and humanitarian relief at the refugee camps, is leading the mission.
According to Iqbal, the ready-to-eat food packs have safely arrived in a nearby city in Cox’s Bazar. His team, together with other aid volunteers will set up two stations to distribute the packs in two days. Each recipient will be given three packs.
The food packs, locally made by Saahtain Asia Sdn Bhd, were part of the crowdfunding initiative launched by the NGO last April.
Last November, Iqbal and his team distributed 1,000 similar food packs among the Rohingya. As most refugees do not have the resources to cook their own food or prepare hygienic meals, supplying ready-to-eat food packs is the most convenient and effective way to distribute aid.
This mission marks the first time the team will be at the camp during Ramadhan and the vast majority of both refugees and other aid workers are expected to observe a daily fast – with nowhere to hide from the hot and humid weather conditions during this time of the year.
“We have prepared ourselves mentally and physically, and I am confident that the team will carry out their tasks in order to complete the mission,” Iqbal said.
However, he was quick to point out that it will be more emotionally challenging to see the situation at the camps, as it was felt even more keenly during Ramadhan, a month of piety, charity, feasting and celebration elsewhere in the Muslim world.
“Some of them may not have eaten for days, especially during Iftar or Sahur. We know the food packs may not reach everyone, but we want to ease some of the burden of our fellow Muslims during the fasting month,” he added.
During the trip, the team will also help construct 10 new tube wells funded by Bruneian donors at the refugee camps for clean water supply. Hand4handbn has helped in constructing 60 tube wells in previous missions.
Hand4handbn has done volunteer work in Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, with the latest one in Bangladesh. The organisation’s strategy is to work with a local NGO in the host country. In Bangladesh, the team previously worked at the Rohingya refugee camp in Balukhali, Cox’s Bazar.