Generous hands reach out to those in need

The visit took place on Thursday, December 6, after a concerned local resident, Fazel Ismail, contacted the foundation for assistance.
According to the Al-Imdaad Foundation’s Gauteng project coordinator, Moulana Ansar Johardien, the Al-Imdaad Foundation team members visited the centre for an inspection on November 20.
“According to a report by our team members, the centre accommodated up to 95 homeless residents at the time of inspection, including 30 children and 20 elderly and physically challenged individuals. These individuals lived on the two-hectare Soli-Deo-Gloria property, which belongs to the local municipality and is managed by Gerda Venter,” he said.
After the inspection, the Al-Imdaad Foundation’s Gauteng team began to arrange a programme to address some of the needs faced by the community.
“This programme came to fruition on December 6 when they returned to Soli-Deo-Gloria Centre with Faizel Ismail and Nazier Asmal, a member of Lydenburg’s Muslim community,” said Moulana Johardien.
Although Soli-Deo-Gloria receives free water from the municipality, they have no electricity and are forced to rely on solar panels for their needs.
The Al-Imdaad Foundation team discovered that the homeless residents at the centre struggled without access to hot water, as their geysers were out of order and funds to repair them were unavailable. The community also faced many other needs relating to solar electrical infrastructure, bedding, plumbing and sewerage.
“Together with these representatives of the local community, the foundation team distributed 35 school bags and stationery, 35 hygiene packs and clothing to residents of the centre.” Johardien added.
They also handed over a new geyser that had been donated by one of the Al-Imdaad Foundation’s supporters.
Faizel Ismail said that the beneficiaries at the centre were overjoyed by the contribution.
“It is a religious duty for Muslims to help all of humanity and these residents are part of that humanity. Thanks to the foundation for their speedy response to my request for assistance and I hope they could continue such activities in the future.”
Ismail also thanked the Al-Imdaad Foundation for their speedy response to his initial request for assistance at the centre and hoped that they could continue such activities into the future.
Al-Imdaad Foundation’s Moulana Ansar said that it is their intention to ensure assistance is provided to all needy communities. This ties into the foundations’ motto of ‘striving to serve humanity’.
Soli-Deo-Gloria Centre manager, Gerda Venter thanked the foundation for lending a helping hand. “We are thankful for changing our lives in making it easier to survive in this time and hour of need at the care centre. We do not have the benefits of daily sanitary and hot water, but we have people like you that care and understand how it is to suffer because of unemployment,” she said.