It’s true that the coronavirus threat has taken away the beauty of iftar gatherings and social get-togethers during the holy month.
But some volunteers from across a spectrum of the society are putting all efforts to fetch the essence of iftar despite maintaining the social distancing parameters.
They are active by 5 pm. To be precise, they rush to the restaurants and other joints individually, get the already packed iftar kits, an assortment of foods for iftar, and move to different parts of the city.
“The act of giving is something that gives mental containment especially during the difficult times of coronavirus spread”, said Natasha Winn, representative of Muscat Caribbean Community.
A large number of volunteers belonging to various NGOs or otherwise are on the streets by the dusk rushing iftar kits to those needy people who are fasting. These are men of various ethnic backgrounds, diverse cultural origins, wearing different attires, preparing to bring foods comprising dates, water, laban and other delicacies for breaking fast to the needy.
“We supply iftar kits to nearly 500 people, mostly bachelors, every day in view of the lockdown. They are left nowhere without iftar tents, said PTK Shameer, Ameer Kavanur, and Mohammed Vanimel, who spearhead the charity drive near the Sultan Qaboos Mosque in Ruwi.
The Sultanate of Oman has been witnessing such scenes since the beginning of the holy month on Saturday and at various locations across the city sending out messages of togetherness.
“We have been catering to hundreds of people every day with dates, water, juice, laban and the like for more than a decade now. This year, the iftars are taking a totally different dimension and we have been sending these foods to their doorsteps since one week, thanks to our supporters like Lulu Exchange, Malabar Gold and other kind-hearted people who don’t want to be named”, Jayakumar Vallickav, a volunteer added. These men and women are real unsung heroes for they feel the hunger pangs of one another, they drive for kilometers braving the corona proliferation, but strictly obeying the protective measures, in a bid to reach the needy out there
Ramdas Chandaka, head of an active social service organisation, Chiru Mega Youth Force (CMYF), said that hundreds of packets with food materials have been distributed by more than 50 volunteers among the blue-collar workers and other community members since last few weeks. “We have been distributing food and
food materials among the low-income groups in and around Ruwi, Azaiba, and Muttrah, thanks to the kind-hearted people who entrust us to do so,”
Ramdas told the Observer after distributing the Iftar kits on the second day of Ramadhan Ramdas Chandaka, head of an active social service organisation, Chiru
Mega Youth Force (CMYF), said that hundreds of packets containing food
materials have been distributed by more than 50 volunteers among the blue-collar workers and other community members since the last few weeks.
“We have been distributing food and food materials among the low income
groups in and around Ruwi, Azaiba, and Muttrah, thanks to the kind-hearted people who entrust us to do so,” Ramdas told the Observer after distributing the Iftar kits on the second day of Ramadhan.
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