How many times have you walked right passed a homeless person on the street? By being busy with our lives and always heading somewhere, we most often become un-intentionally desensitized to seeing people starve.

The Islamic religion allows a space for Muslims around the world to remember and empathize with those less fortunate than them. The holy month of Ramadan, is one of the five pillars in Islam, in which Muslims are required to fast for one month every year. Those who are sick, elderly, pregnant or travelers are exempt from this obligation.

The Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) said: “None of you will truly believe until you love for your brother what you love for yourself”. Islamic values teach that one person’s oppression, whether it is poverty and hunger, is bound to the entire community. Islam is based on a system of brotherhood and sisterhood, and the month of Ramadan is a time for spiritually-deep self-reflection; filled with righteous deeds of helping one another. We all want and need food as a basic necessity for survival, and by fasting, all Muslims get to experience how it feels like to be hungry firsthand.

Although Ramadan’s core principles and actions are universally practiced, the experience differs regionally. In Somalia, “a vast majority of the country is Muslim, and during the holy month, restaurants, shops and other businesses are closed during fasting hours. So that people remain focused on their fast alone” Muslims living in the West have to accommodate their fasting with their daily activities such as school and work, and they may face numerous distracters. However, Somalia is a collectivist society, where citizens place communal needs before individual desires. Even young children partake in this religious observance: “Parents would encourage their younger kids to try and fast for half the day at least, so they can learn at a young age to appreciate what they have and empathize for those with less than them.”

Muslims are required to pay it forward, and “during this holy month, all Muslims that are financially able to are required to donate a percentage of their assets which is called Zakat.” However, this component of Ramadan is different in Somalia. Since the country has been facing a civil war and more recently, a huge famine, many are unable to donate money. Consequently, harsh living circumstances do not serve as a huge barrier for many Somalis, as some find innovative ways in giving during Ramadan. My mom stated: “I enjoyed cooking with my relatives, and preparing iftaar dinner for my family and neighbors. It brought everyone together. Sometimes we would even bring food to the mosque for everyone to eat and break our fast there.” Those who could not donate money would instead show their benevolence by preparing meals for their family, and neighbours. Some even go to their local mosques and bring food for people to break their fast with.

Although Ramadan requires individuals to donate money, the true essence and beauty of this month is giving in another way, which is through your heart and spirit. No matter what your social status is, fasting during this month is compulsory for all Muslims. People from different age brackets and economic backgrounds attend prayers together at local mosques and come together in solidarity. During this month class divisions are looked beyond, and everyone is expected to love and take care of their family and community.

Fasting brings a sense of empathy to those less fortunate through learned experience, as “Ramadan allows for Muslims to not just donate their money; but to actually experience firsthand how it feels to be hungry. It goes beyond throwing change into a homeless person’s baseball cap”.

Works Cited

Fatima Mussa, University of Waterloo undergraduate student, cousin.

Muhammad ibn Ismail Al Bukhari (1999).Imam Bukharis Book of Muslim Morals and Manners. Alexandria: Al-Saadawi Publications.

Shukri Hussein, mother.

http://www.zakat.org/zakat_in_islam/

The continent of Africa has suffered from colonial rule, slavery, and not to mention robbed and stripped of all its wealth and natural resources. Though these atrocities took place centuries ago, most countries in Africa have not yet recovered economically. Due to this, poverty is the out most reason as to why African citizens cannot afford basic life’s necessities. Therefore, food insecurity is significantly related to poverty and food production. Likewise, droughts, floods, and soil erosion are why many African countries cannot successfully harvest agricultural crops. Considering droughts and floods are environmental disasters which mankind cannot solve, how then can organizations help countries like Ghana, in West Africa? The answer lies in equipping communities with education, irrigation methods, and agricultural equipment to produce a successful harvest.

Though Ghana was the first African nation to gain its independence in 1957 from colonial rule, the country is still very reliant on international aid and support to combat hunger. The northern most region of Ghana is subjective to drought, deforestation, overgrazing, and soil erosion. Hence food insecurity in the north and other Ghanaian regions correlates to minimal agricultural production.

Self Help Africa (SHA) is a non profit organization which was created from the fusion of two independent charities: Harvest Help and Self Help Development International. SHA is present in many African countries; but has been working in northern Ghana as of 2005. The charity’s aim is to facilitate men/women to ‘achieve sustainable livelihoods’. This is accomplished by providing local communities with “group development, community training, and other resources” (SHA, 2010). SHA’s 2009 annual report states that they provided: agricultural advice & support, natural resource & livestock management, and community development to communities in the northern region of Ghana (SHA, 2010). This organization strives to build an Africa that is without starvation and poverty.

Works Cited

Self Help Africa. (2010). Self help Africa in Ghana. Retrieved September 30, 2010 from http://www.selfhelpafrica.org/selfhelp/Main/PR-GHA-home.htm

The effects of colonization has affected the Africa greatly. It has left the continent in a dismal position where it is hard to be self reliant. The effects of colonisation has left Africa with little resources to be self reliant and productive to have a rich economy. Those affected greatly by the effects of colonisation have been women and children. The inequality that women have faced have left them helpless to create self identity and financially independent, and difficult for them to care for their children. Many of them are left to care for a family without any financial support, and are mentally isolated from their community and family by the effects of poverty. How they are able to survive these great circumstances is one of divine intervention.

Many charities in North America focus greatly on appeasing immediate needs because the society and economy is stable enough for the people to help reverse the effects of poverty. There are greater opportunities for individuals to improve the quality of their lives. In Africa those opportunities are scarce. They rarely occur, in which many people die poor without having the opportunity to experience a life of quality and comfort that every human being deserves to have. Many charities focused in Africa are working to make the people self reliant, and develop productive businesses in order to live more comfortable lives. These charities are aiming to eliminate poverty in Africa, and the only way to eliminating poverty is to create a system that would allow Africa to develop a strong and stable economy, that can compete in the world market.

Sisters Netcare Services is a not-for-profit organization that is connected with the International Association of Charities stationed in Belgium. SNS works directly out of Accra in Ghana, in which they hold training workshops for disadvantaged women who have no form income and are destitute. The training workshops prepare them to make beautiful African art and garments to sell and profit from. The goal is to help these women become self-reliant so that they can foster a sense of self worth and create a positive identity for themselves. In addition, they can share their skills with other women and spread their business. SNS is able to support these women from private donations and grants from the International Association of Charities.

This charity is beneficial to the African society because it improves the self esteem of women, while fostering economic independence. It gives opportunity for a greater life to these individuals and their community, who would otherwise die destitute.

Works Cited

Zmudzki, M. (2006). Sisters Netcare Services. Retrieved from http://www.snsghana.org/index.html