NASFAT spends N60.9m on the vulnerable

The Nasrul-Lahi-L-Fatih Society (NASFAT), in celebration of the end of Ramadan, fed no fewer than 6,500 less-privileged across Nigeria and showered over N60 million on vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The National President NASFAT, Alhaji Niyi Yusuf, said the society, through its “feed a mouth’ programme reached out to 6, 500 persons in 130 outlets across the 22 zones of the society.

He said the programme, which is a tradition of the society, was to felicitate with Muslims in Nigeria and in the diaspora to mark the end of Ramadan. The programme was extended to zones of the society outside Nigeria. Some of the outlets, which benefitted from the feeding include, Alausa community, Ikeja, Ogba, Imota, Epe, Ijora Olopa among others.

Yusuf expressed deep appreciation to all friends, donors, contributors and supporters of the COVID-19 relief fund.

The Welfare Secretary, NASFAT, Alhaji AbdulRahman Olarinde, said the initiative was designed to cater for those intending to fast but have no means. It equally provided sahur and Iftar meals for the beneficiaries through the fasting period.

Prior to the feeding programme, he said NASFAT had also, disbursed N60.9 million in cash and food items to the vulnerable in the society, as palliative measure to mitigate the effect of the lockdown and movement restrictions occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to him, no fewer than 18,942 households and 113,652 people benefited from the disbursement across the 22 zones of the society over 47 days of the lockdown.

The kind gesture was delightful as beneficiaries ranging from elderly, young, children, men and women, were filled with excitements and surprise as they arrived Oluwole Mosque in Ogba, Lagos State, which was one of the designated venues in Lagos, to receive the packs of food and drink. They did this under strict adherence to the social distancing and nose-mask policy of the government.

A beneficiary who is a widow, Mrs. Moinat Abdulakeem said she was surprised because, she had thought that, due to the pandemic, NASFAT would not be carrying out the Ramadan feeding programme as they normally do yearly.

Another Beneficiary, Sulaimon Ibrahim said, “Fasting within this pandemic has not been easy. We aren’t working hence, no money to eat quality food after fasting. And this is why I must commend NASFAT for this kind gesture. I am very happy and grateful to them,” he said.

NASFAT Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Akeem Yusuf, said the action is the organization way of touching lives and be of help to humanity.

“Our policy thrust of this current administration is health, education, livelihood, and Dawa (HELD). The livelihood and Dawa (giving), is part of what we are doing here today, having dealt with the health part of it within the pandemic and equally still doing so.

“We want to ensure that everyone is happy. And also try to cushion the effect of people that have been negatively affected by the pandemic, and ameliorate the effect on them. The main purpose of this particular feeding programme is to felicitate with our Muslim brothers and sisters.”

Everybody knows that the COVID-19 pandemic currently ravaging the whole world has affected so many things. The economy, social life, religious and political life has been lockdown. Our message to our members that are trading, jobless, widowed and aged that can’t work, and are now asked to stay at home is that they should believe that this is from Allah”.