By Momodou Justice Darboe
The Amir of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at, The Gambia, Baba F. Trawally, is at the head of a massive food distribution across the country as Ramadan continues and Covid-19 pandemic threatens household incomes and food security.
A fortnight ago, a delegation from the Jama’at in The Gambia was in the North Bank Region where it handed over a hundred bags of rice and sugar to the office of the regional governor. Prior to that the Jama’at distributed food aid in the Upper River, Central River and Lower River regions where hundreds of bags of rice, sugar, onions and cartons of dates were given to the various offices of the various governors. The Jama’at’s magnanimity has also reached Foni in the West Coast Region where it dispatched 30 bags of sugar, onions and liters of oil.
On Tuesday, the delegation led by Amir Trawally, was at the Banjul City Council where it doled out bags of sugar, onions, litres of oil and cartons of dates to the town hall before proceeding to the Kanifing municipality where it doled out 203 bags of rice and other consumables to various beneficiaries.
“Today, we presented to the KMC 50 bags of rice of 25kg, 50 bags of onion, 51 litres of cooking oil, 10 bags of sugar and last Saturday at the ferry terminal in Banjul, we have given them [ferries] 10 bags of rice, 10 bags of onion and 10 one-liter cooking oil, and five bags of sugar,” Ahmadiyya Jama’at-Gambia head disclosed.
However, before that the Jama’at has also reached out to various needy families within one of the country’s most populous local government areas of Kanifing municipality. And on Tuesday at the Kanifing Municipal Council precincts, the movement gave 30 bags of rice, oil, 15 bags of sugar and 15 bags of onion to the Organization for Social Development and Inclusion for Persons with Disability, Gambia National Paralympic Committee and Gambia Association of the Disabled.
Amir Trawally said the Jama’at is not also oblivious of its obligation of promoting good neighbourliness and as part of the spirit of generosity to neighbours, it on Tuesday distributed 30 bags of rice, litres of oil, 15 bags of onions and four bags of sugar to deserving residents of the neighbourhood of the Ahmadiyya Mission House in The Gambia.
“Today, we are giving to our neighbors because it is very important to treat neighbours nicely and assist them. The Prophet had mentioned that ‘treat your neighbours nicely and assist them’. He used to say commandments about neighbours that you’ll think neigbours can inherit. This is why we have to be good to our neighbours. We treat them nicely. We should not harm them. Whatever we have, we share with them. These are neighbours and we are obligated by Islam to always assist our neighbours; Muslims and non-Muslims alike. If we do that there will be a complete happiness in our neighbourhood and in our society,” he stated.
Meanwhile the Jama’at is expected to extend food aid to West Coast Region and according to Amir Trawally, all these are made possible through the graciousness and kindness of the Supreme Spiritual Head of the world-wide Ahmadiyya Jama’at.
“The Caliph of the Jama’at has kindly always approved this kind of assistance and also he is praying for this country, especially during this troubled period. This is not only for The Gambia but the entire humanity. The Caliph has already instructed that we should be sending him words about Covid-19. So, we are sending him that daily report. This is because of his concern and he is always praying for everyone,” he revealed.
Amir Trawally did not also forget to acknowledge the food support that the Humanity First gave to the URR and CRR, disclosing that the International Association of Ahmadi Architects and Engineers also wish to replicate same.
“So, we hope to get something from them. And you have different individuals, persons who are assisting and the youth wing of our Jama’at-Magilis Ghulamun Ahmadiyya- has also contributed. Everybody is jointly assisting in one way or the other because in this Jama’at, we work together so that we can assist humanity and this is the purpose of Islam,” he concluded.
