Indonesia’s alms agency collaborates with KSrelief to distribute Ramadan food packages

JAKARTA: Indonesia’s national alms agency and the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center have begun to distribute thousands of food packages across dozens of Indonesian cities and districts as part of their humanitarian cooperation to welcome the month of Ramadan.
BAZNAS, a government agency responsible for zakat and other Islamic social funds in Indonesia, is in its third year partnering with KSrelief to support Indonesians in need with food aid.
The two organizations began distributing 7,695 Ramadan food packages on Tuesday, with the program scheduled to wrap up on March 24.
“Together with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through KSrelief, we are united in our care to reach those who need our support,” BAZNAS chairman Noor Achmad said during the launch ceremony in Jakarta.
“By distributing these packages to 7,965 families, we are not only giving them food or essential goods, but also hope, love and warmth in each of the packages.”
The packages will be distributed across 36 Indonesian cities and districts in the provinces of Banten, DKI Jakarta, West Java and Central Java.
They comprise staple food items, including rice, flour, cooking oil and sugar, to help the recipients prepare for fasting during Ramadan.
“We hope that this aid can lessen the recipients’ burden and can be used to fulfill their staple needs during Ramadan,” Achmad said.
Nearly 10 percent of the Indonesian population, or about 26 million people, live below the national poverty line.
One of the first batches of aid was delivered on Tuesday to poor families in Pemulung Village in East Jakarta, where the majority of residents work with second-hand items and as small traders.
“Praise be to God that we are receiving this aid from BAZNAS and KSrelief,” said Sriami, an elderly resident in the village.
“We will use it for our daily meals and later during the fasting month. May everything go well and smoothly and under the protection of Allah.”