THERE was infectious joy in Mumbwa yesterday following a donation of food hampers to flood victims.
With lobbying from Mumbwa member of parliament Credo Nanjuwa, the Muslim Social and Welfare Trust was moved to make a donation of 300 food hampers to Mumbwa Central Constituency alone.
The Trust has other food hampers (600) meant to be equally shared between Nangoma and Itezhi tezhi Constituencies.
The hampers contained mealie meal, cooking oil, rice, salt, sugar and soya pieces.
Receivers, with visible appetite, were seen smiling their way home to go and ‘kill’ a meal.
Recently, floods devastated Mumbwa families, with some losing home properties while others had their crops washed away.
The first donation was made at Shimbizhi Primary School in Shimbizhi ward, where the flood victims gathered.
Later, another donation was made in Nambala ward within Mumbwa Constituency.
“On behalf of all the Muslims of Zambia, we as Muslims are not living in isolation. We know what is prevailing in Zambia. We know which places are afflicted and affected by the floods,” Muslim Social and Welfare Trust deputy chairperson sheikh Haroon Zulu said.
“It is therefore key for us to mention that whenever there is a problem, we need to come in as Muslims to supplement the efforts of the government of the day. We are part of the community and it is in this regard that after we learnt that some areas of our country have been befallen with this calamity, we came with an initiative of donating food hampers to the affected areas.”
He added that a few days ago, the Trust made a similar donation to flood victims in Bweengwa area, Monze.
The 900 food hampers for Mumbwa, Nangoma and Itezhi Constituencies are equivalent to K300, 000.
“Our policy is to always work with the government of the day. We all children of Adam; our feelings are one and the same,” Zulu said.
“It is this that becomes a driving force that when one is suffering in one corner of the country, we also become uncomfortable.”
Zulu said Muslims always feel they should come in to help and partner with the government.
“We are humbled that you are there to accept our donation, because sometimes you can give a gift but sometimes someone can say ‘I don’t need it,’” said Zulu.
On his part, Nanjuwa, the Central Province minister said: “we are very grateful that you have come to our aid.”
“You have not just come to the aid of Mumbwa district but the whole of Central Province. We are still looking to other cooperating partners who can work with us in Central Province and in Mumbwa,” he said.
The minister indicated that there are still other districts in Central Province which have been affected by floods.
“There is Mumbwa, Shibuyunji, Chibombo, Luano, Chitambo and parts of Ngabwe. Government alone may not manage and that’s why we appreciate when partners like the Muslim community come on board to supplement the effort of government,” said Nanjuwa.
Kalemba February 12, 2023
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