The impact of Covid-19 will lead to a global recession that will potentially be the worst in history. According to many economists, the precarious economic situation in South Africa prior to the March 2020 lockdown will inevitably see the fallout from Covid-19 being far worse than in most other economies. To combat this, Muslim businessmen, professionals, donors, and other humanitarians in South Africa have come together to form Muslims For Humanity (MFH), an initiative that would support and assist NGOs to reach as many needy people as possible.
The MFH interim coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of Willowton Group (WG), Mahomed Zubeir Moosa, stated that MFH will not be just another NGO, but rather a donor-led association that will assist NGOs to work together to optimise their resources and become more effective and efficient in the wake of rising challenges sparked by the unfolding Covid-19 pandemic.
He noted, ‘The Covid-19 pandemic will have profound effects on humanity and, in this regard, the Islamic year of 1441 (the gregorian year of 2020) will forever be remembered as the most impactful year in each of our lives[,] ultimately leading to a new normal. However, we need to embrace the positives and this has given us the opportunity to not only restart our lives, lifestyles, and businesses but also to take cognisance of our surroundings’.
Moosa added, ‘Because of the financial challenges that lie ahead, the need for humanitarian aid in South Africa will dramatically increase whilst the availability of donor funding will simultaneously decrease. When businesses find themselves facing uncertain financial times, they look to re-engineer themselves in order to sustain themselves in the future. As we head into the turbulent times that lie ahead, there is, likewise, a need for various NGOs to possibly re-engineer themselves. [MFH] is an initiative that will allow for this. We believe that, by cooperating, we can create more synergies and be far more efficient in serving humanity’.
The Joint Interim Coordinator and COO of We Feed SA (WFSA) (formerly known as Feed the Poor), Zahid Fakey, remarked that during the seven weeks he spent in the social welfare space in the wake of the Covid-19 lockdown, he noticed a great deal of duplication as well as gaps in services to the needy. He said that MFH would be able to address this ‘age-old problem’ and would enable organisations who shared the same vision and goal to extend their reach through collaboration.
He added, ‘Through creating a donor-led initiative, we will not only be able to address donors’ concerns but also address areas where responses have, up until now, proved ineffective. That way, we can provide more meaningful solutions. Even though things are going to get much worse, I believe that this will be a winning formula’.
A number of NGOs and community organisations had already committed to participate in MFH, including Jamiatul Ulema KZN (JUK), Sunni Jamiatul Ulema (SJU), Al Imdaad Foundation (AIF), Sanzaf, Darul Ihsan (DI) and Muslim Relief Alliance PMB (MRAP), amongst others.
Source: Biz Community
Photo source: Chris Eason
