Islamic Centre for Education and Research donates to orphans

The Islamic Centre for Education and Research (ICFER) on Tuesday donated an assortment of items to orphans during the World Orphans Day 2019; which ran under the theme: “Happiness and Fun”.

The event took place at Buziga Theological Islamic Institute, in Kampala.

According to organisers of the event, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (IOC) designated every 15th day of Ramadan as the World Orphans Day, which over the years has been celebrated in OIC registered Muslim countries world over.

“In Uganda, the Islamic Centre for Education and Research (ICFER) has been celebrating this day since 2015”, said ICFER Chief Executive Officer, Hajji Yusuf Idris Jjemba.

He said this year’s event was aimed at providing as many fun activities for the orphans as possible which included; dart games, art and painting competitions, bouncing castles, toy rides, camel rides, face painting, and clowns to entertain the children.

"The event was also graced with a lot of gifting and prizing in the children’s games and competition, distribution of new clothes to be worn by the children on Eid and a feast," he added.

Hajji Yusuf Idris Jjemba, said that ICFER has continuously donated items like clothes, shoes, scholastic materials, health care services, among others to more than 2000 orphans from different parts of the country not only during sad moments but also during times of celebration.

“There is a tendency among government agencies and NGOs to give assistance to vulnerable people only during times of sorrow. However, it is also proper to support such people during happy moments. I call upon government to also consider extending its support to vulnerable people during happy moments like Eid days,” he pointed out.

The chief guest, Butanda Shaffiq, who represented the minister of gender, labour and social development, Hajat Janat Mukwaya commended the work done by ICFER in uplifting the lives of vulnerable children especially orphans through education.

He also noted that there are very few registered Muslim organisations in Uganda, which puts those in existence at risk of closure, once discovered. He called upon all Muslims to hurriedly legalise the existence of their entities by following the procedures stipulated by the government of Uganda.

Member of Parliament for Bugiri municipality, Asuman Basalirwa said that Ugandans should desist from waiting for foreign aid to help them solve their problems because such aid can never be enough for all vulnerable people.