A group of young Laois Muslims raised €528 for orphans and needy children around the world.
Members from the Al Rahman Youth Group Girls from the Portlaoise Mosque took part in their first ever fundraising Charity Week which was held from October 25 to 31.
The group then held an online charity fundraising quiz through Zoom on November 4.
Prizes from the quiz included a named-calligraphy canvas and a handmade crochet keychain.
All donations received by the group will be used to fund aid projects by Islamic Relief for orphans and needy children around the world.
These include, but are not limited to, funding heart surgeries for children in Gaza, providing education to street children in Pakistan and providing humanitarian aid in Yemen.
The youth group’s finance officer Asma Zulfiqar said: “Orphans and vulnerable children are like seeds in a dry desert.
“Without the clouds – their parents or resources – they can’t grow and flourish. As people with a sufficient amount of water it is our moral duty to spare a drop or two (euro) for them.
“These individual drops will come together to make it rain in the desert. This will not only be lifesaving for the children but also allow them to achieve their full potential.
“Every year Charity Week brings together the Muslim communities around the globe in order to help those less fortunate than us.
“The aim of charity week is to look beyond once-off aid but to establish sustainable projects that can only be achieved through collective efforts.
“Unifying different communities, big or small, is like bringing together single droplets to create nourishing rain that will not only sustain one seed, one child, but many altogether.
“All donations will be used to fund aid projects by Islamic Relief for orphans and needy children around the world.”
Ms Zulfiqar said that last year almost €1,600,000 was raised globally that went towards funding heart surgeries for children in Syria, providing education to street children in Pakistan and, providing humanitarian aid in Yemen and Bosnia.
SEE ALSO – In Pictures: All smiles and plenty of noise as St Patrick’s BNS fly the flag for Portarlington
