Muslim Charity’s main ethos is that every child should be able to enjoy being a child. That’s something I knew I wanted to be a part of. To raise money for Muslim Charity and the work that they do, I signed up to run a half marathon, asking friends, family and colleagues to sponsor me. There were 70 participants in my group, and between us we raised £81k for Muslim Charity.
I chose to run the Palestine Half Marathon, which is held annually in Bethlehem. I opted to do the Half Marathon as I am not a runner, I had never run anything like this distance before and I wanted to set myself a challenge. Muslim Charity took a group of 70 to this event, all of whom were sponsored to run, with the aim of raising money to equip a school with better learning opportunities for 385 children. Funds raised will be used to enhance the educational environment for the students by upgrading a computer lab through the provision of 30 computers, an interactive projector and other related equipment and accessories. Furthermore, some of the students in further need will be receiving winter clothing and sports suits. We were privileged enough to visit one of the schools and had the honour of opening one of the computer labs. We spent time at the schooling talking to students and teachers.
The £81,000 that has been raised and will be used for the school and other children of the world projects.
Children of the World
Illiteracy amongst adults around the world is shockingly high. Estimates suggest there are around 750 million adults unable to read or write, and two thirds of these are women. Currently, it is also estimated that 17 million children lack the minimum standard proficiency in reading and mathematics, and one in five between the ages of six and seventeen are not attending school.
This problem is particularly rife in Central Asia and sub-Saharan Africa where lack of schools and teachers, alongside violence and poverty, is forcing children to grow up far too quickly.
Education not only helps provide stability to the child’s life but gives them the tools to better their future.
For many children around the world, a loving family home and good education remain nothing but a dream and they are forced to work long hours to fund their family. For millions of children, they do not even have a home and are forced to live on the street.
Muslim Charity Intervention
The main reason I chose Muslim Charity was because their main ethos is wanting every child to enjoy being a child. They aim to protect the vulnerable and give them a chance to thrive in a safe environment, and that’s something I wanted to be a part of. By providing shelter, education and a loving home, they hope to equip them with the skills and knowledge to better their lives and their local communities.
Working in some of the harshest environments anyone can imagine, they have been able to rescue thousands of children from the street where abuse and exploitation was all they have known. They also understand that every country and community is different and each project has been designed to synchronise with the society norms, culture and government policies.