Ramadan is a month all about giving: Giving up food, drink, and ego; giving in to God, and giving back to society. It is also a month where we strive to be in constant remembrance of God, and of those in need. But in the same way that it is not enough to merely be aware of God, it is also not enough to merely be aware that of the millions of people lacking the most basic necessities that we often take for granted. We must engage in active remembrance. We pray, read Quran, fast, all in remembrance of the Almighty. And we give, both our time and money, in remembrance of the poor.
In the spirit of giving and remembrance, we’d like to shine the spotlight on an organization actively working towards improving the lives of children in the Middle East through medical care. The Palestine Children’s Relief Fund is a registered non-profit, non-political organization that provides much needed relief from suffering to children all over the region.
Founded in 1991 with the weighty hope of alleviating some of the medical and occupation induced hardships of Palestinian youth, PCRF has since expanded to include children from all over the region, including Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon. A lack of infrastructure, supplies, and professionals in many of the aforementioned countries means that many sick and injured children cannot receive the treatments they need to survive. This is where PCRF swoops in with its host of dedicated volunteers to fill the gap.
PCRF has chapters all over the US and internationally. The chapters are a vital organ of the organization, raising the necessary funds for the medical missions, hosting the children in the respective cities where they receiving medical treatments, and promoting PCRF, among a long list of other important tasks.
One of PCRF’s current projects is the 2016 Ramadan Campaign: Relief for Syrian Refugees. The campaign, part of the Syrian Children’s Relief Project, is attempting to raise an ambitious $100,000 during the month of Ramadan to provide medical and humanitarian relief to Syrian refugees in Lebanon, Jordan, and Gaza. The campaign will provide much needed medical equipment and treatments to refugees living in dire situations of poverty. The funds will also go towards family sponsorships to Syrian refugees living in Gaza, providing them with basic necessities such as food and clothing, as well as medical relief. To find out more about the campaign, and to donate, visit the PCRF website.
Muslim Girl spoke with three women from chapters across the US about their experiences working within the organization. The women– Ghada, Nour, and Heeba– are dedicated board members, passionate about healing and improving the lives of the children they help. Here’s what they have to say.
