By Our Reporter
With a few days left to end the holy month of Ramadan, MTN Uganda and Salam Foundation have carried on with delivering support towards the groups of Muslim communities that have been at the forefront of fighting Covid-19. This is their way of thanking them for their tremendous efforts and to offer them some relief as they observe their month-long fasting period.
This week saw the MTN and Salaam Foundation team reaching out to the Muslim communities in Masaka and Ntungamo districts with food alms comprising of Rice, Wheat flour, Maize flour, sugar, beans a nd cooking oil among others.
The Iftar food items were delivered to the Masaka Regional Referral Hospital and Itojo Hospital in Ntungamo to support the Health workers who have been at the frontline of offering services to the community during the Covid-19 Pandemic.
In Ntugamo still, the MTN and Salaam team met with the 81 Imams in the district to whom Iftar alms were also given as a way of supporting them through the fasting period.
The Ntungamo hospital handover was presided over by the Ntungamo Woman MP elect, Hon. Baata Kamateneti who thanked MTN and Salaam Foundation for the spirit of sharing during this holy month.
“We thank MTN and their partners from Salaam Foundation for taking their time and resources to reach out to the essential workers in our health facility as well as our district Imams during this Ramadan period. We pray that God continues to bless them for their kindness,” Kamateneti said.
While receiving the alms on behalf of Masaka Regional Referral Hospital, Dr. Nathan Onyachi, the Hospital Director lauded MTN for reaching out to the health workers who tirelessly worked to keep the communities safe during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic in the country.
Earlier this week, MTN handed over Iftar food items to the police officers in Wakiso as a way of recognizing and honoring their efforts during the Covid-19 pandemic. Polly Namaye, the Deputy spokesperson of the Uganda Police Force received the alms on behalf of the Wakiso police officers.
While handing over the food items MTN’s Aggrey Byaruhanga, said that the support rendered by MTN through Salam Foundation was the telecom’s expression of gratitude for the long-standing relationship between MTN and the Muslim community.
“This is our way of recognizing and honoring the great work that our essential workers are doing to keep all of us safe in these unprecedented time,” Byaruhanga said.
Ian Mugambe, the Ramadan with MTN project Manager said that: “As MTN we are happy to be able to give support to our essential workers, especially the muslims as they observe the holy month of fasting. We pray that Allah grants all their prayers.”
Since the beginning of Ramadan, MTN and Salam Foundation have so far delivered assorted Ramadan items to various Frontline workers in the Muslim communities to support them during Ramadan. The first beneficiaries were The Muslim Leadership of Kibuli and Old Kampala Mosques, The Teachers at Kisaasi College, The Naguru Remand Home, Luzira Prisons Services and the Luzira Training School, The Kampala Imams Forum as well as the Frontline Health workers at Mulago Kawempe Hospital.
The Imams in Bweyogerere and the inmates at Kampiringisa National rehabilitation Center as well as teachers and Health workers in Iganga, Bugiri and Mbale districts have also been reached under this project.
The Ramadan project that is a partnership between MTN Uganda and Salam Foundation has been running since 2017 and just as has been the norm, MTN through Salam Foundation reaches out to Muslim communities across the country to offer them relief, support and encouragement as they fulfil one of the five pillars of Islam through fasting for 30 days. MTN and Salam Foundation will deliver these items to Muslim communities across the country throughout Ramadan.