Naveed Aman Khan
FOUNDED in Nottingham, United Kingdom in 1993 by the dynamic and visionary Syed Lakht e Hassnain, ‘Muslim Hands’ is an international non-governmental organization working in over fifty countries world wide to help those affected by natural disasters, conflicts and poverty. It motivates the entire world to become active part of it and get united for the needy. It focuses hunger, livelihood, education, health, orphans, child welfare, water sanitation and hygiene. It serves worldwide. ‘Muslim Hands’ was launched in response to the Bosnian crisis. The charity began to serve by sending aid to those in need in the region. Humanity is its focussed slogan. ‘Muslim Hands’ has three main points of focus: development work, which tries to lift communities out of poverty with long-term sustainable solutions based on their needs; humanitarian work, assisting those immediately affected by conflict and natural disaster, and more; community welfare and development facilitating and developing local community-based projects in the UK.
It regularly works on behalf of other UK based organizations also to deliver aid supplies by volunteers. ‘Muslim hands’ has been serving in disasters like Asian tsunami of 2004, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, food crisis in Africa and COVID-19 pandemic hit entire world. ‘Muslim Hands’ has also been present for such crises that have never attracted media attention such as the sub-zero winters in Kashmir, cholera outbreaks in Guinea Bissau and acute droughts in Somalia, Mali and Niger. It’s way of working in emergency situations is to help provide immediate relief, early recovery and long-term rehabilitation work. ‘Muslim Hands’ works in fifty of the poorest countries with offices in London and Nottingham in the UK. It has global headquarters in France, Canada and South Africa as well. Ground-level aid is provided by staff and offices in regions including Malawi, Niger, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Palestine, China and South East Asia. In January 2013, ‘Muslim Hands’ was nominated for the ‘Charity of the Year Award’ at the British Muslim Awards while in 2019, ‘Muslim Hands’ was bestowed with the Queen’s Award for voluntary service.
Food poverty within the UK is a growing problem with one in five people struggling to put food on. Despite London being one of the richest cities in the world, thousands experience food poverty on a daily basis, ranging from homeless to low-income families. Due to the severity of this issue, ‘Muslim Hands’ has established community kitchen for the homeless, low-income families and needy children in Hounslow, London. The kitchen is free and open to all, serving hot, nutritious meals twice a day, seven days a week. As temperatures drop and the frosts set in, vulnerable people can enjoy good food in a warm, safe and friendly environment this winter. Most importantly, ‘The Open Kitchen’ provides those experiencing food poverty with a community-centred space, where they are treated with respect and dignity. Due to the Coronavirus crisis, ‘The Open Kitchen’ now is delivering struggling families their food rather than serving it in a public kitchen. ‘Muslim Hands’ is also aiming to increase the number of vulnerable people reaching with this essential service. ‘The Open Kitchen’ is just one of the ways it continues supporting during this pandemic. Ehsan Shahid Choudhry initiated ‘The Open Kitchen’ under ‘Muslim Hands’ on December 8, 2018 where in one year 31,688 meals were served. ‘The Open Kitchen’ is opened regularly every day without any break or holiday. It is also opened especially on Christmas, Easter, Eid, Dewali and on all other public holidays. Every day people walk in ‘The Open Kitchen’ for lunch and dinner, pick up plate and take fresh and hot food from four dishes buffet as much as they want. Poet and writer Ehsan Shahid Choudhary works as volunteer and leads the project. It was dream of Syed Lakht e Hussnain ‘Muslim Hand’s ‘The Open Kitchen’ to serve the food to needy in every city of UK. Initially, started ‘The Open Kitchen’ in four cities of UK during the month of Ramadan. Soon permanent Open Kitchens will provide fresh hot food in four cities. ‘The Open Kitchen’ serves food at lunch and dinner in Stoke-on-Trent, Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham and London simultaneously.
Up to four million adults and children are at risk of facing hungry within London. Homelessness is affecting around three hundred thousand people in the UK. More or less ten percent of the children in the UK are living in households affected by severe food insecurity. Out of thousands, a needy told that ‘all he had before was his children, wife, car and few pounds in the pocket. He needed help and ‘The Open Kitchen’ gave him help that he needed with welcoming gestures. When he lost his job and home all within a few weeks, he desperately needed help to feed his family. After discovering ‘The Open Kitchen’ ensured his family that they wouldn’t go hungry during this difficult time. He has been coming to ‘The Open Kitchen’ for over a month. He usually used to come once a day with his wife and two-year-old son, taking away some food for the other kids. ‘The Open Kitchen’ Keeps the legacy alive with open heart to the community. It provides place to the people to expel their hunger in a safe, warm respectable environment. ‘The Open Kitchen’ motivates people to come forward and donate to keep the kitchen open for the needy. These contributions provide the foundation on which this community project will be built on. Excessive funds if any go for expanding the reach and feeding more needy in the UK. Especially the Muslims need to help feed the hungry and homeless. Muslims all over the world need to take care of the needs of the human beings irrespective of culture, creed and colour. It will portray positive impact of the Muslims as a whole.
—The writer is book ambassador, columnist, political analyst and author of several books based in United Kingdom.
