Ramadan Kareem: Tripoli, "Mother of The Poor."

Ramadan Kareem: Tripoli, "Mother of The Poor."


5/30/2017 | Medad Alkhair


 

By: Judy Al Asmar

The "second capital" of Lebanon, some call it "Tripoli of the East,” as distinct from the Libyan capital. Some consider it "Tripoli of the Sham," but those who are most familiar with it call it "Al Fayhaa"; the place full of the fragrance of lemon blossoms and fresh air, which spread throughout Tripoli every spring.

But it is also Tripoli, "Mother of The Poor" where one can enjoy the best of what the city offers, especially in food and clothing, for a small price. Unfortunately, nowadays, it is "the Mother of Poverty " after recent studies revealed it to be the poorest city on the Mediterranean.

In this city, where 60% of the population live below the poverty line, the dominant Islamic identity shines in its most definite form during the holy month of Ramadan, when the benevolent hands gather for initiatives to feed the underprivileged.

Tripoli has well-established charity organizations that double their food aid in Ramadan. Thus, this city is witnessing the emergence of initiatives by the youth to provide food through purely voluntary efforts and individual donations.

To name but a few, the “Ambassadors of Good” initiative has, for eight years, been targeting orphans and disadvantaged people throughout the month by delivering hot and delicious food to their homes on a daily basis. This group of young men and women from various Lebanese regions is active in Tripoli and northern Lebanon. Their efforts are coordinated by Professor Nada Hamdash: "Our primary objective is not to make those whom we help feel embarrassed or humiliated, but to treat them as we would like to be treated. We are also concerned with doing an excellent job and providing quality food. " The activities of this group are diversified and include different age groups. Hence the "Iftar Ramadan" project has witnessed a significant development. In the first year, Iftar meals were distributed to 300 people. In the second year, there were 2000 beneficiaries. In the eighth year, this number reached 28,000 beneficiaries throughout Lebanon (Beirut, Tripoli, the north, Sidon and Wadi Al-Zayneh). Donations are usually raised through an annual charity Iftar, zakat funds, and individual contributions mostly collected from people of the middle class. The non-working university youth form the core of “Ambassadors of Good.”

The "We Love Tripoli" youth association is another example. This group, for the past 7 years, have been organizing Iftar meals for orphans in the most deprived areas. They began with one Iftar for orphans in the year, until it was able, during the last three years, to manage and organize three Iftars for orphaned children each year. The founder of "We Love Tripoli” Taha Naji's explains the concept of their work: “We take a group of orphan children to a restaurant, and every young volunteer is responsible for one child during Iftar. The activity concludes with leisure facilitated by the group". Through the association's relations with other credible local organizations and beneficiaries in the areas of Tebbaneh, Jabal Mohsen, Al-Tanak district in the port and others, children are referred to "We Love Tripoli" to participate in Iftar. As operators are aware that volunteering does not necessarily mean that a volunteer must donate for Iftar, the option to raise donations from outside the association is open for all.  

Social solidarity in Ramadan takes an integrated approach in the works of “Basma and Yasma” youth initiative. This initiative was launched by the efforts of two young men and a woman from the most marginalized areas of Jabal Mohsen and Bab El Tebbana in Tripoli, an area known for its sectarian rivalries. The group met a year ago to provide food supplies collected from small shops in the two regions as means to the revival of the local economy and sell to individuals and institutions that want to provide food support for families, especially during the month of Ramadan. Ms. Marwa Baker, a participant in the initiative, explained: “We have integrated unemployed youth and school dropouts into this effort to contribute to the preparation and transfer of supplies to needy families, and to take advantage of the financial benefits we derive from “Basma and Yasmeh” at competitive prices.” One of the founders of the initiative, Mr. Hassan Saleh, points out that their food contributions are provided to five local and international associations

The Tripoli historian, Professor Omar Tadmari, affirms that this social fabric in the Holy Month has not come as a result of a recent phenomenon. He claims that it is based on similar experiences that took place in the second half of the twentieth century, as in the school of Qadiriyah in the copper market before it became a mosque. This area, for 30 years, was occupied by a free restaurant based on contributions of the middle-class people who used to buy raw materials, prepare food, and deliver it to the deprived during Ramadan and throughout the year.

 

Note: The article expresses the opinion of the author solely and does not necessarily reflect the viewpoint of Qatar Charity.

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