Donations to the Canadian Mosque in Winnipeg are collected by residents.
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID,WINNIPEG —Hundreds of people gathered at Mosque Supreme Islamic Association of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Canada late yesterday to share food and prayers and collect Don to support flood relief efforts in Pakistan. As known after the monsoon, floods hit Pakistan and affected 33 million people in this country. More than 1,000 died.
“There are still a lot of people who don’t understand the magnitude (of this flood),” volunteer Alina Mukhtar said, as reported by CNC New Monday (12/9/2022)
Mukhtar’s immediate family lives in Winnipeg with him, but his extended family is in Pakistan. He has been in contact with them as much as possible, even though some of his relatives, including his cousins and his grandmother, have fled and lost their homes.
Mukhtar volunteered at a fundraising event at the Islamic Association of Manitoba Grand Mosque in Winnipeg and served as a ticket manager. The show sold out its 300 follow-up tickets and 50 tickets were available at the door. Organizers hope the event will raise $100,000. Money raised from ticket sales and donations made at the event will be donated to Islamic Relief Canada, an international relief and development charity.
The sister of event organizer Hamza Khan is in Pakistan with Islamic Relief, providing emergency shelter, medical care, food and hygiene items.
“He has also personally managed a lot of funds, where he provides people with what they need like food, water, shelter, medicine. phone towers and the internet,” Hamza said.
Hamza said he hopes communities around the world can come together to help Pakistan not only in the short term, but also in the long term when it comes time to rebuild. Belle Meiklejohn came out to support the Pakistani community after hearing about the event on the news. He lived near the Assiniboine River during the 1997 floods in Manitoba and remembers nearly evacuating. But he said the devastation of 1997 had nothing to do with what Pakistan is experiencing today.
“Someone pointed out that (Pakistan’s) carbon footprint is small, but it is the country that is suffering the effects of climate change. The number of displaced people is only a few million of the population of Canada,” said he declared.
Mohammad Khan, one of the organizers of the event, said he was touched by the number of people in Winnipeg who showed their support. He heard from neighbors, community organizations and other religious groups.
“It goes beyond the color of your skin and the beliefs you have. Humanity comes first, no matter what,” Hamza said.
