Kerala blasters E player Zakeer Mundampara is an inspiration for the people to be part of the initiatives to help the health workers and other people affected by Covid-19.
Zakeer Mundampara with his wife and daughter Mariyom. (File Photo)
Malappuram :
Kerala Blasters E player Zakeer Mundampara is an inspiration for the people to be part of the initiatives to help the health workers and other people affected by COVID-19.
The young footballer has offered his two-storey residence at Areekode for COVID-19 care and leads an initiative to distribute food kits to the families affected by the infection.
“I’m going to stay with my seven-months pregnant wife at our house in Edavannappara. We will not be using the house at Areekode for at least next couple of months. So, my wife and I have decided to provide the vacant house for COVID-19 quarantine purposes or to accommodate the medical workers in the area. The house has three bedrooms and three bathrooms. Anyone who wants to use these facilities can contact me,” the India Super League (ISL) player said.
Mundampara announced his willingness to lend the house for COVID-19 care for free through his Facebook page recently. The former Santosh Trophy player is also active in helping the people hit by the pandemic.
“Our club, Areekode Chakkamthodu FC, in association with Al Sabah FC Dubai and FC Trikkaripur, has so far distributed 133 food kits to the families affected by the pandemic in the area. We will continue with such efforts to help the people affected by COVID-19 till this crisis ends,” he adds.
Though he will be active with his volunteering activities, Mundampara has decided to spend more time at his house at Edavannappara with wife Fasila and five-year-old daughter Mariyom. “I’m going to spend most of this lockdown time with my family. I will also be finding some time for football practices and small exercises at home. Other than that, not thinking of any busy football practice schedule during this lockdown,” he says.
The 28-year-old had played for Chennaiyin FC and Mumbai City FC in the ISL before becoming a part of Kerala Blasters. Mundampara had also played for Chirag United Club Kerala, Churchill Brothers and Mohun Bagan.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Good News / by Vishnu Prasad K P / Express News Service / April 08th, 2020
A mosquito net-maker and an auto driver have been using their savings to feed the homeless and beggars every night.
Hyderabad :
A day after Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao announced the state-wide lockdown and curfew from 7 pm to 6 am, the streets were uncharacteristically empty post nightfall.
While most of the residents stayed at home figuring out ways to procure essentials to sustain till the lockdown period, a group of youngsters from Sanath Nagar went around the city, braving the curfew and the police, to distribute food to the homeless and labourers at night.
Mohammed Qadeer, a mosquito net-maker, and his friend Mohammed Ghazi, an auto-rickshaw driver, have been using their savings from the day of lockdown to feed around 100-150 homeless and beggars every day at night. What they’re doing is of significance: though there are many people distributing food during the day, there is hardly anyone doing it at night due to the curfew.
The Express chanced upon the youngsters a few days ago at around 9 pm and accompanied them while they distributed food packets to the needy. While Qadeer rode a motorcycle alone, two others were on another bike holding a large crate filled with food packets – comprising dal and rice.
They moved slowly looking out for homeless or beggars sleeping on the pavements. When they approached one such person who was sleeping in front of a restaurant at Somajiguda, there was a look of disbelief on his face when he realised that he was being given food.
They were stopped by a bike-borne traffic police, who enquired what they were doing out at night. After Qadeer and others explained to the police of their service, they were let go. “This has happened every day till now. We are always stopped by the police, but they let us go when we tell them why we are out,” he said on Wednesday.
They have now started distributing food in different areas like Lakdi ka Pul. “We are not affiliated to any NGO and we do not have any external funding,” Qadeer told Express. The Sanath Nagar resident makes food at his house, with his family helping him in the cooking process.
“We take utmost care when it comes to hygiene and ensure cleanliness while cooking food,” he said. However, as of on Wednesday, Qadeer said they have been facing financial issues and that they may not be able to distribute food for two days.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Good News / by Ahik Sur / Express News Service / April 02nd, 2020
Mohammed Shujatullah, a student of Pharm D from Sultan Ul Uloom College of Pharmacy, Hyderabad began serving free breakfast to the needy three years ago and is continuing to do so till date without a break of a single day.
Every morning he goes to three Government hospitals in Hyderabad – Nilofer Hospital, Government Maternity Hospital, Koti and Nizam Institute of medical sciences (NIMS) with hot Upma cooked in pure ghee and chutney to serve breakfast to the patients and their attendants. He finishes serving breakfast by 9.15-9.30 am in all the three hospitals feeding nearly a 1000 people.
How it began
Shujat spoke to TwoCircles.net about how his philanthropic journey that started in 2014 by serving food packets to just 10 people and by 2016 went on to reach 1000, “ When I was in my final year of bachelor’s degree I had failed in one subject. And as I was awaiting my results I sent up a prayer that I will feed 10 hungry people if my backlog is cleared. It was the day the results were to be declared.”
And luckily he passed. And so the same night, he went to the street with 10 packets of food. He woke up an old man to give the food, but the man declined by saying he had his fill and told Shujat to give the food packet to someone else.
Shujat did not expect this from a homeless poor person. He says, “ the old man could have taken the food and kept it for the morning. But he was so honest. And that touched a chord in me”.
People waiting in queue for the breakfast
The 10 packets were not enough as there more people who wanted food. Shujat came the next night again with more food packets and this time again the old man who had fallen asleep huddled in a corner due to the chilly winter said the same thing. Shujat asked the man to keep the food for the morning. And the man said, ‘God will feed me in the morning. For now, you give my share to someone else’. Shujat was impressed not just with the honesty of the old man but his belief in Providence.
Shujat says, he got to thinking, ‘here is a homeless beggar, who does not even know if he will get the next meal, yet he has such a firm belief in the Almighty who is the provider of one and all.’ And after this, he began serving food packets on a daily basis to the persons on the streets.
Serving breakfast at Niloufer Hospital
One day he had a chance to go to a Government Hospital where he saw people from different districts and villages come to Hyderabad for treatment and they lived in the hospital for days together with their attendants. They find it difficult to buy food due to monetary problems. So the idea of serving breakfast struck him. Mid-day Meals are available at the Telangana food centre at Rs.5/- which they could afford.
Mobilising funds
Fortunately for Shujat, his father has 12 siblings and all of them with their children are in a good position. He capitalised on this and made quick calls to all of them and asked them all to donate their one day’s salary to him. He explained to them what he would do with the funds. And soon he had enough money to enable him to serve breakfast twice a week in one Government Hospital. And soon friends and other extended family started donating. “As they say, little drops make a mighty ocean, funds started to come steadily and soon I was able to serve breakfast on a daily basis,” he told TwoCircles.net.
The daily expense for Upma for approximately 1000 persons with 25 kilos of semolina comes to Rs. 5000/- including the auto charges and the cost of disposable cutlery. On why he chose Upma, Shujat says, “ Upma is easy to make and if I attempt any other item there will be a difference in the planned budget.”
And when his service came to light through media, more people began to donate. And Shujat who was getting immense satisfaction from feeding the poor, decided to start a foundation for charity and service. So in 2016, he registered ‘Humanity First Foundation’.
Humanity First Foundation
Through the foundation, Shujat reached out to potential donors through friends, social media platforms and also crowdfunding via the internet. His activities also expanded gradually and he now distributes blankets to people on the streets; free supper in the nights to beggars, donates books and other things in orphanages, helps very poor families with their monthly ration.
Once the foundation was registered his contacts also grew. Other like-minded NGOs contacted him to work in collaboration. So now Shujat has extended his services to an old age home on the suburbs of Hyderabad where he supplies medicines, adult diapers and groceries, supports a livelihood program for women by running a tailoring centre in a neighbouring town and providing them sewing machines and conducting free medical camps. He even identifies homeless old people who have no one to take care of them and admits them in old age homes.
Sehri in Ramzan
This year for the month of Ramzan Shujat has gone one step ahead and made arrangements to provide saheri/ suhur (pre-dawn meal) for those attendants who want to observe Roza. Till now he has provided saheri meals to around 8000 -10,000 people. He has put up a board with his contact number so whoever wants to fast have to just call him up and the saheri will be provided to them between 2 and 3 am. For Ramazan, he has 15 volunteers who distribute the food. On other days his volunteers turn up for 2 days a week for the morning routine.
DIstributing sehri
What the future holds for him and the Foundation
Shujatullah shared with TwoCircles.net, that he is able to do all this not just because of the good values instilled by his parents but also because of the support his friends, family and donors have been rendering.
And he is one busy person juggling his internship at Aster prime Hospital after serving breakfast in the hospitals which he finishes by 9.15. After coming home from the hospital, after a quick bite, he goes to overlook the functioning of the small Urdu medium school started by his grandfather.
His father is a retired government employee and mother a homemaker. Shujat has no intention of going abroad or even out of Hyderabad even though he got several offers. For him, his foundation comes first.
“ I hope my life partner will have the same passion as me so I can continue my work with the same zeal”, he says laughingly when asked about the future. “ I am going to continue to serve the poor as long as I can” he added. He finishes his Pharma D (Doctor of Pharmacy) in about 2 months after which he intends to find work in Hyderabad itself.
Shujat and his team
Shujat has very few friends and does not indulge in any of the activities the youth of his age like watching movies, idle hanging out with friends and so on, which is why he has lots of time to follow his passion.
To know more about Shujat and his work and to help him, check out his website or mail him at humanityfirstfoundation2016@gmail.com call him at 9676054142
source: http://www.twocircles.net / TwoCircles.net / Home> Indian Muslim> Lead Story > TCN Positive / by Nikhat Fatima, TwoCircles.net / June 11th, 2019
Everyone in Mahoba knows Haji P Mohammad alias Haji Muttan and can guide a visitor to his home.
After all, he is the man who had opened the first Roti Bank, a unique initiative to ensure that no one stays hungry in the town. It has been a huge success story and similar Roti Banks were late opened in different parts of the country & even outside India.
But it was not an easy journey when Haji Muttan started the Roti Bank. The beginning was in the year 2014. It was decided that rotis would be collected–volunteers would go from house to house and collect them, in order to provide food–rotis and sabzi for the needy, so that no one went to bed with an empty stomach in the town.
In the backward and impoverished Bundelkhand, which often suffers from drought, lack of employment opportunities and extreme poverty, everyone was aware that there was a need for a public participatory movement to tackle the level of hunger and malnutrition.
However, he managed to form a team of such people–like Jaspal Singh and Pankaj Anuragi, who were ready to dedicate themselves for the cause. ‘Many households were eager to provide at least two rotis and sabzi. The request was just to ensure the food was fresh”.
There were so many needy people who had no one to look after them, some had to be provided food at their home. But people realised that it was a cause that was worth an effort. Youngsters came and joined him. “I always wanted to do some social service, something for the sake of humanity”, says Haji Muttan.
Over the years, the Roti Bank became a symbol of pride for the town. After all, hundreds were getting benefited everyday. Later, others got inspired and more Roti Banks were opened in the region and in other cities of Uttar Pradesh from Varanasi to Rampur and Gorakhpur, and then across India.
Om Narayan, who has been associated with the work from the beginning, says that the aim was service. “People from all religious communities came together, joined the movement”, he says. “After Roti Bank’s success, similar projects started in Banda, Chhatarpur and other cities in Bundelkhand”, he added.
“Apart from Haji sahab, Jagannath Prajapati and Father L Masih are also part of the team. There are many volunteers who do it with dedication”, he further said. After Tsunami, when Indonesia witnessed destruction, and there were large number of destitutes and orphans, Roti Banks was started at different places there also.
Haji Muttan also visited Indonesia. A non-governmental initiative that is being run with public support by dedicated inviduals, it has set an example how to fight hunger, especially, when a huge population still suffers from extreme poverty and the country needs to wage a war against hunger and malnutrition.
source: http://www.newsbits.in / NewsBits.in / Home> India / by Shams Ur Rehman Alavi
Professor Dr Syed Jahangir of the English and Foreign Language University teaches languages, social and political science to the poor children.
Professor Dr Syed Jahangir, Head of the Department Arab Studies, EFL (English and Foreign Language) University (Photo| ANI)
Hyderabad :
To help less fortunate children, Professor Dr Syed Jahangir, Head of the Department Arab Studies, EFL (English and Foreign Language) University. provides them free education, three meals a day and accommodation at his small education institution.
Professor Jahangir teaches languages, social and political science to the poor children. “I believe that weaker sections have a greater need for quality education. If we want our children to get the best education possible then they should get the best teacher rather than a great school. Here, I have started an English Model Islamic University where children can learn multiple languages like English, Sanskrit, Arabic, Urdu, and Parsi. They are taught in modern style here.”
“I spend the morning teaching foreign students at EFL University and the rest of the day I spend with children belonging to the backward class. I provide them free food, free education and also free accommodation. Children from different parts of the country come to us to get a quality education. Several of our former students are currently working in multinational companies as language translators,” he added.
Some former and current students shared their experiences. “I am from Bihar. I have been studying here for the last three years. Whatever we need is provided by Sir. I am happy to be studying here,” said Mohammed Sadiq, a student.
Abdul Aleem said: “I studied here eight years ago and I am here now as a science teacher. Today the cost of education is so high that many young people give up their dream of being educated, while many others graduate with debts. But here, we provide quality education and create a passion for learning amongst the students.”
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Good News / by ANI / October 31st, 2019
Cooking demo videos galore, but Khaja Moinuddin’s popular no-frills videos serve to fill hungry orphans as well
If you are able to look away from Khaja Moinuddin’s ear-to-ear grin, you will notice a 40 kilogram-capacity degcha or a handi that is either resting over a bed of embers or bubbling with food in the heat of a wood fire. His kitchen is always outdoors; Moinuddin is either cooking in the open under the sky or, during the summer months, under the shade of a tree. His smile remains intact, no matter where.
Moinuddin’s cooking is on a big scale, similar to his boundless smile. And if you are one of those who gets sucked into the web of cooking demo video feeds, then you are sure to have come across his.
If Moinuddin’s name doesn’t strike a bell, the YouTube channel Nawab’s Kitchen sure will. Popular as one of the viral content creators from Hyderabad, the chef is almost always cooking to be able to feed 40 people. The cooked food is distributed in orphanages and their staff, as well as among people who stop by and wait patiently to watch him cook.
“I always cook extra and never come back with leftovers. Once we are done cooking, everyone in and around the area where we cook is free to join us to eat. Initially we would pack the cooked food in boxes and distribute it, then we thought we would feel even better if we are able to serve the people directly,” says Moinuddin.
And who is the ‘we’ he is referring to? Moinuddin clarifies he might be the face of Nawab’s Kitchen, but there are two others who work equally hard to put every video on YouTube. “My colleagues-turned-friends Srinath Reddy and Bhagat Reddy are with me in this. We conceptualised Nawab’s Kitchen (NK) together,” smiles Moinuddin.
Moinuddin has over 10 years of working experience in regional TV channels as a producer. His friends and partners Srinath and Bhagat who prefer to work behind the scenes are experienced at working in the video editing department. Having known each other for a good number of years, the three decided to quit their jobs and start a YouTube channel that will engage, educate and be on a neutral topic like food. “There are very few people who don’t pause while scrolling, to watch a video on how a certain dish is being cooked. Especially if it is an dish Indian, and been shot to show the richness of rustic regional cuisine,” adds Moinuddin.
NK’s no-frill videos and a relaxed explanation of the ingredients and cooking process, wins him fans on his YouTube channel. His recipes are easy and simple to follow. “However, we choose a venue to cook that is close to some orphanage so that we can share the food with them. When we set out to put together NK we wanted to do social service through what we were gaining,” adds Moinuddin.
None of the three friends are trained chefs, they function with the knowledge and experience that comes with observing their families cook. Moinuddin adds, “My nani was an excellent cook, when I was in Tenali with her while doing my graduation, I learnt her style of cooking.”
For dishes like pizza and cakes, Moinuddin equips himself by learning online. “When we reach the gates of the orphanages, the smile and love with which the children greets us, banishes the day’s stress. The love and appreciation they show towards us makes us wonder where the children get their wisdom from,” says Moinuddin. NK regularly visits about 15 orphanages to share their food.
What is Nawab Kitchen’s signature dish? “My mutton biryani has a lot of fans,” he laughs.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Life & Style>Food / by Prabalika M. Borah / August 20th, 2019
Syed Gulab, an automobile spray painter by profession, is a saviour for many who live on the pavement outside NIMHANS and nearby hospitals.
He has been serving free lunches to over 300 people for the last two years.
People come from across the country to admit their family members at these hospitals.
But with very little savings they tend to skip meals for days to afford the treatment at the hospital. The hospitals only provide food for the patients and not their family. Unable to afford accommodation the relatives also sleep on the pavements or sheds outside the hospital. Pained by this scene while visiting a relative at a hospital in 2015, Gulab started serving the meals.
“The sight would pain me and I wanted to do something about it,” said Gulab who has set up the Roti Charity Trust for carrying out the initiative.
Gulab started it with the support of some of his friends. “We started by serving lunch on Sundays as the nearby hotels would remain closed at noon. I was inspired by Azhar Maqsusi from Hyderabad who has been feeding destitute people every afternoon for the last six years in the Old City,” he added.
When Maqsusi met Gulab on his visit to Bengaluru he was impressed by the initiative and said he will also support Gulab. He then started sending 30 bags of rice weighing 25 kg each to Gulab every month.
“It was due to his encouragement and support that we were able to make it a daily service,” Gulab added.
Gulab has now rented a small house near Jayanagar to store his materials. The lunch is cooked by 1 pm and a van takes the food to the hospital to be served by 2 pm.
They started serving breakfast — idli and chutney — a few months ago.
Gulab said they have never sought for donations but many people have come forward with donations.
Sharath Kumar from Kolkata has admitted his child at the Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health for a kidney disease for the last two months. “Gulab is a blessing in disguise. It is because of him that people like me are able to get our meals,” Kumar said.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> City / by Aparna Karthik, DH News Service, Bengaluru / October 20th, 2018
News Editor of Siasat Urdu Daily, Mr. Amer Ali Khan applauded the efforts of EFA Foundation Raichur in fields of Medical and Education. He announced to donate Re. 1 lakh to the foundation.
Addressing the decennial celebrations of EFA Foundation at Raichur, he told that in order to break the concentration of Muslims, former Hyderabad State was divided into three parts. He told that by managing the Zakat amount, the Muslims can come out of the fear and inferiority complex.
On the occasion of decennial celebration of the foundation, he was presenting his key note address at Rangamandir Auditorium, Station Road, Raichur. Mr. Mohammed Shabbir, Chairman of the Foundation presided over the meeting.
Continuing his address, Mr. Amer Ali Khan told that the merger of former Hyderabad State in Indian Union was a painful incident. Under an organized conspiracy, Muslim concentration areas were trifurcated into three States. Muslims took 60 years to come out of this situation. they had 40% representation in government service before independence which has now been reduced to 1%.
Muslims were appeased by glorified statements. Right from Kashmir to Kanya Kumari and Gujarat to Assam, Muslims are downtrodden. For the educational and economic backwardness of the Muslims, community itself is responsible along with the rulers. Various committees have declared that Muslims are backward than the other communities. There is a need to organize the Muslims through careful planning which will certainly yield fruitful results.
Citing the success of EFA foundation, Mr. Amer Ali Khan told that the plant which was planted 10 years back has now grown into a strong tree. Now the time has come for the Muslims to come forward for the development of the community. He pointed out that every major work has a small beginning.
He applauded the yeomen service of EFA foundation in feeding the patients in hospitals. He advised the Muslims of India to follow the example of EFA foundation. He told them to devise a formula for pooling up Zakat amounts and its proper distribution which would be helpful in eradicating poverty.
He lamented on the huge rates of dropouts of Muslim students. He advised the students to select appropriate professional courses and prove their talents.
Referring to the Muslim population in Raichur, he said that if every Muslim contributes Re. 1 per day, a huge amount could be collected in the area which has 40% Muslim concentration.
Citing the budget allocation of TS Govt., he pointed out that for 55 lakh SCs, Govt. allocated Rs. 15000 crore whereas for 50 lakh Muslims only Rs. 2000 crore has been allotted.
He predicted that the General Elections of 2019 will play a major role in the politics of this country. He advised the Muslims not to cast their votes in favour of communal parties. We hope that ‘good days’ are ahead for us.
At the beginning of the function, Mr. Haris Siddiqui introduced Mr. Amer Ali Khan to the audience and said that he has inherited journalistic talents. In the young age, he is shouldering important responsibilities of the largest Urdu Daily of the country.
Mr. Syed Minhaj-ul-Hasan highlighted the welfare activities of the foundation. He said that for the past 900 days, poor and orphan people are being fed. 300 poor Muslims were helped for surgical operations. Orphans are being adopted by the foundation. Ramadan kits are distributed to the poor persons.
Mr. Aslam Pasha told that he joined the foundation impressed by its welfare activities. Mr. Tajamul Husain appealed to the people to extend their cooperation. Mr. Mazhar Husain and others addressed the gathering.
Mr. Azhar Makhsoosi who feeds poor persons in Hyderabad was felicitated in the function. Mr. Ashraf Ali, Asian Power Lifting Champion. Mr. Mohammed Kaif Mullah, SSLC State Topper of Karnataka, Mr. Rafat Taskeen, 7 year old multi vehicle rider, Mohammed Abdul Wasif, founder of Fatima Old Age Home, Hyderabad were felicitated in the function.
–Siasat News
source: http://www.siasat.com / The Siasat Daily / Home> Hyderabad / by Siasat News / July 16th, 2018
