All-Women Kitchen in Lebanon’s Sidon Prepares Iftar Meals for the Poor
(AWP) - Under the umbrella of the National Commission for Lebanese Women (NCLW), a group of Lebanese women have established a charity kitchen in the city of Sidon to prepare iftar (fast-breaking) meals for needy families during the holy month of Ramadan.
The kitchen, which depends on financial or food donations, opened on March 8, coinciding with International Women’s Day. It is aiming to increase the number of daily meals it provides in light of the crippling economic crisis in Lebanon and the continued displacement of southern Lebanon residents due to exchanged fire between Hezbollah and Israel.
Latifa al-Sayyad, a member of the NCLW and a volunteer in the all-women kitchen, described the organisation’s aim of providing daily iftar meals.
“We offer meals for needy families. Yesterday, we prepared 200 meals that were distributed, but today we are trying to reach a target of 300 meals. Our goal is to help the community, especially women, as much as possible. We plan to continue beyond Ramadan through activities and seminars, doing whatever we can to help and achieve our mission.”
Marwa Hafouda, a volunteer, said they begin working at 8 a.m., packing the meals at 2 p.m., ready for collection and distribution by other volunteers at 3 p.m.
Another volunteer, Hana Maatouq, described why she had chosen to volunteer with this initiative.
She said, “The least anyone can do in this blessed month is to do good to others and volunteer for reputable organisations that can help people, give honestly and make good food. Whoever volunteers must ensure the food made here is as good as what they cook at home. I felt comfortable with this group and that’s why I decided to volunteer.”