COTABATO CITY (April 26, 2022) - Carrying the banner “certainly the believers are

brothers”, various humanitarian foundations from Turkey send food packs for thousands of families in Bangsamoro this holy month of Ramadhan 2022. Turkiye Diyanet Vakfi (TDV) who sent representatives, distributed food packages to 1, 500 needy families in Cotabato City and in the municipalities of Sultan Kudarat, Datu Blah Sinsuat, and Parang all in Maguindanao province.

500 Moro orphans smiled upon receiving Ramadhan/ Eid Gifts from TDV that contained prayer dress/ clothes (with hijab/ veil for girls).

Sadaqatasi, whose sponsors led the distribution of food packages, benefited 400 families outside BARMM, a group of women and widows in Maguindanao and boat operators in Cotabato City.

Weltweiter Einsatz für Arme (WEFA), distributed 100 food packs this blessed month. The organization is also sponsoring free meals for iftar (breaking of fast) to selected orphanage centers in Cotabato City. WEFA also sponsored gifts for the orphans that made their Ramadhan more meaningful.

Representatives from Insani Yardim Vakfi (IHH) also joined during the delivery of 1,400 numbers of food packages to needy families in Maguindanao. IHH also sponsored free iftar to selected orphanages in Bangsamoro.

In a short message, Turkish brothers said “let us all pray that there will be more ridzki (blessing), so that we can help more families in need”.

Beneficiaries’ stories.

Each year, in the implementation of Ramadhan Program, we see and hear stories of our beneficiaries who are all grateful for the blessing they received this holy month.

Saadia Alipolo, 64 a senior citizen in Brgy. Matuber, Datu Blah Sinsuat, Maguindanao received 16 kilos of rice along with other food items this Ramadhan. Living with her family of four, with grandchildren. Saadia said that the items will be good enough for the family’s meal for at least seven days.

Bong Ansa, a farmer and fisherman has four kids and is happy to receive food packs this Ramadhan. Like him, Nasir Bunter, an operator of a pump-boat, with five children, did not mind the heavy rain just to get the relief goods for his family this holy month. They are from Brgy. Katidtuan, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao.

A mother beneficiary in Kabuntalan, Maguindanao was speechless when she was receiving the food pack. She could not even utter his name, because of overflowing

emotion. She said “shukran (thank you), we will have food for suhoor”. She does laundry and dishwashing, while her husband does fishing and sometimes construction works, to sustain the family.

Since 2014, the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA Inc.), has been facilitating the implementation of Ramadhan Program within and outside the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). 

Through the program, BDA Inc. helps in sending the message of Ramadhan, which is about giving, sharing, and sacrifice. It helps send the message of love, hope and peace in the region, whose people are still recovering from armed conflict in the past, living with the current COVID-19 pandemic and by the recent natural calamity this month. Data from the Ministry of Social Services and Development (MSSD) states that more or less 70, 000 families in BARMM were displaced due to flood caused by Typhoon Agaton that hit the Philippines April 2022.