Shimona (pictured) is homeless and lives on the streets of Bangladesh. She begs during the day and sleeps at the side of the road by night, making her vulnerable to many kinds of exploitation and abuse. Sometimes, she only manages to eat once a day.
“My dream is to work as a seamstress,” Shimona told us, yet she doesn’t realise that she is actually referring to working in garment factories where the dangerous working conditions claim the lives of thousands of children every year. With no real alternatives, street children like Shimona can find themselves in the most difficult of situations and sometimes even have to sell themselves just to survive.
Sadly, Shimona is just one of countless children who have an impoverished existence on the streets of Bangladesh, and in many other countries across the world. Trapped in a cycle of poverty, the fight for survival is a daily battle. Only the strongest children make it through to adulthood.
No child should ever have to live like this, not knowing where their next meal is going to come from and what they might have to do to get it. Shimona should be at school dreaming of a future filled with hope, playing with her friends and enjoying her childhood. This Ramadan you can help make this a reality for the street children of Bangladesh by giving your Zakat and Sadaqah donations to Islamic Relief.
Our teams on the ground will help to take children off the streets by providing free schooling, uniforms, books and meals so that for the first time in their lives, they can actively work towards a better future, insha’Allah.
Gather the rewards of Ramadan by helping those less fortunate than us. There is a hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him) that says: “Whoever helps his brother in his time of need, Allah will be there in his time of need.” (Muslim)
*price quoted reflects the cost of emergency food aid
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