Troubled southeastern Asian region of Pattani is one of the regions covered by Ramadan aid projects launched by IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation with the slogan “Help Share the Abundance of Ramadan Globally!” Pattani, where five million Muslims struggle to survive under difficult conditions, has been under the Thai occupation since the Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909. Thai military has set up checkpoints every two kilometers in cities across Pattani, which is part of the Malay world in terms of language, religion, ethnicity and social life.
Ramadan aid activities of IHH, which has been implementing humanitarian aid projects in Pattani for over a decade, were welcomed by the Islamic Community of Pattani. Following talks with officials from the Islamic Council of Pattani and Center for the Union of Islamic Education, food packages were distributed, iftar dinner program was organized and visits were made.
The first place delivered Ramadan aid in Pattani, where IHH has three functioning orphanages and two more under construction, was orphanages. The orphan children staying at the orphanages prepared theatre plays, musical and sports performances to welcome aid workers. IHH teams gave out Ramadan Junior Packs to orphan children and Ramadan food packages to orphans’ families as well as to poor families. Together with distributions in Pattani, Narathiwat and Yala provinces, in total 610 families were delivered food packages.
Iftar dinner programs held at IHH’s Miyase Tanış, Konya Ayder and Şifa orphanages as well nearby madrasahs and mosques attracted 2,500 Pattani Muslims, particularly orphan children and their families. Additionally, 28 shares of nazhr and aqiqah animals were sacrificed and the meat was distributed to orphan children and their families.
The final phase of Ramadan activities in Pattani was visiting orphans in their homes. IHH teams went from door to door and delivered families of orphan children food packages as well as cash donations. The teams also visited Yaşar Zerdali and Furkan Kesik orphanages and İstanbul Boğaziçi School, which are under construction. IHH teams returned from the 10-day long Pattani trip with greetings and prayers of Pattani Muslims.
