HHRD Fundraiser for Building Syrian Refugee Container Homes by Farooq Chandiwala

Helping Hands for Relief and Development (HHRD) organized a fundraiser in Birmingham at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Hoover on Saturday, Dec. 9, 2018. The videos were well done to inform the audience of the condition in which these hapless refugees live, this time in Lebanon. Br. Mirza Krndic of Helping Hands, who has come before to our community, had large posters set up in the room, which not only highlighted plight of the Syrian refugees but also other HHRD projects in different parts of the world. What was sad to hear is that these poor refugees had to fend off scorpions, snakes and other such wild creatures where they live. That touched my heart and I was very much grieved, along with the others in the audience.

What grieved me equally was the very small crowd. The room had a capacity of around 150 people, but only 25 people attended. Br. Monzer Talib was the fundraiser and he did a good job in motivating those attending to donate. Some people called in their donation, and I believe a total of around $40,000 was raised, not bad for such a small crowd. Though HHRD had placed posters and BIS had made appropriate announcements, our Muslim brothers need to increase their attendance. The attendance in last year’s event and other events held by other charities have been good, so we all need to step up to the plate and help out in future events. We spend an enormous sums of money in our personal events, such as weddings, get togethers, etc., which is okay, but we should increase our efforts to help our fellow Muslims who are in severe distress world wide. Our place in Aakhirah should be our concern also. So I request the Birmingham Muslim community to help out by attending future such events, and help by donating to these noble causes.