Besmir Yvejsi, Secretary Ishaat, Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Kosovo
Every religion in the world has its holidays, while in Islam, we have two major holidays: Eid-ul-Fitr, which comes after the end of Ramadan, and Eid-ul-Adha, which comes after the pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca. This holiday was celebrated all over the world, including Kosovo on 31 July 2020.
Humanity First and Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Kosovo, as in the previous Eid holidays, this year distributed meat products to families in need in several cities of Kosovo. Initially, the meat was distributed in the municipality of Podujeva, and then continued in Prizren, Peja, Istog and Prishtina.
In the municipality of Podujeva, the meat was distributed to families who are living in difficult conditions. Public Communication Officer of the municipality of Podujeva, Mr Bujar Gimolli was present after the distribution of meat packages. He said:
“We as a municipality thank the organisation Humanity First for the continuous cooperation, especially for today’s activity, because this activity at this time has double value because it is in a time of a pandemic, when the resources of the municipality are small, because a lot of budget is divided into fighting the pandemic, so we encourage this organisation and other organisations that such aid should be distributed among as many needy families as possible, which should consist of basic things like these that are being distributed today … It is worth to be noted that some of the meat packages have gone to the families of isolated persons because members of their families have tested positive with Covid-19”.
Afterwards, meat packages were distributed in the municipality of Prizren, which is the second largest city in Kosovo, for the Roma Community. This layer of society is a minority and many of them live in very difficult conditions.
A personality from this community, Mr Albert Kinolli, who is also a member of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo, was also engaged in the distribution of meat packages. He said:
“Allow me on my own behalf as President of the United Roma Party of Kosovo and on behalf of the Roma Community to thank our brothers from the organisation Humanity First for this donation which they distributed today in the Terzimahalla neighbourhood in Prizren for the Roma Community … I once again sincerely want to thank our brothers for understanding and at the same time for cooperation because today 57 families have been supplied with meat, salamis, kebabs and burgers, respectively with meat products, where we hope that our fruitful cooperation which is always in the best interest of the community, will continue in the future”.
Afterwards, the caravan of distributing meat packages continued in two cities, Peja and Istog for the war veterans of the Kosovo Liberation Army who, during 1998/99, had fought against the Serbian army, which had occupied Kosovo. Some of these veterans were also wounded.
Mr Lulëzim Blaka, who is the Secretary of War Veterans of Kosovo Liberation Army – branch of Peja, and Mr Ardian Ukaj, who is the Vice President of the Organisation of War Veterans of Kosovo Liberation Army – branch of Istog, thanked us for the donation of meat packages.
The distribution of meat packages had continued for the members of the Municipal Association of the Blind in the municipality of Istog. On behalf of this association, a few words of thanks were also said by its director, Mr Esat Shabani:
“I thank the organisation Humanity First for the Eid-ul-Adha holiday that has brought these aids and I personally thank you for taking the effort to bring these blind members here to rejoice a little because some of them are in extreme poverty … Thank you Humanity First!”
Finally, the meat was distributed in the Central Kitchen of Prishtina. On behalf of the Municipality of Prishtina, Mr. Premtim Fazliu who is Project Coordinator in the Directorate of Social Welfare, said:
“On the occasion of Eid-ul-Adha in cooperation with Humanity First we made an order for 200 kilograms of meat which is funded by Humanity First. This was so that we could add it as an ingredient in the dishes that we prepare in the Foodbank. It is worth noting the two food banks serve about 500 families, which means there is an extraordinary influx of families in need who are to be served with hot meals daily. Therefore, on behalf of the municipality of Prishtina, I thank Humanity First; although this is not our first cooperation, I wish it not to be the last. I wish and hope for further cooperation, I also take this opportunity to wish all Muslim believers the feast of Eid-ul-Adha. Thank you!”
By the grace of Allah the Almighty, everything went well, and Humanity First together with Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Kosovo has distributed 1,111 kilograms of meat in five major cities of Kosovo and the beneficiaries have been about 8,000 people.
