Misbah Anmol Tariq, Jamaica Correspondent
On 3 July 2024, Jamaica was struck by a category 4 storm, Hurricane Beryl, with winds exceeding 200 km per hour and heavy rains causing waist-high flooding on the streets as well as people’s homes. Houses were destroyed, infrastructure was heavily impacted, and many families found themselves in dire need of assistance. The aftermath left a profound mark on the lives of those affected, highlighting the urgent need for relief and support.
On 12 July 2024, Humanity First and the Jamaat in Jamaica organised a significant relief effort, distributing over 300 food hampers, providing a week’s worth of essential food items, and offering much-needed relief to those struggling in the wake of the storm. The gathering of supplies and packing of these hampers took several days of effort. The volunteers worked tirelessly day and night to get them to the people in need as soon as possible.
Before the distribution, the Missionary-in-Charge and Amir Jamaat Jamaica, Tariq Azeem Sahib, delivered a small speech to uplift the spirits of the people. He emphasised trust in Allah in times of adversity in light of the Quranic teachings.
The recipients deeply appreciated the effort and prayed for the well-being of the donors and the volunteers. Andrew, one of the recipients of the hampers, said:
“We thought the worst part was over after the strong winds passed; we all had fallen asleep, when the water started seeping in at 3 am. The water was waist-high; we couldn’t pack up our furniture. We had no water or electricity for five days a week. We weren’t even able to clean up our houses. It is an uncertain time ahead of us. I really appreciate these packages from you. We really needed them. I’m looking forward to coming back to the mosque to learn more.”