THE OFFICIAL LAUNCH `RAMADHAN’S FEED THE FASTING 2008`

Palm Garden Resort, Putrajaya, 05 August 2008 – Y.B Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri, Deputy Foreign Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia today officiated ‘Islamic Relief Malaysia’s Ramadhan Feed The Fasting Programme 2008’.

Also present at the launching ceremony were Mr Heshmat Khalifa, Fundraising Director of Islamic Relief Worldwide, and YBhg. Encik Zawahir Abdullah, Country Manager of Islamic Relief Malaysia,

`Ramadhan’s Feed The Fasting 2008` is a seasonal program by Islamic Relief Worldwide aims at distributing food packages to the needy around the world.  Each pack is intended for an average family of five people and it contains some basic food such as rice, flour, sugar, oil, salt, sardines, condense milk, dates and etc with some variants according to the regions and cultures.  The cost for each pack for Malaysia distribution is RM50.  The food pack helps to ease their burden for at least two to three weeks during the holy month of Ramadhan.

In 2007, more than 5,000 families from Johor, Perak, Selangor and Pahang benefited from this program.  For this year, Islamic Relief Malaysia is looking at 10,000 beneficiaries all over Malaysia particularly the poor, single mothers, orphans and those included in the state welfare department’s listing.

This seasonal program is also being carried out by Islamic Relief in 25 countries where Islamic Relief (IR) works.  An estimated of more than 180,000 food packages distributed to more than 900,000 beneficiaries last year alone.  The international distribution aims at countries facing food insecurity either because of poverty, natural disaster or conflict.

This campaign starts today and will continue for the whole month of Ramadhan 2008.  For further information on how to donate and take part, kindly visit our website at www.irm.org.my or call Islamic Relief Malaysia office at 03-89486334.