In our latest Qommunity Voices feature, the ILoveQatar.net (ILQ) team dives into the heartwarming story behind Feed a Friend (FAF), a grassroots initiative born out of a desire to make a meaningful impact during Ramadan. We had the privilege of speaking with Alliyah Choudary, one of the founders and a dedicated member of Feed a Friend, who shared insights into the organization's mission and impact.
From humble beginnings, Feed a Friend has evolved into a beacon of hope, providing a consistent monthly supply of staple food to those in need throughout the year. Inspired by the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), the project embodies the spirit of compassion and community solidarity, seeking to address the root causes of food insecurity in Qatar.
Through collaborative efforts with local organizations and businesses, Feed a Friend continues to make strides in building a more resilient and compassionate society.
Feed a Friend: Upon my arrival in Qatar in 2014, I yearned for an opportunity to engage in meaningful outreach during Ramadan. A family friend, Ruhul, dedicated himself to providing hot meals to those in need every Friday throughout the Holy Month. This continued yearly until the onset of Covid-19.
Witnessing the unfortunate scaling back and withdrawal of numerous community initiatives aimed at feeding the less fortunate, simultaneously with the temporary closures of businesses, left many without employment, intensifying the need for assistance. Unable to passively observe the situation during Ramadan, I felt compelled to act. Within safety measures, my husband and I initiated localized hot meal distributions, aiming to bring comfort to those facing unprecedented hardships.
As Ramadan concluded, a lingering question echoed within me: Does hunger truly end with the arrival of Eid al Fitr? Is the act of feeding people a seasonal act of charity?
Then Feed a Friend came to fruition. It is a model designed to provide people in need with a month's supply of groceries every month, offering sustained support beyond the confines of a specific season.
It embodies an unwavering commitment to our neighbors throughout the year, inspired by the Hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH):
“He is not a believer whose stomach is filled while his neighbor goes hungry.”
Our vision is food security for all people residing in Qatar. This occurs when everyone in the country can access food, and no one goes hungry. Our mission is to provide a consistent monthly supply of staple food throughout the year to those in need.
The outcomes we hope for are:
People in need are nourished and hopeful of a better future.
Feed a Friend: We are truly blessed to have citizens and residents in our country who are always ready to assist those in need. In a matter of minutes, we can rally the FAF community to offer emergency relief to individuals facing extreme adversity. We have never been short of food, Alhumdulilah. This remarkable spirit of unity and generosity defines the essence of Qatar and its people, making it a quality that is not easily replicated elsewhere.
Feed a Friend: The FAF motto is by the community, for the community - so the community is at the heart of what we do. We rely on dedicated volunteers who serve various roles, including social media administrators, WhatsApp group administrators, bilingual case handlers, pledgers (those who provide food), distributors, loaders (those who load up the cars), photographers, packers, and many more. It's a vast movement driven by our committed volunteers, without whom we wouldn't be able to make a difference.
Feed a Friend: This project is a pilot initiative in which we aim to provide 30 hot meals for 30 days to individuals in need, irrespective of their religion. However, the demand from the FAF community surpassed our initial target; they expressed a desire to extend the provision to 60 meals! Thanks to the support of our partners and the remarkable team at Al Siddiqui Hospitality, we have been able to deliver hot meals directly to the doors of our friends across a wide area from Al Shahaniya to Al Khor, ensuring accessibility for those requiring assistance.
Feed a Friend: While our patrollers and distributors deliver food to our friends, meeting them in person is a rare occurrence for me. Nevertheless, one particularly memorable event was the Eid celebration we organized for families in need. Witnessing the community unite for this meaningful cause, contributing gifts, food, and services to make their Eid extraordinary was incredible. On that day, our friends were the honored special guests and VIPs, and the community and our dedicated volunteers played a crucial role in ensuring their day was truly special.
Feed a Friend: We have changed models a few times to adapt to local and personal circumstances. Due to the absence of storage space, our latest model involves a Patroller (the person who provides food) purchasing items from our food pack list and delivering the food to our friends in need. Other challenges in the past have been around food storage and sourcing a regular venue for packing and distribution.
Feed a Friend: I strongly advocate for partnerships and firmly believe in their transformative power—the power of unity. Throughout my professional journey, my role has been to facilitate collaboration among organizations for the greater good. Now, I feel fortunate to extend this endeavor to my own cause. Partnerships with entities such as Liverpool Supports Club in Qatar, Agrico Qatari, and Hilton Doha The Pearl have been incredibly supportive and generous in providing food.
Additionally, there are organizations that contribute in-kind goods and services. Hemel Movers, for instance, have been indispensable in providing transportation and boxes for us. Our recent collaboration with QAWS ensures that our friends in need, along with their pets, are looked after and fed.
When it comes to businesses, my focus lies in fostering meaningful corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. How can we engage your staff in empowering our friends? Whether through skills training, CV workshops, IT training, or any other form of support, we welcome all contributions. We are always open to collaborating with anyone who can assist us in achieving our mission and vision of food security.
Feed a Friend: I would love to see the Feed a Friend spirit embedded in everyone in society, where we are giving food, perhaps unwanted food, to those less fortunate on a regular basis. This initiative could help position Qatar at the forefront of achieving its UN Sustainability Goals, aiming for zero waste and an end to hunger.
Feed a Friend: We extend a warm welcome to everyone interested in getting involved. We have a WhatsApp community with various dedicated volunteer groups, such as distributing or contributing food. There's a place for everyone. Visit www.feedafriend.org to explore the different ways you can contribute and make a positive impact.
Feed a Friend: If you need to get in touch with us, you can contact us through the following channels:
Did you find their journey inspiring? Would you like to volunteer for a similar selfless cause? Let us know in the comments, and share this article - It keeps us going!
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