Spread smiles
Help us provide qurbani meat and new clothes for children to celebrate Eid Al-Adha
The joy of Eid: a plea from the heart
In the grip of poverty, in the chaotic sprawl of one of Mogadishu’s most overcrowded camps, a hungry mother named Batuulo makes a heartfelt plea to support our 2025 Qurbani Appeal.
“We are people who cannot afford to eat meat,” she says. “We are used to eating plain rice without anything to go with it. As the blessed days of Eid Al-Adha approach, we kindly ask for your support. We hope to receive Qurbani meat, so our families can feel the joy of Eid”.
With 1.7 children acutely malnourished and 10 million Somalis living in poverty, meat is a luxury many can only dream of. Will you support our Qurbani Appeal to put smiles on the faces of some of Somalia’s poorest children?
A donation of £50 enables us to provide 3-4 kilos of beef for a family to celebrate Eid together. That’s one-seventh of the meat from one cow – each cow provides seven qurbanis.
A donation of £70 enables us to provide 3-4 kilos of mutton for a family to celebrate Eid. That’s all the meat from one sheep.
Or why not donate £20 to provide new clothes for a child whose family cannot afford them? It’s a great way to put a smile on the face of a child at Eid. Zamzam will be providing Eid gifts and cash assistance during Dhul Hijjah, the month of pilgrimage, as well as qurbani meat.
“The most important thing for us is to spread happiness at Eid,” says Numan Sharif, Zamzam’s Head of Social Care. “People are so happy when they get their qurbani meat. When they are happy, we are happy too.”
Zamzam works with five suppliers across the country who procure the animals from farmers – mainly cattle and sheep but also goats and camels. The suppliers take care of slaughtering in compliance with Islamic rules and guidance, and then prepare and package the meat. Zamzam staff distribute the meat to families they have carefully identified as needing it most.
“Most of the people we are targeting live in displacement camps,” Numan explains. “Many are suffering from malnutrition, particularly young children. It’s nice to be able to give people a nutritional boost, and the Qurbani season also provides a welcome boost to the livelihoods of farmers with livestock.”
The positive difference you can make
The tradition of distributing sacrificial qurbani meat at Eid Al-Adha is an act of remembrance for the devotion of the Prophet Ibrahim (AS), who was prepared to sacrifice his only son Ismail to show his commitment to God.
It is also an act of celebration – we celebrate that Allah (SWT) responded to the prophet’s faithfulness by showing mercy, sparing Ibrahim, and sending a ram to be sacrificed in his place.
Your donation to Zamzam UK enables us to channel support to Somalia’s biggest charity, the Zamzam Foundation – an organisation that has been implementing its qurbani programme for over three decades. Last year Zamzam Foundation’s hard-working teams on the ground provided qurbani meat to over a million people. This year we need your support to reach and support as many families as possible.
Zamzam is distributing qurbani meat this year in Banadir (Mogadishu), Bay (Baidoa), Galgaduud (Dusmareb), Hiran (Beledweyne), Lower Juba (Kismayo), and Somaliland (Hargeisa and Burao).
The Zamzam team make sure they comply with Islamic requirements, which cover not only the process of slaughter and sacrifice but also the condition of the animals (they must be healthy and free from defects) and minimum age requirements (one year for sheep and goats, two years for cows, five for camels). We ensure that slaughter is carried out and the meat distributed between the Eid prayer and dusk on the 13th day of Dhul Hijjah – the fourth day of the Eid holiday.
“This is a big project, so all our staff get involved and lots of volunteers too,” says Numan Sharif. “Time is short, so we all help each other. Some organisations have partnered with Zamzam to deliver qurbani meat for over 30 years, which shows they are happy with the job we are doing.”
Ten good reasons to support Zamzam UK this Dhul Hijjah
- We empower UK donors to support Zamzam Foundation – Somalia’s leading aid and development charity
- We support over 2.2 million Somalis every year
- Together we are building a brighter future for all Somalis through schools, livelihood grants and peacebuilding projects
- Non-political, not clan-aligned, non-partisan – people in need are the people who count
- Offices and projects in all regions - from Somaliland and Puntland in the north to Lower Juba in the south and all areas in between
- Providing vital emergency aid and practical support to help people lift themselves out of poverty
- We have a track record of delivering aid in hard-to-reach areas
- Zamzam Foundation is trusted by local communities to work alongside them
- Zamzam Foundation was established in 1992 and is run by Somalis for Somalis
- Our extensive Ramadan and qurbani programmes reach a million people every year.