Members of the Barbados Muslim Association presented 15 hampers to the Justices of the Peace Association (JPA) and the Barbados Vagrants and Homeless Society (BVHS) yesterday.
“Most of our members are traditional salesmen in the countryside and they have been reporting back to us of the dire economic situation and the circumstances of people in the country,” said president Dr Abdul Mohamed, who made the presentations at the Masjid Mosque in Sobers Lane, Bridgetown.
“The salesmen have been reporting difficulties with regard to the traditional customers who were able and loyal but are now having difficulties meeting their commitments.”
Therefore, he added, one of their members suggested that they periodically collect funds to assist an organisation that could adequately identify and help the most needy in society.
JPA president Demora Kirton said the association was set up to provide training for JPs but over time had introduced a community outreach programme.
“We discovered there were lots of people out there, many who were unable to articulate their own issues like calling Government agencies and getting help for themselves. So we do that,” she said.
She added there continued to be a great demand for the services, and though they anticipated the aged coming for assistance, the group now saw a lot of young women and men.
Meanwhile, chairman of the BVHS Kemar Saffrey said their services, especially the food bank, were always in heavy demand. Therefore, donations were critical.
Saffrey said even individuals who were not homeless had been coming to the society, and they tried to assist.
Yesterday’s effort was the second phase of the community outreach of the Muslim Association which was started in April.
