Zakat Stories

05 Aug 2026

The hardest year of my life was when my husband was incarcerated. I was left alone with four children—the eldest was only in the sixth grade, and the youngest was a one-year-old infant. My husband’s family did their best to support us within their limited means, but there were times when three days would pass and we had nothing to eat except hard, dry bread soaked in water.

With these poignant words, Um Rashid describes her family’s plight before Tkiyet Um Ali intervened to secure their right to continuous food assistance.

Caught between paying rent, covering basic daily necessities, and meeting the needs of an infant and three school-aged children, the threat of child labor began to loom over her eldest son.

We were receiving a complementary support allowance of 150 JODs every three months from the Ministry of Social Development," Um Rashid recalls. "But with rent and mounting living expenses, it was barely enough. One day at the market, I saw people walking out of a charitable center carrying food parcels. That’s how I learned about Tkiyet Um Ali. I registered four years ago, and to this day, I receive a monthly food parcel. It has lifted an unbearable weight off our shoulders.

A smile touches Um Rashid’s face as she talks about the contents of the parcel. Her youngest son, now six years old, especially looks forward to the date bars produced by Dar Abu Abdullah—Tkiyet Um Ali’s sister organization focused on economic empowerment. He eagerly sneaks them from the box to pack as a nutritious school snack.

Together with canned food, hummus, and lunch meat, these date bars form a wholesome breakfast that energizes Um Rashid’s children for school, safeguarding their right to education and health.

My priority today is my children and their education," she says proudly. "My eldest son is now 17. He occasionally helps out at a local grocery shop, cleaning during weekends and summer breaks to earn a bit of income. If it weren't for Tkiyet Um Ali’s support, our burden would have been far heavier, and my children might have been forced to leave school.

Human Rights & Social Protection Context: Child labor remains one of the most critical negative coping strategies families are forced into during extreme economic hardship. Reports by the International Labour Organization (ILO) highlight a strong correlation between the absence of a primary breadwinner—whether due to death, illness, or imprisonment—and the rise of child labor.

In contrast, comprehensive social protection programs, such as Tkiyet Um Ali’s sustainable food assistance, serve as a vital safety net. Beyond addressing immediate food insecurity, they provide holistic protection that prevents school dropout, child labor, and early marriage, keeping children where they belong: in the classroom.

In addition to monthly food parcels containing 24 essential food items and fresh/frozen meat distributions, Tkiyet Um Ali equips children for academic success through its annual Back-to-School and Winter campaigns, providing school uniforms, backpacks, and warm coats.

Last year, we received winter jackets from Tkiyet Um Ali, and the children wore them to school every day," Um Rashid says with hope in her voice. "God willing, this year they will also receive their new school uniforms and bags.

The hardest year of my life was when my husband was incarcerated. I was left alone with four children—the eldest was only in the sixth grade, and the youngest was a one-year-old infant. My husband’s family did their best to support us within their limited means, but there were times when three days would pass and we had nothing to eat except hard, dry bread soaked in water.