Zulfika is a mother in Sri Lanka and is the mother of three children: two girls and a boy, and she and her children reside in Pipili town in Sri Lanka. When her husband was alive they owned a small shop in their retail home, but after her husband suffered a sudden heart attack and passed away in 2006, everything in their lifestyle changed drastically.
Regarding this, Zolfika did not find anything but looking for a job that she and her family could feed from and manage her life, so she resorted to knocking on the doors to search for housework or to ask for material assistance, but unfortunately she did not receive much help from relatives, local NGOs, or the government . The family's financial conditions forced their children to drop out of school because they could not afford education or buy appropriate clothes. They reached the point that there was only enough food to eat one meal a day. Zulfika stated that she wanted nothing but good food and education for her children.
The Zulfika family remained in this state of suffering in living for a period of three years, and relief came to them when a representative of the American Zakat Foundation noticed their poor living conditions and then conducted an interview for them to study their condition and after the interview process, the family was accepted into the Zakat Foundation Program for Orphan Care (OSP) Since 2009, the family began receiving support, helping the children to continue their education. In addition to enjoying the benefits of the orphan care program, they now receive food and gifts during the holidays, and a monthly stipend that enables them to provide for their other needs, such as medicines.
The Zakat Foundation's program of caring for orphans began in 2001, the same year that Zakat was established as an organization. The program is currently working on caring for orphans all over the world from Ghana to Turkey. This program is designed to meet the basic needs of children with an emphasis on education, food security, and healthcare.
Zulfika's daughter, Miskeen Bawa Fatima Najia, aged sixteen, expressed her happiness, saying, "I am happy to continue my education and I am confident that I will get good grades in the exams, God willing." Currently, Miskeen and her younger sister, Nahla, are continuing their studies without worrying or thinking about how to get the tuition fees, while their older brother receives Islamic studies at the local school. All these conditions made this family feel comfortable and safe, things that they had been missing for many years.
Zulfika expressed her gratitude for what the Zakat Foundation was doing to help them, saying, “Because of the aid we receive from the Zakat Foundation, I am now satisfied and do not reach out for help with money from anyone, and I do not have any financial debts and I feel as if my husband is still managing our affairs, Also, I will never forget the financial aid provided by the Zakat Foundation. ”