Islamic organisations in Malawi have been urged to focus on initiating programs that will help the Muslim community to eradicate poverty.
Projects officer for Zam Zam Foundation Ajiru Richard Kalitendere made the call during a visit to Malundani Irrigation Scheme in Machinga.
The scheme is one of the projects the foundation is implementing as one way of assisting people to fight poverty.
He appreciated the role Islamic organisations are playing in uplifting the religion of Islam in the southern African nation.
However, he said time has come for these organisations to turn on issues of economy empowerment which are crucial in every society.
“We have been concentrating on building mosques and Islamic learning centres, but I strongly feel if we change our focus to something new, that will be great because you can notice that the country is facing a lot if challenges,” said Kalitendere.
Recently, there have been reports from remote areas such as Mulanje indicating that some Muslims are engaging in rearing pigs which is forbidden in Islam.
Some non Islamic organisations are formulating farmers clubs in rural areas in which farmers are imparted knowledge and given animals such as pigs.
Muslim farmers claim they indulge themselves in this act ‘due to poverty’ since there is no Islamic organisations that offer such initiative aimed empowering them economically.
Zam Zam Foundation is currently assisting Muslims in irrigation farming in districts such as Machinga and Zomba.
