You may have not believed the story that we carried in this website about the plight of the Malawian Muslim students who are studying Sudan. Some thought the issues said here were exaggerated or were just mere attacks on IZF as a responsible organisation.
But Malawi Muslims Official Website has tried to get photos from well reliable sources which bear testimony that indeed your son, daughter or ward is sailing through untold miseries.
The pictures you saw above were taken yesterday around 8pm when the students were taking their supper. Parents, guardian, when you are taking your full breakfast you should know that your son, daughter or ward in Sudan is sipping a 200ml cup of tea with a small ban. When you take your yummy meals, the child you are happy is studying in Sudan is gulping down a mixture of sweet potatoes and pumpkins.
However, there could be some light at the end of the tunnel and a sigh of relief if what Muslim Association of Malawi (MAM) chairman Sheikh Idrissa Muhammad said is anything to go by.
Having learnt about this pathetic situation through this website, the MAM Chair expressed shock and sadness so much that he promised to do something to help the struggling students.
The Chairman said this in an interview with Malawi Muslims Official Website yesterday.
He said his organisation did not know anything about the issue until the website broke the story. He therefore promised to do anything possible to save the students from the bondage of the financial constraints they are going through.
“You mean they want to come back? What about their studies? No, that is pathetic indeed. Of course, MAM has no money but will try to get in touch with some donors whom I hope will be in a position to help urgently,” said the chairman.
Since last year, the students claim that they have been complaining to Islamic Zakaat Fund that it should increase their monthly upkeep allowances but the officials maintain their stand that they cannot anything which they cannot afford – apparently due to low collection of zakah, its main source of income.
Meanwhile, the Sudan students through their union have asked the organisation to send them air tickets so that they should get back home if IZF cannot afford to increase their allocations.
As of now, the students get 100 Sudanese pounds, equivalent to MK3, 000 the amount they say it is not enough as prices of the most commodities have skyrocketed.
“…the money is not fulfilling one quarter of our needs here. People before us were receiving a 50 Sudanese pounds and that time it was 1:1 with a dollar, it changed to 1:2, they were receiving 100 pounds, they didn’t increase the money, right now the pound is 5:5…we are still receiving the same hundred pound.
“Life now in Sudan to us Malawians is very hard indeed. We cry everyday but no one can hear… We have been crying for a long time [but] nothing seems to change. Wallah! we are crying louder and
louder. 100 pounds per month, bathing soap is at 10 pounds. How many bathing soap do we need per month?
“Sudan is a very heavy windy and dusty country. The temperature is always running to 57 60, we need to take a bath atleast every 2-3 hours. We are dying,” cried one of the students who sought condition of anonymity.
The MAM Chair has therefore called upon the students not to panic as his organisation will try to come in and hunt for the much needed financial support.
