Loss, debt, winter and isolation: how Zakat helped Khadija* and her children.
Refugees from Syria, Khadija and her family arrived Switzerland hoping to start a new life. One year after arriving, Khadija lost her husband after he fell seriously ill and was left to take care of her 3 young sons.
The Covid-19 crisis, and being in lockdown did not improve Khadija’s situation, and neither she nor her children could speak the new language fluently. After the death of her husband, Khadija and her children found themselves completely submerged by the funeral costs and moving costs and they accumulated debts and unpaid bills. Forced to stay at home during lockdown and knowing very few people in the community, the situation became very difficult for Khadija and her children. In the end, Khadija’s financial problems became so bad that she wasn’t able to provide for her children or to buy them winter clothes.
A few weeks later, someone told her about the Swiss Zakat Foundation (SZF). Khadija sent them a message straight away. Combining different skills from the social services team (social, psychological and legal), the SZF was able to offer Khadija support. The SZF’s method takes all aspects of life into consideration so the foundation was able to support Khadija which allowed her to provide for her family’s necessities.
With their help, Khadija was able to survive the long winter months and her children did not have to worry about; when the next meal would come, possible legal action or unpaid bills. At the same time, our social services continue to offer long-term support to help Khadija manage her budget so her financial situation becomes stable, calm and debt free, also avoiding prosecution. Here in Switzerland, your Zakat makes a difference.
Editorial team SZF
*Khadija is a fictitious name
This is a true story