In early November, Muslim Aid Australia (MAA), in association with partners Muslim Charitable Foundation (MCF) and with the assistance of 20 semi-trailers generously supplied by the Deen Family, successfully delivered over 200,000 litres of water and 130 tonnes of hay bales in Round 4 of Drought Relief operations in Stanthorpe, Queensland.
This was on the back of a similar operation by MAA in August in Stanthorpe, and continues from last year’s multiple rounds of relief work targeting Australian farmers which also involved distribution of over 130 tonnes of hay bales and hundreds of food hampers in Goondiwindi in the NSW-QLD border. The hay bales and water will provide some relief to farmers and will help their livestock get a decent feed and continue being a source of income to them.
President of the Granite Belt Drought Assist Group (GBDA), Glenda Riley, said that water usage in Stanthorpe has been restricted to 100 litres per person, per day and the situation is particularly hard for large families. “We’ve had stories of people washing their children with 600ml bottles of water, we’ve had people who have had to shoot their animals because they’ve got no feed”, said Barbara, another spokesperson of the GBDA group.
MAA’s CEO Hassan Elsetohy was in Stanthorpe during the latest round of distribution. “It is not just about loading trucks with hay and water and distributing it. Behind the scenes of each distribution is a lot of design work, including establishing the need, talking to the locals, and then designing the project accordingly. To see it all come through successfully is overwhelming and emotional”.
Round 4 of the Drought Relief operations for Australian farmers was generously supported by the Deen Family, Muslim Charitable Foundation (MCF), Brothers in Need, Australian International Aid, and by MAA’s overseas partners IHH and Hayrat (Turkey) and Al Imdaad Foundation (United Kingdom).
As one of the oldest charities operating in Australia, and the only Islamic NGO accredited by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), MAA International is committed to helping every day Australians in need. To know more or to donate, visit maainternational.org.au
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Notes to Editors:
Established in Australia in 1989, MAA International is an International and National relief & development agency working to support and assist the world's poorest and neediest communities regardless of race, religion, or nationality.
MAA’s humanitarian aid efforts inside Australia began in 2015 with the mission to advance the Australian community through undertaking smart, sustainable aid and development projects that help those in need. Projects in Australia include providing emergency relief to farmers, assisting people suffering from extreme financial hardship, poverty and homelessness, supporting youth development and many other charitable activities.
Media links:
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MAA’s Facebook: Photos and live videos of the distributions
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Sky News Australia: Interview with MAA CEO Sheikh Hassan Elsetohy
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7 News
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Nine News
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Daily Mail
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Stanthorpe Border Post
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OnePath Network
For further information, please get in touch with MAA's Chief Marketing Officer Riyaad Ally via email on riyaad.ally@maainternational.org.au