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The New Normal: Separated during Ramadan, united in celebration

With gatherings limited, Farhiya Mohamed and her organization brought meals, supplies and joy to people’s homes during the holiday.

by / May 25, 2020

Farhiya Mohamed usually spends Ramadan at her sister’s house. When the sun sets, rice dishes and dates cover the table and upward of 50 guests crowd together. But this year is different. In the middle of a pandemic, Mohamed and other families are struggling to stay connected while they must stay apart. As the executive director of the Somali Family Safety Task Force, Mohamed is finding ways to spread joy and help others celebrate during their time of need in the holiest month.

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Transcript


00:00:00,867 
(Lighthearted piano music)


00:00:05,400 
Farhiya Mohamed: Right now is Ramadan.


00:00:07,367 
Farhiya Mohamed: This is the holy month.


00:00:10,100 
Farhiya Mohamed: Some people I don't see two months, three months, but like when they come to the mosque we can see, we can, ya know.


00:00:15,667 
Farhiya Mohamed: Have, yes, together everybody there but then now, yes, everything has stopped.


00:00:21,567 
Farhiya Mohamed: Now even my own family I don't see them.


00:00:24,167 
Farhiya Mohamed: My sisters, they live here. I don't see them.


00:00:27,600 
Farhiya Mohamed: All of us, we used to eat, maybe 50 of us there, but right now, you know each family they have to stay in their own house, so it's really hard.


00:00:46,833 
Farhiya Mohamed: So we will be fasting, like 30 days.


00:00:50,433
Farhiya Mohamed: All day no water, no food, nothing.


00:00:53,133
Farhiya Mohamed: Sometime we fast 16 hours, but when eat together and sit together, we don't feel it.

00:01:02,100

Farhiya Mohamed: So you know everybody is coming together, relax, sitting together, all different kind of food.


00:01:08,200 
Farhiya Mohamed: I gain weight during Ramadan time. We used to go the mosque and then to the special prayers.


00:01:15,400 
Farhiya Mohamed: Usually we do like five times of prayers a day, but right now because of the COVID-19, we cannot go to the mosque.


00:01:25,067 
Farhiya Mohamed: So we cannot see each other.


00:01:27,100 
Farhiya Mohamed: Some of the people who depend on the mosques also they used to go to the mosque. They eat there.


00:01:33,367 
Farhiya Mohamed: If you don't speak the language, if you don't know the culture, it's really hard.


00:01:42,367 
Farhiya Mohamed: So many people they are out of work.


00:01:45,133 
Farhiya Mohamed: They stay home, children they are not going to school. So sometimes you can be too emotional because you don't have anybody.


00:01:54,067
Farhiya Mohamed: When I came to this country, I came as a refugee also, and I feel same they feel right now.


00:01:59,867 
Farhiya Mohamed: So that's my number one this Ramadan is to help for the other people who need our help.


00:02:10,600 
Farhiya Mohamed: Our mission as an organization was to help for the refugee and immigrant families, especially women and children. But right now we are helping all the families.


00:02:23,867
Fundisha Tibebe: We are putting together our Ramadan food baskets and distributing them to about 40 families today.


00:02:32,800
Farhiya Mohamed: Ramadan is really expensive also. You have to buy a lot of food. And then, like, there are a lot of food coming out of the country also, the ethnic food, and really expensive. Some of them, now even they are not coming.


00:02:47,267 
Fundisha Tibebe: Some people won't be able to get access to the essential food staples and just necessities that they need during Ramadan.


00:02:54,600 
Farhiya Mohamed: Some of the, like, single parents and then the elderly, those people for us are the number one.


00:03:01,067 
Farhiya Mohamed: They don't speak the language. They don't drive, some of them.


00:03:04,400 
Farhiya Mohamed: I call them. I drop the food right there.


00:03:09,333 
Farhiya Mohamed: I don't go inside the house, and they can see me out there and they wave, say, "OK."


00:03:15,200 
Farhiya Mohamed: They happy when they see me out there.


00:03:19,767 
Fundisha Tibebe: Hopefully, we'll be doing a couple more all the way through the end of Ramadan, until Eid.


00:03:26,633 
(Chanting foreign language)


00:03:34,833 
Fundisha Tibebe: Ramadan is a month of reflection, of give back, of growth and with COVID going on for anyone, it could be challenging to kinda stay in tune with that, and we wanted people to able to take the time to really enjoy Ramadan and celebrate it with their families for what it is.


00:03:53,200
Farhiya Mohamed: I hope everything will return same as it before.


00:03:57,567 
Farhiya Mohamed: To see all my friends and the families to get there, and also to go back to my co-workers. And then we can celebrate Eid together for all the families and friends and, yes, community.


00:04:14,067 
Farhiya Mohamed: We really need more support than ever.


00:04:17,967
Farhiya Mohamed: We bless everybody, all human beings, not only Muslim.


00:04:23,800 
Farhiya Mohamed: Whole world we are praying for.


00:04:34,100 
[Narrator] Comcast, Washington is proud to help


00:04:36,133
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