Colombo-based charity Lure Foundation cushions plight of people in Gaza

Lure Foundation, a Colombo-based charity organisation in Sri Lanka, has taken steps to cushion the plight of the people struggling without blankets and food, and extended aid for the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Palestine.

Gaza is on the brink of leaping into famine, with a lack of adequate water, hygiene, and privacy.

As per UNFPA over 690,000 menstruating women and girls have limited access to menstrual hygiene products, aggravating the risk of reproductive and urinary tract infections.

Lure Foundation Founder Aisha Althaf penned a message to all Palestinian women, “There is light ahead of the tunnel, don’t lose hope. The Colombo-based charity, has allocated funds for hygiene kits and pads, looking to expand to help women combat issues with their menstrual cycle, in Gaza.” Althaf expressed that the Palestinian crisis drove her to founding the idea of the Lure Foundation. 

“It was a turning point in my endeavour, a Leap of faith in the initial fundraiser, as two years back, I started doing independent work by distributing food to the mosque, going to the cancer hospital, very small causes without a brand name.” In an attempt to raise funds to supply aid to Gaza, LURE Foundation teamed up with Africa Muslims Agency (AMA), a Humanitarian organisation driven to institutionalise relief work and currently operating in 29 countries in Africa.

“The initial Fundraiser of Lure Foundation raised Rs. 7.9 million, over the course of December and January. The funds raised were used to provide food for 10, 500 people over the course of three days which is 1200 families,” she said.

Althaf asserted that, Lure Foundation has now managed to raise Rs. 10.2 million for Project Palestine, recently.

“Of the funds raised, Rs. 2,634 will be allocated for each hygiene kits, hot meals and blankets. Of which, 23,100 individuals were facilitated with hot meals, 100 hygiene kits inclusive of sanitary napkins given to women and225 blankets and jackets distributed to children,” she stated. Althaf pointed out regarding the Palestinian cause that any funds to be distributed can be reached out to the Lure Foundation.

“We are determined to distribute blankets and food to help the Gazans in this critical condition. And have spearheaded the initiative to distribute sanitary napkins and hygiene kits for all Palestinian women in this crisis,” Althaf added.