SAMAA Celebrated Eid Milan at Newington Community Centre Sydney

Nov 9, 2010 by admin

South Asian Muslim Association of Australia Inc (SAMAA) organised another event to celebrate Eid ul Fitr with the seniors and the elderly of the community at Newington Community Centre Sydney on Monday, 5 Oct 2009. It was attended by well over 150 people who enjoyed the evening thoroughly. SAMAA officials briefed the attendees with the progress of its programs. SAMAA has been coordinating with various government and non-government agencies to improve its services. It is also in contact with Department of Health and Ageing in seeking help in various aged care programs. SAMAA officials reminded attendees about the two funds to run its programs:

1- Benevolent Service Fund: This fund supports the voluntary services offered by SAMAA to its elderly. & 2- Elderly Home Fund: This fund will be utilized to build our own aged care facilities in long run.

Under benevolent service program, SAMAA’s team of volunteers help elderly of the community in their day to day needs such as providing transport for Friday prayers, doctors’ appointment, shopping, social event etc. They can also cook food for them and help them in general household work. Under SAMAA’s paid volunteers program, volunteers can be paid for the work they do or the expenses they incur in providing such a service.

SAMAA officials requested the community to support it in the programs by registering themselves as volunteers. They also requested the South Asian Muslim elderly to register with SAMAA and tell them about their needs. SAMAA can organize placement of elderly in a nursing home which can make provisions for religious and cultural needs of the South Asian Muslims.

A health expert from UNSW Dr Mahmaoud Sheikh gave a talk on dietary issues of the elderly and Melikeh Michales from Auburn Council briefed the audience about the facilities available for them through Auburn Council.

Many SAMAA elderly thrilled the crowd with their presentations of poetry, jokes etc. Few Sydney poets also entertained the crowd with Urdu poetry.The evening concluded with Dinner.For more details about SAMAA’s programmes, The readers of Sada-e-Watan can visit SAMAA website: www.samaa.org.au