When you need it most

Imagine you've recently become Muslim. You've learnt enough about Islam to know it's the truth and have taken a giant leap of faith in accepting Islam. As a New Muslim, you were embraced by the community and now went about the next mammoth task of getting married.

Getting married was incredibly difficult, and lacking any contacts in the Muslim community made it even harder. You finally found a good match - a born, practicing Muslim who seemed like the perfect husband to help you learn more about the Deen.

One year into your marriage and you give birth to a boy. As your son turns two you find out he has learning difficulties. Soon after things take a turn for the worst. Your husband starts getting aggressive and becoming physically violent. You are concerned about your son's safety and reach out to the police.

With the police and child protection authorities now involved, there is an intervention order against your husband. You need to move out, quit your job & look after your son. For his development, he needs to attend special needs care and almost all the funding from centrelink goes towards this. You are still awaiting your permanent residency and hence are not eligible for any benefits yourself. Very quickly you see yourself struggling with finances. You look around but you are unsure where to go, whom to turn to for help.

This is Maria's story

Maria was referred to NZF by an organisation that assists migrants and refugee backgrounds. When we got in touch with Maria, we found her to be someone who is keen to learn more about Islam, provide the support her son needs and was keen to get back into the workforce once her son is a little older so she would not rely on anyone for finances. Once she receives her permanent residency, she would also be eligible for centrelink benefits. We are currently assisting Maria with rental funds and food vouchers and will continue to do so until she is able to stand on her own feet.

This is how your Zakat empowers our community to be there for people like Maria when they need it most; a community that provides the security for those who are struggling through the tests Allah has put in place for them. This is the community we want to establish, so that tomorrow, when you or your family run into issues, you know there is support you can turn to.