This time last year, many of us were wondering what Ramadan during a pandemic would look like. Iftar bazaars, Tarawih prayers in the Masjid, family and community get-togethers. It is still strange to imagine a Ramadan closed off from everything that we were all used to.
Twelve months later, although things are far from how they used to be, some of us have settled into the new normal - in our homes, workspaces, and even in the Masjid. It’s hard not to miss our pre-pandemic routines and to not feel like we’re waiting for a post-pandemic world where everything just goes back to how it used to be. We’re hoping that this state of uncertainty has an end date.
But it’s a hope that feels real only for a privileged few.
Image Credit: UNHCR
This Ramadan, we look to communities that have been sitting with uncertainty for far longer, that have been harder hit by this pandemic than most of us, and that need our attention and support now more than ever.
Refugees and forcibly displaced people are facing severe hardships that are only compounded by this pandemic. In 2020, UNHCR and partners conducted a poll showing that only 35 percent of refugees who were employed prior to initial COVID-19 regulations had a secure job to return to later in the year. Poverty, food insecurity, access to livelihoods, and education – these challenges have been exacerbated in ways we couldn’t have imagined.
Image Credit: UNHCR
We want to be a part of easing this suffering. During Ramadan 2021, we can act on our solidarity with refugees worldwide in a matter of seconds. In partnership with UNHCR, the global UN agency working to protect and advocate for refugees, we ask you to #PledgeYourLunch and share the blessings of this month with the displaced communities. Enlightening their lives in these challenging times, a meal at a time.
Join the Launchgood Ramadan Challenge to make a difference this Ramadan. Simply register to pledge any amount to different charities every day of this holy month. Visit our LaunchGood campaign to #PledgeYourLunch
