Ramadan creates a feeling of solidarity, and Muslims worldwide try to do good deeds and volunteer for charity. The main Paris mosque provides iftar meals to the Muslims who congregate there to break their fast; smaller mosques distribute food among the poor.
Among the different types of local charitable organizations that offer help to the neediest in France, “Chorba For All” is perhaps one of the most original and ingenious. A not-for-profit association, its mission is to fight hunger and injustice and promote humanitarian actions during Ramadan and Eid.
Founded in 1992, the president of “Chorba For All,” Farida Ait Kaci, is a middle-aged energetic woman from Algeria who gave up her career as a dentist to spearhead the chorba project and devote herself to charity work. Her credo is to fight exclusion in general and to provide a hot meal for iftar to the needy regardless of their age, language, religion or beliefs.
“‘Chorba For All’ is not reserved exclusively for Muslim who fast but also to non-Muslims from all walks of life: The poor and the homeless as well as the socially isolated, even if they are doctors or engineers,” said Farida Ait Kaci.
Two years ago, during Ramadan, rains, storms and strong winds flattened the tent that shelters “Chorba For All.” The clergyman of a nearby church invited the association to continue its work indoors and serve iftar in his parish.
“Chorba For All” does not receive any state grants but appeals to the generous support of donors. The gifts are either cash contributions or food donations. Donations are collected in the markets and in collection boxes that are set up in “halal” butcheries. Benefactors bring cartons of vegetables and groceries to the association’s office. Other endowments consist of toys for Eid. Much of the association’s financing comes from grocers, butchers and bakers who supply “Chorba For All” with food.
The president of the association spends a significant amount of time during the year publicizing and promoting the project in order to raise the budget for the next Ramadan season.
The daily needs for chorba and the iftar include eight sheep, vegetables, dates, drinks, bread, plastic dishes and cups.
The Paris City Hall gives the association a plot where it can erect a tent of 600 sq. m during Ramadan. “Yet the major challenge,” says Farida Ait Kaci “is to be able every year before Ramadan to raise the funds necessary to cover the operating costs of ‘Chorba For All.’” The staff of the association comprises around 50 enthusiastic volunteers from different social backgrounds: Doctors, intellectuals and workers. They help in all the aspects of the organization including chopping and peeling the vegetables used in the soup, serving the iftar meals, cleaning the tables and sweeping the floor after iftar. The soup is prepared in the kitchen of the association and is sent shortly before iftar to the tent.
For those not familiar with the Algerian cuisine, “chorba” is a rich and nutritious soup served during Ramadan and is made from meat, tomatoes, onions, chickpeas and carrots.
The daily iftar menu is composed of a bowl of “chorba,” dates, bread and an orange. For drinks there is a choice of water, curdled milk, fruit juice and Mecca-Cola. In the tent during iftar a radio broadcasts the Maghreb azan, and in a corner a prayer space is arranged.
While people are eating, Farida Ait Kaci moves around the tent greeting, listening, advising and chatting with the regulars.
“Chorba For All” serves around 1,500 iftars every evening. Last Ramadan the association distributed 52,000 iftar meals. Because there is not enough seating space in the tent to accommodate all the visitors, as soon as the first batch leave, a young man at the entrance seats the waiting people. The volunteers are obliged to work constantly without respite and organize their efforts to ensure that all those who are fasting and lining in the queue for the second service are provided with a meal tray quickly.
By 7:30 p.m., when all the visitors have left, Farida Ait Kaci can sit around the table with her staff to eat whatever leftovers there are. Often there are none.
“Chorba For All” maintains excellent relations with the main Paris mosque, and sometimes they exchange their food surplus: Dates for meat. As a token of their wholehearted support and sympathy, the mayor of Paris, French ministers, the Algerian ambassador and others make a point of having iftar every year at the association.
“I hope that the Saudi ambassador will take the initiative and visit the association soon and have iftar with us,” said Farida Ait Kaci.
Life is not easy, but thankfully there are generous and committed women like Farida Ait Kaci who are happy to help others and be useful to the community.
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(Mona Khazindar is a Saudi writer. She is based in Paris.)
