Indeed words cannot describe the extent of the devastation we are witnessing, and in reality what we have seen is only some of the damage that has occurred in Palestine and across the Gaza Strip. Words cannot describe the thoughts running through the mind of a child who still waits for his family to return from the border, or indeed a mother who has no one or nothing left to live for.

Alhamdulillah, the fundraising effort in Bolton has been very successful. Many groups and organisations have held various different events in order to raise money through differerent activities and events, in addition to which, almost all Madrasah students have also contributed in some amount.

However, one particular Madrasah worthy of mention is The Madrasatul Imam Muhammad Zakariyya, Keswick Street, Bolton. By the infinite Grace of The Al-Mighty, the staff and students held various events in order to raise a staggering £10,130.94. This varied from hosting a non-uniform day to a cake baking day whereby students decorated home-made cakes using plenty of innovative and creative designs.

With a total number of 110 students, the sheer determination of the students resulted in such a great achievement.  With a target of around £2000 in mind, the final figure came as a nice surprise to both students and staff. A staff member of the Madrasah referred to the achievement as extraordinary saying “we must unite our efforts and dig deep to help as much as we can.”

For many years now the Bolton Council of Mosques has supported the distribution of funds raised through the Mosques in Bolton for Emergency relief services across the world that assist people afflicted by conflict or disaster. It is a great fortune that at times like this and during the occurrence of the other atrocities and natural disasters, our communities have been able to see beyond their differences and come together to help those who are in need thousands of miles away. 
Whether it be the Tsunami that happened in 2004 or the Burma cyclone last year, the funds raised have helped many disaster struck areas and has helped to re-start sustainable economic development that integrates agriculture, health, housing and infrastructure, economic development, education and environment, with the training and establishment of local management.

May The Al-Mighty accept and reward the efforts of all.