In striving to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet Sallallahu alayhi wasallam and showing kindness to others, especially widows, we always aim to assist those in need. We are motivated by the hope of earning the reward mentioned in the Hadith: Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said, “The person who assists and takes care of the widow and the poor is like the person who is striving in the path of Allah or like the one who is fasting all day and performing Salah all night.”
I would like to share a recent experience:
Umm Khadija, a widow from Mkawera Village in the Thyolo district of Malawi, lost her husband in 2017. After his passing, her husband being the sole provider,she faced significant hardships, caring for their three children—Sharief, Ahmed, and Khadija—on her own. To provide for her family, she often had to leave her children alone for days while searching for scraps of food in town.
Upon learning about her situation, we promptly investigated further and reached out to her. We encouraged her to return to her children, as we intended to assist her.
We asked her what could be suitable for her to earn in a dignified way and she mentioned she has experience with livestock so we provided her with a cow, which she now milks and sells to a nearby milk bulk center, earning an income to support her family.
Recently, Umm Khadija experienced great joy when her cow gave birth to a female calf. This development is a major milestone for her, as she can now milk one cow while raising the calf. In the future, she will be able to milk both cows simultaneously, increasing her income and enhancing her ability to support her family.
Initially, after her husband’s death, Umm Khadija’s children had to stop attending school due to a lack of resources. However, after our intervention and assistance, all her children are back in school, and their lives have improved considerably. She can now provide for herself and her children with dignity and respect.
This story is just one example of the many struggles faced by people in Malawi and how a simple act of kindness can completely transform someone’s life for the better.