₹33 a week: Perinthalmanna student’s tiny gesture feeds 180 Gazans

A little act of kindness from a Perinthalmanna student has reached over 180 famine-stricken Gazans, providing them with food kits lasting a full week. The student, Sayyid Sufiyan P.M., has reminded society that even the tiniest act of kindness can echo far and last.

Sufiyan, an Instagram singer with 77 K followers, launched a quirky fund-raising challenge to help the people of Gaza: ₹33 a week to end Gaza’s hunger. Sufiyan said the people’s response was overwhelmingly compassionate. They raised ₹1.92 lakh instantly.

Sufiyan reached out to the Gazan people through the Gaza Food Relief Project, managed by a Palestinian social worker named Mohammed Ayyad. “I reached Mr. Ayyad through Palestinian scholar Zacharia, who had corrected my pronunciation when I posted a Quran recital video two years ago on Instagram,” said Sufiyan.

Mr. Zacharia shared Mr. Ayyad’s charity video with Sufiyan. “The video moved me. So I launched the fundraiser challenge asking for just ₹33. And the impact was amazing,” said Sufiyan, who is the Vettathur sector secretary of the Sunni Students Federation.

“Shukran, ya Sayyid Sufiyanu barakallahu feek,” a Gazan child replied on receiving the food kit. The child said,: Thank you, Sayyid Sufiyan, may Allah bless you.

Mr. Ayyad shared videos showing the food kits and their distribution to the starving Gaza children who survived recent Israeli bombings. “We could reach out to over 180 Gazans living in 30 tents after their houses were destroyed by Israel,” said Sufiyan. The little Palestinian children’s eyes reflected deep gratitude, and they whispered “Shukran” when they received the kits. Sufiyan added: “The feeling of empathy and fulfilment is beyond words.”

A student at Jamia Masalik, Kottur, near Kottakkal, Sufiyan, is now flooded with offers of help. Many people offered help after the Gaza video went viral. “It was a big lesson and eye-opener for me. Even a tiny act of kindness can ripple far. In my challenge, each person contributed just ₹33 to supply a Gazan with a week’s food,” he said.

Sufiyan said that philanthropists were urging him to extend a bigger helping hand to Gaza.