Welwyn Garden City woman to live off Syrian refugee rations to raise money and awareness
Jacqueline will be living off refugee portions for a week to raise money for charity. Picture: Jacqueline Mahmoud - Credit: Jacqueline Mahmoud
A Welwyn Garden City woman will be living off the same rations as a Syrian refugee would for a week to raise money for charity.
The portions that Jacqueline will be living off for a week. Picture: Jacqueline Mahmoud - Credit: Jacqueline Mahmoud
Between September 13 and 19, yoga teacher Jacqueline Mahmoud will be attempting the ration challenge to raise money for emergency food, hygiene kits and lifesaving support for refugees.
Jacqueline said: “When I first saw the small amount of rations I would be living on, I was shocked to say the least. It is truly devastating to think that people live on these rations, day in and day out – and coronavirus means many more now face devastating hunger.
“I chose to take up the ration challenge as I wanted to do something positive after the last few months have been so tough for so many.
“The thought that people would be dealing with this on top of having to leave their homes and living in unstable situations just really hit home, particularly after seeing how people reacted in this country when there were restrictions on shopping. I couldn’t get flour for months!”
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Refugees are currently in the news and Jacqueline believes they are often depicted unfairly in the media.
She added: “I don’t like how refugees are portrayed in the media generally and the portrayal that we are being overrun is totally inaccurate. We’re not even in the top ten of countries for hosting refugees.
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“According to Amnesty International 50 per cent of the world’s refugees are children. They have done nothing wrong and every child no matter where they are from deserves a safe place to call home, food in their belly and a chance at a decent education.
“One of the things that makes me saddest about the portrayal of refugees in the media, and in generally how refugees are discussed, is the ‘us and them’ mentality.
“At the end of the day they are human beings. Nothing divides our situations more than luck that we have been born in a country where, even when things aren’t great, people do not feel the need to flee with nothing. If anything the last six months should have taught us that things can change faster than we think, you never know when the rug will be pulled from under you.”
To donate to Jacqueline visit: rationchallenge.org.uk/jacqueline-mahmoud
