Qatar Charity, with the support of generous sponsors, has enabled 20 outstanding orphans under its care in Burkina Faso to perform Umrah, as part of the comprehensive care programmes delivered through its ‘Rofaqa’ initiative.
The journey is an extension of a series of Umrah trips previously organised by the initiative in other countries, aimed at instilling spiritual values and motivating orphans.
Dr Mohammed Ali, director of Qatar Charity’s office in Burkina Faso, emphasised that the trip represents an important and unique opportunity for the orphans, aimed at developing their faith and providing them with new knowledge. He noted that Qatar Charity is committed to ensuring that these activities are an integral part of its comprehensive care programmes for its sponsored orphans, enhancing their self-confidence and developing their capabilities.
He said, “Through these trips, we aim to strengthen the spiritual well-being of orphans, instil hope in their hearts, and alleviate some of the feelings associated with orphanhood, in addition to broadening their horizons by introducing them to places of great religious and historical value.”
The 10-day trip included performing Umrah, visiting the Grand Mosque in Makkah, the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, and the Rawdah Al-Sharifah, and touring historical sites such as Mount Uhud, Jabal Al Nour, the Cave of Hira, the Al-Baqi’ Cemetery, Arafat, Muzdalifah, and Al-Mash’ar Al-Haram, as well as historical mosques like Quba Mosque and the Qiblatain Mosque. It also included educational and cultural activities such as
Qur’an recitation and dhikr (remembrance) sessions, educational competitions, and recreational activities.
The ‘Rofaqa’ initiative is committed to providing specialised programmes for the orphans it sponsors worldwide, including the ‘Furqan’ project, which targets sponsored orphans, particularly those in non-Arabic speaking countries. The project focuses on teaching them Arabic and improving their language skills to enhance their understanding of the Qur’an and learn the correct way to recite and memorise it.