The Qatar government joined members of the expatriate community in spreading the joy of Eid al-Adha by launching the 'Our Eid is One Initiative–2' programme to help them celebrate the festival at home and convey the importance of staying indoors to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

The second phase of the initiative is implemented as a continuation of the 'Our Eid is One initiative–1', which was launched during Eid al-Fitr.

Under this initiative, 50,000 Qatar residents from 17 nationalities have benefited from 25,000 food coupons, which included the provision of necessary food materials for Eid.

The coupons were distributed on the first day of Eid during a function held at the Qatar Charity (QC) headquarters in Lusail in the presence of 40 officials representing different embassies and community organisations.

Jointly initiated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Interior (MoI), the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs (MADLSA), Qatar Charity and Ooredoo, the ‘Our Eid is One Initiative' has come as another step that strengthens the bond between Qatar and members of expatriate communities and also as support and efforts of the Qatar government towards ensuring the welfare of its expatriate communities" during the tough Covid-19 times, a press statement issued by the MoI on Sunday noted.

The embassies of the Philippines, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Tunisia, Gambia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Ghana and Kenya, and expatriate community organisations such as the Bangladeshi Community Organisation, Indian Community Benevolent Forum, Indian Cultural Centre, Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre, the Cultural Forum, Indonesian Community Association – Permica, Indian Community Centre, Helping Hands - Al Khor, Filipino Community in Qatar, Non-Resident Nepalese Association, Thrissur District Souhruda Vedi, Kerala Cultural Centre and the Sri Lankan Community Development Forum are covered by the initiative.

The coupons received by the community representatives will be distributed among needy members of the community, including families, individuals and workers.

To convey the joy of happiness on the occasion of Eid al-Adha, a total of 25,000 Eid greeting cards also were distributed among the community members along with the food coupons. Also 3,000 gifts were distributed among children of the needy families.

In addition, 4,000 gifts will be distributed among the residents of Covid-19 quarantine facility in Umm Slal as well as several gifts and Ooredoo recharge coupons among the workers.

To ensure that the initiative reaches the targeted beneficiaries, the MoI - in co-operation with the MADLSA - set up a Google registration link and shared it with the leaders of all community organisations who were part of the initiative. QC co-ordinated with Al Meera for the delivery of food kits through their branches in different parts of Qatar.

The community leaders have been asked to deliver the coupons to the registered beneficiaries, who could collect the food kits from the Al Meera outlets.