‘Responsibility to help’: Five local Muslim groups give back to unhoused in downtown Regina

Five local groups provided care packages to the unhoused in downtown Regina on Saturday. (Damian Smith / CTV News)

As a third-year medical student at the University of Regina, Abd Alfatah Alras finds the time on weekends to give back to the community.

On Saturday, Alras and five other organizations came together to donate 120 winter packages to the unhoused. Items included in these packages were socks, toques, gloves, and hygiene products. Each package also included a meal for the day.

The organizations pitching in their work were the Muslim Medical Association of Canada, Saskatchewan Arabs Society, Muslims Professionals Society, Islamic Relief UofR and One Faith Foundation.

“Every year I am shocked on how much people are willing to help, and how much people are willing to contribute their money and their time to vulnerable people,” he said.

Alras has participated in the initiative for five years now, with five in Saskatoon and three in Regina. He is the president of the Saskatchewan Arabs Society and Muslim Professionals Society.

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“Every year I struggle with the same conversation with myself. I remember how much work it takes, and every year I ask myself if I should do it this year, but every year I am thankful that I do it because it shows us the value of helping,” he said. “We think unhoused people know that we are around, but people who are unhoused struggle to survive on a daily basis.”

He credits much of his initiative towards Islam. As part of the religion, Muslims are required to conduct “zakat,” a way of giving back to charity.

“If you provide people with the opportunity, you will find people who will want to help you. I am truly lucky to have a great team,” he said.

As a regular in talking to the unhoused, he also works in the medical field. One conversation two years ago hit him right in the heart. On his way for a shift at the Regina Hospital, he met a man sitting on a vent in the cold.

Having a conversation with him, Alras found out that he was a truck driver not too long before that. He says that many people who need to pick up a package are just in a transition in getting back to being housed.

“In one day, his life flipped upside down,” Alras said. “This reminds us all here that we’re one unfortunate event from having our lives flipped upside down, and it’s our responsibility to help out the community.”

Alras says that the next initiative will be on Feb. 8 in Saskatoon.