News Article (Al Birr Wa Taqwa Charity Project, 2010)

Lending a helping hand to those in need

By Azaraimy HH

DHSB Managing Director (R) handing over a donation to one of the recipients.
One of the house occupants receiving donation.	Some of the students taking part in the convoy.

A convoy of vehicles bringing donations reached the homes of the needy and the underprivileged around the Brunei-Muara District yesterday to help ease their hardship during the holy month of Ramadhan.

The donations, which will continue today in the Tutong District and Belait District, is organised by Darussalam Holdings Sdn Bhd (DHSB), a state-owned company under its "Amal Al Birr Wa Taqwa" project. The project began last year and DHSB hopes to organise it every year. The project is also assisted by students and staff of Maktab Teknik Sultan Saiful Rijal (MTSSR), who had earlier helped to collect donations for the project.

MTSSR helped to collect donations such as toys, food supplies and clothing from various department staff members as well as students of the college. Haji Mahmud bin Haji Mohamed, Managing Director of Darussalam Holdings said the "Amal Al Birr Wa Taqwa" project now in its second year is an annual activity organised by the company, and was initially aimed at providing assistance to orphans.

However, it was found that the welfare of orphans in the Sultanate remains at a healthy level as the government and many private firms as well as individuals continue to monitor their well being. With information gathered from the Community Development Department and Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, Darussalam Holdings Sdn Bhd chose the needy and under privileged in the Brunei-Muara District to be the beneficiaries.

The project aims to widen its reach to include all four districts this year and bring the "Amal Al Birr Wa Taqwa" project to the attention of the masses as it seeks to raise involvement of the public as seen with the participation of MTSSR. This year, DHSB has selected eight families from the Brunei-Muara District, two from Tutong and four families from the Belait District to be the recipients of the donations. Their names were gathered from a list compiled by the Community Development Department, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports and the "Sound of Hope" project.

Started in 2009, the "Amal Al Birr Wa Taqwa" is an annual project organised by Darussalam Holdings in the holy month of Ramadhan and Syawal and is aimed at providing support to underprivileged individuals and families with basic necessities.