Thousands of have-nots flock to clothes bank, return home with ‘joy of Eid’

AMMAN – Traditionally, the joy of Eid is associated with and hinges on having new clothes, especially for children. In one sense, poverty is measured with the household’s financial ability to celebrate Eid with new clothes.

This used to be Salam Ahmad’s main concern in the restless night as the holiday was approaching, but not any more.  

She still cannot afford buying clothes, but she and her children were Wednesday at the Charity Clothing Bank’s (CCB) 6,000-square-metre showroom and each was allowed to pick five items, including shoes and toys, for free.

In fact, according to the bank’s officials, 185,000 people have benefited from the services CCB offers since its inception in 2003, created by the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organisation. 

Since the start of this Ramadan, 15,000 people have picked 75,000 pieces from the showroom, located in Mahatta in east Amman, according to CCB manager Lina Daoud.  

"Every member of the family that is benefiting from the service receives a voucher that allows him/her to pick four pieces of clothes. On the occasion of Eid, we made an exception and each member can have five pieces," she added.  

The CCB official said they select their beneficiaries in cooperation with the National Aid Fund, which has a huge database of impoverished households across the Kingdom. 

"Since its establishment, the process of donation collection has been ongoing. We even collect donations from the donors’ residences or from our drop boxes we have placed in commercial outlets and government offices," she added.  

She called on businesspeople in the garment industry to donate new clothes. 

"When we talk about Eid, we talk about brand-new clothes. Let’s give that to children whose families canot afford it," she added.  

The CCB manager said more than 5,000 volunteers take part in grading clothes and display them in the showroom. 

Layali Saad, one of the volunteers, is happy with her humanitarian mission despite the pressure of the Eid high season.  

"Work pressure increases these days. We have to volunteer a full-day work from 10am until 6pm," she explained.  

Muna Mohammad, one of the beneficiaries, was grateful to Daoud, Saad and the rest of the volunteers army that made a dream come true. 

What she and her children like is the diversity, which satisfies every taste, she says. They now have a choice!