Tkiyet Um Ali to offer food support to 10,000 more families

AMMAN — Tkiyet Um Ali on Wednesday launched the second phase of its food support programme, which will include an additional 10,000 families over the next five years. 

The announcement was made by HRH Prince Ali, who heads the steering committee for the programme’s second phase.

Prince Ali highlighted Tkiyet Um Ali’s role over the past years in providing food support to families in need, noting that the economic challenges facing the region and the Kingdom have increased the pressure on many families.

He added that the launch of the second phase was made possible by the recent donation of HRH Princess Haya, wife of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president and prime minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai, Sheikha Al Jalila Bint Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Sheikh Zayed Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

Princess Haya, chairperson of Tkiyet Um Ali’s board of directors, made this donation, which the Jordan News Agency, Petra, earlier reported as JD28 million, to honour the anniversaries of the deaths of King Hussein and Queen Alia on February 7 and February 9.

“The donation will help Tkiyet Um Ali meet the rising demand for food support,” Prince Ali said at a press conference.

“We count on all philanthropists to stand by their brothers in need during the current difficult economic conditions,” the prince added, extending gratitude to the support of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid.

Launched in 2013, the first phase of Tkiyet Um Ali’s food support programme supports 18,000 families in need every month, all year round, said Senator Hussein Majali, who is a member of the organisation’s steering committee.

Meanwhile, the programme’s second phase will increase the number of families benefiting from the programme to 28,000, he said, citing the organisation’s aim of supporting 30,000 of the families most vulnerable to food insecurity by the end of this year.

Under the programme, families meeting the selection criteria receive food packages containing 22 items to cover up to 80 per cent of the individual’s needs, Majali noted, adding that the contents of the packages cover the needs of carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals.

Selection criteria require that the monthly income per person in the family does not exceed JD20 after deducting rent fees, water and electricity bills and university tuition fees. In addition, beneficiaries must not own property and must not be able to work.

Beneficiary families include 47,341 children, 4,376 orphans, 3,714 disabled and elderly people, 19,307 people with chronic diseases and 3,507 widows, Majali said. 

He noted that all donations go directly to food support, highlighting that Princess Haya covers all of the administrative and operational expenses of the organisation.

“Donations of individuals, institutions and the private sector are still needed, so that Tkiyet Um Ali can continue to provide for the 18,000 families included in the programme’s first phase,” Majali highlighted.

While Tkiyet Um Ali focuses on food security for Jordanians in need, it has in the past provided temporary support to non-Jordanians, including Gazans during  Israeli attacks and to Syrians at the Zaatari Refugee Camp, said Samer Balkar, the organisation’s director general.

Around 5 to 7 per cent of the beneficiaries of Tkiyet Um Ali are non-Jordanians from 15 different nationalities, he added.

Tkiyet Um Ali is a non-governmental organisation which provides between 350 and 400 hot meals a day to underprivileged people.

The term “tkiyet” dates back to the Ottoman days, when prominent families opened facilities on their estates to offer food to the poor and homeless.

Tkiyet Um Ali was founded in 2003 by Princess Haya, combining a model of sustainable food with humanitarian aid.