Co-founder of Rohingya Peace Network of Thailand
Bangkok
Ismael, a father of six children, does everything in his power to create memorable experiences for his children over Ramadan in Thailand — the same way his parents left him with fond memories of celebrating the holy month during his childhood in Rakhine state, Myanmar.
While for the most part he has managed to offer his family the necessities to break their fast each year with dates and special treats, since the Covid-19 outbreak, things have just not been quite the same.
“Business has been really slow, so this year we have toned down the Ramadan celebrations. However, I feel my family is still much better off than other Rohingya families that depend on daily wages to sustain themselves,” said Ismael, who has resided in Thailand for 25 years.
He noted that 80% of the Rohingya people in Thailand earn a livelihood by selling roti, and the remaining 20%, like himself, have been fortunate to venture into small businesses to support their families.
However, Covid-19 has brought almost all businesses to their knees, including his grocery stores, which is barely surviving as public spending has lessened to a trickle.
“My woes today are nothing to compared to my Rohingya brothers and sisters who are living hand-to-mouth during the month of Ramadan. In the past, roti sellers worked from early evening to late in the night. Since the curfew, they have found themselves unable to make as much money in the day as they would at night. This has immensely impacted their daily wages.”
Having the mosques closed earlier during the pandemic worsens the situation for them because they cannot earn extra income from helping with odd jobs.
“While there is little to no income during this period, they still have to pay their rent and fill the stomachs of their children. In the past, Ramadan was a particularly good time for them as donations often poured in of food supplies.
“The Rohingya Peace Network helped to distribute rice, cooking oil and other items to Rohingya families around the country during Ramadan. However, this year there has been just a trickle. So many are breaking their fast with the minimum they can get their hands on.”
As they are only able to eat halal food, they can’t benefit from food donations that are being distributed around the city.