DOHA: Low-income workers turned out in large numbers to enjoy sumptuous Iftar meals supplied by charity organisations in their Ramadan tents across the country yesterday.
But many workers had to return disappointed as they could not be accommodated in the tents due to their limited capacity.
A source in Qatar Charity (QC) that has set up 20 tents all over, said they were sad sending people back from their Iftar tents but there was no option due to restricted capacity of these tents.
Each of QC’s tents is sponsored by a Qatari donor, the source said.
According to him, restaurants that supply Iftar meal packets to be served at its tents are chosen through a transparent tendering process. “Bids are invited in which we set out our requirements and conditions and the winners are chosen from among the participating restaurants based on their pricing and quality,” the source pointed out.
An Iftar meal packet on average costs between QR30 and QR40 and normally has chicken or mutton biryani, a small juice bottle, mineral water and laban.
A meal pack has enough food although it is meant for one person.
QC was earlier serving food in large plates for people to share but there used to be unwanted waste.
“We then began serving meal packs. The idea was to help prevent waste. If someone couldn’t finish a pack, he could carry it home,” the source said.
Meanwhile, fasting is for a little more than 15 hours — one of the longest in summer months — as it began yesterday from 3.14am and continued until 6.29pm.
The duration will get reduced by a minute every three to four days. The Peninsula
