Bread and dates

Since the Syrian Civil War began in 2011, over half the population has been displaced.  More than 11 million people have had to flee to neighbouring countries like Turkey and Jordan.  In Lebanon, one in every five people is a Syrian refugee.  Within Syria itself, many people rely on charitable assistance for basic needs like food, water and shelter.  SKT Welfare is one of those charities involved.

The Ål-Huda Bakery

Many bakeries and bread factories were destroyed in the fighting, resulting in extreme hardship to people within Syria.  Bread is a staple dietary product, and in some areas prices have risen by up to 500% making it unaffordable for many families. In Damascus for example 1.2 million people have no access to bread.

SKT Welfare provides funds for the Al-Huda Bakery in Idlib.  We provide ingredients and the capital required to operate the bakery.  One tonne of flour produces 1000 packages of bread.  Just one of those packages can feed a family for one meal.  Every day, the bakery provides bread for hundreds of families living with 7 nearby refugee camps, helping 10,500 people per day.

The Al-Huda Bakery is playing a crucial role in helping displaced and poverty stricken Syrians. By providing fresh bread daily, it helps people begin a return to normality, leaving the stresses of war behind.

The Date Project

In order to fund the bakery, SKT Welfare set up the Date Project in 2015.  A completely volunteer organisation, SKT Welfare came up with a simple idea to raise funds for the bakery.  It set out to sell boxes of the finest ethically-sourced medjoul dates at a cost of £10 each during Ramadan.  Volunteers throughout the UK distribute the dates at no extra cost.

With the aid of the Date Project, the Al-Huda Bakery has:

Benefited 10 million people

Produced and distributed over 12.15 million loaves of bread since 2015

The dates are grown in the Jordan Valley and imported into the UK.  Thousands of boxes are sold every year.  Dates are a popular source of nourishment during Ramadan, as they are eaten at sunset to break the fast.