This Muharram, help us give vulnerable communities access to water and work towards an end to a crisis that causes disease, hinders economies, restricts development and disproportionately affects women and children.
Our President, Dr. Moledina, recently had the pleasure of visiting Bilal Muslim Mission in Tanzania and witnessed first-hand the fantastic amount of work going on in the name of the Ahlul Bayt (as).
Lebanon. As a country, it hosts more than 1.1 million Syrian refugees alone. In September of 2016, I had the opportunity to travel to the country to finally witness the truth behind all the newspaper stories and online articles.
Our development officer visited The Bilal Comprehensive School in Temeke and met with the students whose education and breakfast is sponsored by The World Federation. Here’s what she saw.
The UNITED NATIONS WORKS AND RELIEF AGENCY (UNRWA) strongly condemns the parties responsible for two explosions in the vicinity of Qabr Essit camp in the town of Sayyida Zeinab on 11 June 2016.
Every Ramadan, the Ramadan Relief Fund distributes food parcels to numerous countries around the world. Each parcel contains enough good quality food to feed a family of four for the whole Holy month of Ramadan.
Between January 2015 and April 2016, almost 1.2 million refugees ed to Europe on unseaworthy boats and dinghies across the Mediterranean Sea. Read how we were able to help them thanks to your generous support.
This year, The World Federation has identified over 73,000 orphans, children, seniors, widows, families and the disabled who need our help during the month of Ramadan.
In February 2016, The World Federation launched the Fill My Cup Appeal, a breakfast-at-school program which aims to provide students in Kenya a hot porridge breakfast every morning so that they can find success in learning from a full stomach.
Last Muharram, The World Federation launched the MUHARRAM 1437 ALI ASGHAR WATER APPEAL to build 40 water wells in 40 days in the deprived areas of Kenya and Syria.
In 2015, a UK based company, Jaffer Accountancy made a commitment to donate 5% of the fees they charge for their services to The World Federation’s Fill My Cup Appeal.
The International Development’s Relief division is the humanitarian arm of The World Federation of KSIMC where we aim to provide practical solutions for the different challenges faced by men, women and children around the world who lack basic provisions in regions of deprivation, war and natural disasters.
La guerre actuelle au Yémen a coûté la vie de 8 278 personnes, dont 2 236 enfants, et a fait 16 015 blessés. Le Responsable du Comité International de la Croix-Rouge (le CICR) des opérations au Proche et Moyen-Orient, Robert Mardini a dit que la situation au Yémen est en train de devenir l'un des "conflits oubliés" du monde.
In keeping with the annual ritual of Qurbani, The World Federation facilitates the slaughtering of goats (qurbani) where the meat is then distributed among the poor and needy. Read the report from 2015.
On 4th December 2015, The World Federation joined other shia organisations under the banner ZAINABIYYA ALLIANCE FOR REFUGEES to lead a second trip to Greece to assist refugees arriving on Europe’s shores. The following is a daily report from a volunteer of our team’s work in Lesvos, Greece.
As the world focuses on the plight of the Syrian people and other refugees fleeing to safer lands in search of a better life, we cannot forget those who are fighting a different kind of battle where the lack of clean water is silently destroying lives in Kenya’s drought affected regions.
In 2014 and 2015, The World Federation gifted 85 sewing machines to women in Pakistan who lost male breadwinners in their families to targeted killings.
At the start of November 2015, The World Federation received a plaque from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in recognition of its support of UNRWA relief programs in Gaza.
The cost of building one well in Kenya is £1,150 GBP / $1,750 USD / $2,300 CAD. This amounts to only £3 GBP / $5 USD / $6 CAD a day. Your donation, great or small will support the construction of urgently needed water wells and ensure that families have easy access to clean and safe water.
Since 2010, The World Federation has been doing its part to ensure that the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) formed by the United Nations are met by 2015. MDG GOAL 2 was to achieve universal primary education.
Did you know you can raise funds for The World Federation while you shop online? Easy Fundraising is a company which has partnered up with many popular retailers, such as Amazon, John Lewis, Boots, ASOS, Tesco and many insurance and utility companies so that when you buy something from their websites, a percentage of the money goes to us!
As of October 2015, over 705,000 refugees have fled to Europe on unseaworthy boats and dinghies across the Mediterranean Sea. More than 3,200 refugees have died or are missing. In response to this emergency, The World Federation and the Council of European Jamaats (CoEJ) partnered to provide humanitarian aid to the thousands of refugees arriving on the Greek island of Lesvos.
Since the launch of the Muharram 1437 - ALI ASGHAR WATER APPEAL to build 40 water wells in 40 days in the deprived areas of Kenya and Syria, 11 wells have been sponsored.
Many men and women living in Pakistan’s northern province of Gilgit-Baltistan wish to marry, but for economic reasons, they cannot afford to do so. In a region where incomes are low and cultural expectations call for community participation in wedding day celebrations, many families simply cannot manage to save up for a wedding.
In August 2015, 102 children participated in a Read-a-thon organized to raise funds for The World Federation’s Ramadhan Relief Fund ‘Children Helping Children’ Campaign. The event was arranged through the Pearls of Wisdom Islamic Library for Children where each participant made a donation of the same amount towards the Ramadhan Relief Fund.
According to the United Nations, Kenya’s population is one of the most struggling populations in the world. With over 36 million people living there, water scarcity has been an issue for decades where natural water resources fail to provide an equitable delivery of water to the various regions of the country.
In the beginning of October 2015, Peepoople delivered Peepoo toilets for 500 people to The World Federation of KSIMC led humanitarian aid intervention in Greece. Peepoo is part of The World Federation’s International Development programme that just arrived to the island of Lesvos.
Since 2010, The World Federation has been doing its part to ensure that the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) formed by the United Nations are met by 2015.
Our humanitarian mission to Greece is all about extending help to the masses of refugees seeking asylum from a life of persecution and violence. It is 22:30 Greek Time when we arrive at the furthest point on the coast of Skala in Lesvos. This point is marked by a lighthouse that stands on it. Upon our arrival, we meet a group of about 60 Afghani Shias who had taken shelter in an abandoned house with nothing but a fire to keep them warm.
This Eid may your house be filled with loved ones, your table laden with delicious dishes and desserts, may your walls echo laughter and happiness; a day of celebration. However, this Eid will be one full of sadness and worry for our Muslim brothers and sisters from Syria, known as ‘refugees’ to the world; though they are like us, with hopes and dreams for their loved ones and family.
In 2015, more than 411,000 refugees have fled to Europe on unseaworthy boats and dinghies. More than 2,800 refugees have died or are missing. These refugees are fleeing war, violence and persecution in their country of origin.
On 21 July 2015, heavy monsoon rains resulted in extreme flash floods across various Provinces and regions in Pakistan. The downpour caused rivers to overflow to the point where entire villages were submerged in water leaving thousands of people homeless.
Buzz Ideazz, the Children’s Islamic Library and Stanmore Jaffery’s have come together to help with this year’s Children Helping Children campaign as part of Ramadhan Relief!
The World Federation’s Ramadhan Relief Fund 1436 is hard at work distributing food baskets, cash gifts and other aid to families living in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bosnia, Djibouti, India, Iraq, Kenya, Madagascar, Pakistan, Palestine, Tanzania and Uganda.
The month of Ramadhan is filled with the mercy and blessings of Allah (swt). Increasing our good deeds, giving charity and helping others are among the best actions we can perform to seek nearness to the Almighty.
All over the world, innocent children are suffering in one way or another. Some are starving. Some have no families. Some are homeless and have no safe place to sleep at night. They live in a state of constant fear and unhappiness.
Since the days of Marhum Mulla Asgharali M.M. Jaffer, the Ramadhan Relief Fund (RRF) has been providing food and other support to thousands of families struggling with poverty during the month of Ramadhan.
The month of Ramadhan is a time for prayer, fasting and self-reformation. Yet, it is often also a time when we indulge (or over-indulge in many cases!) in unhealthy, fried and fatty foods!
While thousands of Muslims across the globe are filled with great anticipation of what this blessed and spiritual month brings, others, including orphans, widows, seniors, children and the disabled, are dealing with the struggles their daily life brings.
Thanks to the support of donors who continue to donate to the Pakistan Relief Fund, The World Federation funded the construction of 14 new homes across 13 villages in Tehsil Ahmedpur Sial in Pakistan’s Punjab province.
Thanks to the support of donors who continue to donate to the Ali Asghar Water Appeal, The World Federation funded the construction of 50 lavatories across various villages in Tehsil Kallurkot in District Bhakkar in Pakistan’s Punjab province.
The SOS Program provides seniors living in abject poverty with a monthly income supplement to help meet their living expenses, giving them the opportunity to age gracefully.
Today, a senior is wondering where his/her next meal is going to come from. Another elder is forced to choose between food and medication because of lack of funds. These are the kinds of everyday problems many of our elders are facing.
March 22nd is World Water Day and to do our part in promoting the basic human right to access clean water, The World Federation completed the construction of 36 water well hand pumps in villages across Pakistan and is building another 92 water wells in the region.
Winters in Pakistan are extremely cold and dry, lasting from December through to February. In December 2014, The World Federation through its Hadith-e-Kisa Blanket Drive distributed 1,830 ‘Razai’ blankets.
In schools across Kenya, hunger is a persistent problem. Poverty restricts families from eating proper meals and children are more often than not, the silent victims.
In December 2013, the N2K Team, a group of youth from London (UK) walked from the Holy City of Najaf to the land of Karbala during Arbaeen 1435 to raise funds for The World Federation’s ‘Community Upliftment Project in Northeast Kenya’.
In just a few weeks’ time a member of our local Stanmore Jamaat, who also happens to be the father of one of our team members, will begin a journey of a lifetime to help our community.
If you believe that every child deserves to start their day with a healthy breakfast, why not become a ‘Breakfast-Buddy’ to one of the 957 children in Kenya who come to school each morning without having eaten breakfast simply because they are victims of poverty?
Across Kenya, scores of children drop out of school or do not attend regularly simply because of poor nutrition and calorie deficiencies that affect their ability to learn.
In January 2015, The World Federation launched an appeal to raise funds for building water well hand-pumps in Pakistani villages where families do not have access to clean water.
In the afternoon of 16th January 2015, a severe Tropical Storm, known locally as "Chedza" hit parts of Madagascar bringing heavy thunderstorms across much of the country.
According to the United Nations, Iraq is struggling with one of the largest internally displaced populations in the world - an estimated 1.8 million people - because of the extremist insurgent group known as ISIS (Da’esh).
On 8 November 2013, when category 5 Typhoon Haiyan, locally known as Yolanda, hit the Philippines, it caused extensive damage to housing, livelihoods and infrastructure across nine of the country’s poorest provinces.
On 19 November 2014 – World Toilet Day, The World Federation appealed to the community for donations to construct 50 toilets in the town of Kallurkot (Punjab Province) - one of Pakistan’s deprived and underprivileged areas.
The World Federation is pleased to share its Ramadhan Relief Fund Annual Report 1435-2014. The report provides an overview of the accomplishments of the Ramadhan Relief Fund for the year 2014 (1435 AH).
As 2014 comes to an end and we take stock of our affairs, it is a time to be grateful for all that Allah (SWT) has blessed us with and also a time to consider those who have been less fortunate than us.
In December 2013, the N2K Team, a group of youth from London (UK) walked from the Holy City of Najaf to the land of Karbala during Arbaeen 1435 to raise funds for The World Federation’s ‘Community Upliftment Project in Northeast Kenya’.
The World Federation is pleased to launch its second annual N2K WALK 2014 fundraising campaign and is inviting pilgrims planning to trek from Najaf to Karbala to raise money for its IRAQ RELIEF FUND to support displaced families in Iraq.
Each year, in the Islamic month of Zilhajj, Muslims around the world celebrate Eid al Hajj, a religious holiday also known as the “Festival of Sacrifice”. This year, this event fell on the Gregorian calendar date of 5th October 2014.
Winter has arrived and whilst many children across the world are excited, counting down till the winter holidays, it is very different for the displaced and orphaned children of Iraq.
Conflict in Iraq due to the violence of the extremist militant group known as ISIS (Da’esh) has forced more than 1.8 million people to be uprooted from their homes, according to the United Nations.
For many years now, World Toilet Day has been marked by various organizations all over the world. However, in 2013, World Toilet Day was officially recognised by the United Nations as a day to raise awareness of sanitation issues.
Across Iraq, the distress faced by the nation’s people at the hands of the extremist insurgent group known as ISIS (Da’esh) is so great that it is often indescribable – where ‘seeing is believing’.
According to the United Nations, Iraq is struggling with one of the largest internally displaced populations in the world where an estimated 1.8 million people are displaced at the hands of the extremist insurgent group known as ISIS (Da’esh).
The Muslim Charities Forum (MCF) and the Charity Commission jointly hosted an Eid dinner held at the Muslim Cultural heritage Centre on Thursday 16th October 2014.
In December 2013, the N2K Team, a group of youth from London (UK) walked from the Holy City of Najaf to the land of Karbala during Arbaeen 1435 to raise funds for The World Federation’s 'Community Upliftment Project' in Northeast Kenya.
The violent conflict in the Gaza Strip that began on 8 July 2014 and lasted through to the 26 August 2014 cease-fire has caused immense human suffering and devastation.
The World Federation of KSIMC hosted an event entitled the Human Rights Violations in Iraq in partnership with Al Ayn Social Care Foundation. A practical solution, is what The World Federation of KSIMC offered at the Human Rights Council side panel on the current crisis in Iraq.
‘Therefore offer prayer for your Lord, and do the sacrifice.’ (Quran 108:2). ‘Qurbani’ is Arabic for ‘sacrifice’ of an animal (usually a cow, sheep or goat) in the way of Islam whose meat is then distributed among the deserving for consumption.
‘It is not their flesh or their blood that reaches God. Rather, it is your God-wariness that reaches Him…’
(Holy Qur’an 22:37). The practice of Qurbani dates back to the time when God ordered Prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his only son...
The World Federation of KSIMC attended the 22nd Special Session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva to strongly advocate for greater support to the Internally Displaced People (IDPs) of Iraq and a long term solution to the current crisis.
The World Federation has launched the Iraq Relief Fund to assist those who have been internally displaced in Iraq. InshAllah, through your support, it is intended that The World Federation will provide basic necessities, such as food, clothing, blankets etc.
The conflict in Gaza has been ongoing for many years but the current situation is considered as one of the most dangerous yet. Since the start of the conflict on 7 July 2014, according to the UN, 1,274 Palestinians have been killed...
As Palestinian civilians continue to suffer from the ongoing attacks by the Israeli Defense Force in Gaza, the Commissioner-General of the UNRWA, Pierre Krahenbuhl made a statement on the recent deaths and injuries at an UNRWA school in Beit Hanoun in Gaza.
Palestine is living its gravest humanitarian crisis since the eight-day war of 2012. Since 7 July 2014, the violence and aggression escalating in the Gaza Strip has claimed the lives of so many innocent civilians and has injured and displaced scores of others.
This Ramadhan, The World Federation is once again inviting children and youth from around the world to join our 4th Annual Children Helping Children Campaign to raise awareness and donations for the Ramadhan Relief Fund.
In India, senior citizens are abandoned by their children because they can no longer afford to care for them. The World Federation supports these men and women with the aim of bringing dignity and peace of mind to our elderly.
The people of Iraq are undergoing extremely difficult times. With the escalating violence and the threat of war looming in the region, a humanitarian crisis is slowly unfolding leaving families worried about how their basic needs such as food, clothing and shelter will be met in the coming weeks.
Share this video with your family and friends to raise awareness about poverty and encourage others to make a contribution to The World Federation’s ‘Ramadhan Relief Fund 1435’. You can turn despair into hope so easily.
Nairobi Jaffery Academy is a private co-educational school in Nairobi, Kenya which provides excellence in education designed to meet the needs of individual students within a stimulating learning environment.
Ramadhan Relief in Iraq has started where food baskets have been prepared and are being distributed to families. The World Federation has sent a member of its own team to Iraq to assist with Ramadhan Relief efforts as well as to assess the overall humanitarian needs in the region.
In response to the crisis in Gaza, The World Federation is sending more aid to Gaza this Ramadhan. In this blessed and sacred month, we pray for the safety and well-being of all men, women and children living in the Gaza Strip who are affected by the ongoing violence.
As you read this article, a child is going to bed hungry. Watch this 2-minute video trailer on the true story of Kidawa and Mahdi, where one lives with hunger every day and the other doesn’t.
The World Federation’s Ramadhan Relief Program is in full swing in Mumbai, India where 1,440 food baskets containing basic grocery items are being delivered to sadaat and non-sadaat households for the month of Ramadhan.
The World Federation has sent a member of its own team to Iraq to assist with Ramadhan Relief efforts as well as to assess the overall humanitarian needs in the region.
This Ramadhan, The World Federation is once again inviting children and youth from around the world to join our 4th Annual Children Helping Children Campaign to raise awareness and donations for the Ramadhan Relief Fund.
As the Muslim world begins preparing for the Holy month of Ramadhan, the people of Sri Lanka will be welcoming this divine month in hardship after torrential rains caused flooding and mudslides across the island nation on 4th June 2014.
Since March 2013, efforts have been underway to arrange for food and aid distribution in Iraq for the Holy month of Ramadhan. However, since the development of the recent disturbing events, The World Federation has increased its humanitarian aid for the month of Ramadhan in Iraq.
Thanks to everyone’s generous support, we were able to distribute 376,750 GBP / 610,000 USD in various forms of aid including food baskets, iftaars, monetary assistance and debt relief.
Almost one-third of Bosnia has been affected after the worst flooding since modern records began. It has been confirmed that at least 35 people have died in Servia and Bosnia and about a quarter of Bosnia-Hercegovina’s four million people are without clean water.
In December 2013, the N2K Team, a group of youth from London (UK) walked from the Holy City of Najaf to the land of Karbala during Arbaeen 1435 to raise funds for The World Federation’s ‘Community Upliftment Project in Northeast Kenya’.
In November 2013, when Typhoon Haiyan devastated the Philippines, The World Federation launched a humanitarian appeal to raise funds to assist in the relief and recovery efforts. Donors from around the world responded and The World Federation raised $15,000 USD and The World Federation has partnered with the UNDP.
In March 2013, The World Federation launched the ‘Pakistan Genocide Appeal’ to raise awareness about and donations to care for victims and families of targeted killings in Pakistan.
The Al-Aqila Primary School is a Shia Muslim school in Najaf, Iraq which aims to provide excellence in education for the region’s orphan and non-orphan children.
The Ali Asghar Water Appeal is an ongoing initiative by The World Federation to provide access to clean water and sanitation facilities in areas of deprivation. In many parts of the developing world, women and children walk for miles to fetch drinking water.
In Pakistan’s Baluchistan province, The World Federation has identified 8 homeless families who since the 2010 floods have been living in makeshift shelters. 2 families are living in tents, 3 families are living in mud houses and 3 families are living in straw built dwellings. Our partner in Pakistan described the living condition of these families as “painful”.
Donations made to The World Federation’s PAKISTAN RELIEF FUND go a long way in helping those who live in severe poverty across Pakistan. Thanks to the support of donors from around the world, 21 new families comprising 139 individuals were gifted a new home complete with lavatory facilities across 7 villages in Pakistan’s subdivision of Tando Bago.
On 26 January 2014, students (ages 4 to 16) and staff of the Shia Ithna’Asheri Madressa (SIM) of Hujjat Stanmore united to fundraise to help Syrian refugees affected by the ongoing conflict.
In September 2013, communal riots broke out in India’s Muzaffarnagar town in Uttar Pradesh, displacing thousands of people who are now living in relief camps.
As our children head back to school after the long summer break, the start of a new academic year is often one many look forward to – it is an opportunity to meet friends, start in a new class and learn lots of new and exciting things!
In Tanzania, there is a serious shortage of desks and toilets in almost all village schools. This is a concern that needs to be addressed urgently for the safety and comfort of the children who attend these schools.
Imam al-Sadiq (as) said: “One of the things which gives one obligatory entrance into paradise and forgiveness is feeding a starving person,” then he went on to recite the verse of Allah in the Qur’an: “or feeding (the needy) on a day of starvation.”
On Saturday 21 September 2013, over 350 people attended ‘Dreaming a Destiny 2013’ - a play about the life of Prophet Yusuf (as) held in Vancouver, Canada. The production was put on by Vancouver’s own Madrasah Az-Zahraa and performed by the students themselves.
If one of our Shia goes for Imam Husayn (as)’s Ziyarat, then he will not return but all his sins will be forgiven. For every step that he or his mount takes, 1,000 virtues are written for him, 1,000 sins are forgiven and his status is elevated by a 1,000 degrees.' (Bihar al-Anwar, volume 101; Kamil al-Ziyaraat)
If you have been blessed with the opportunity to go to Iraq this Arba’een and are doing the walk from Najaf to Karbala, why not help fundraise for the poor and needy at the same time?
Many children living in the rural areas of Kenya only have a single meal a day. The excessive poverty level, the rising rate of inflation, and the lack of adequate rainfall all make it very difficult for parents to provide a balanced meal 3 times a day for their children.
In August 2013, The World Federation completed the construction of 25 new homes in Khairpur Nathanshah, District Dadu, Sindh province in Pakistan. 25 families spanning 9 different villages in this city spent the last two years living in ragged tents, mud homes and broken huts. These families lost all of their homes and belongings in the 2010 floods which swept through Pakistan.
Since the upsurge of the conflict in Syria (March 2011), more than 2.1 million Syrians have fled their homes only to take refuge in bordering countries or within Syria itself. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), over 600,000 people have escaped to Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq.
One of the initiatives of The World Federation is to support microfinance projects to encourage economic upliftment within our community. This is done in a number of ways including supporting new and existing businesses.
Kenya is one of the world’s 30 poorest countries, with more than half the country’s population living below the poverty line. In Northeast Kenya, this is especially the case where there is twice the relative poverty headcount and people suffer from poor infrastructure, low literacy and limited access to health care.
For many years, international and civil society organizations have been marking ‘World Toilet Day’ all over the world. However it was not until July 2013 that the United Nations officially declared 19 November as ‘World Toilet Day’. The objective of World Toilet Day is to make sanitation problems a global priority and bring about changes in behaviour and policy on issues ranging from improving water management to ending open defecation.
On Friday 8 November 2013, one of the most powerful storms on record struck the coast provinces of Leyte and Samar in the Philippines. The typhoon headed west, sweeping through six central Philippine islands while carrying winds of up to 235km/h with gusts of 275km/h and waves as high as 15m. Initial reports indicated that as many as 10,000 people may have died.
The World Wildlife Fund reported that by 2025, Pakistan will be on the brink of a major water shortage, with 33 percent less water than it needs. Already, too few dams exist to contain rainwater and millions of gallons flow out to sea each year. In 2010 and 2011 alone, it was reported that nearly 18 million gallons of water streamed out to sea. Today, millions of Pakistanis have no access to clean drinking water and farmers don’t have enough irrigation water to grow good crops.
This year several individuals, couples and families will be embarking on the spiritual journey of walking from Najaf to Karbala to commemorate Arba’een. These people from different parts of the world will unite to complete an 80km walk through war-torn Iraq from the holy city of Najaf to the land of Karbala. They shall walk for three days during the daytime with the scorching desert sun bearing down upon them and they will rest in the evenings in makeshift tents, when the blistering cold takes over as temperatures rapidly plummet.
3 years ago, in Muharram 1432, The World Federation launched the ’40 Islamic Centres in 40 Days’ Campaign to raise funds to rebuild Islamic Centres across Pakistan that were destroyed by flood waters.
One of the most blessed days in the Islamic calendar celebrated by Muslims across the world is the occasion of Eid al-Hajj. In 2013, this celebration took place in October.
On Thursday 7 November 2013, 4 shells were fired at the Shrine of Sayyidah Zaynab. One of the shells struck one of the minarets causing minor damage. Another hit the courtyard, injuring 30 people, 15 of which were women and children.
Since the upsurge of the conflict in Syria (March 2011), more than 2.1 million Syrians have fled their homes only to take refuge in bordering countries or within Syria itself. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), over 600,000 people have escaped to Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq.
The 2010 monsoon floods in Pakistan called for an urgent need for help in a crisis situation. Thanks to the generous, quick and ongoing support of donors from around the globe, The World Federation has been active in providing urgent aid, as well as long term support to the affected men, women and children whose lives were uprooted in a matter of minutes. These families lost their homes, their livelihood and in some instances, their loves ones.
At around 12:00pm on Saturday 21st September 2013, as people were shopping or having lunch at the upscale Westgate Shopping Centre in Kenya’s capital, between 10 to 15 militants said to be of Somalian descent opened fire on employees and customers. A children’s day programme was also being held at the time of the incident.