Photo taken on April 9, 2023 shows ready-made iftar meals at the Al-Rahman charity kitchen in Cairo, Egypt. Dozens of volunteers of different ages were busy cooking, packing and preparing meal boxes as their charity kitchen distributes thousands of free meals every day across the capital Cairo during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.(Photo: Xinhua)

 

A volunteer shows ready-made iftar meals outside of the Al-Rahman charity kitchen in Cairo, Egypt, on April 9, 2023.(Photo: Xinhua)

 

Volunteers carry packed iftar meals outside of the Al-Rahman charity kitchen in Cairo, Egypt, on April 9, 2023. Dozens of volunteers of different ages were busy cooking, packing and preparing meal boxes as their charity kitchen distributes thousands of free meals every day across the capital Cairo during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.(Photo: Xinhua)

 

Volunteers pack iftar meals outside of the Al-Rahman charity kitchen in Cairo, Egypt, on April 9, 2023. Dozens of volunteers of different ages were busy cooking, packing and preparing meal boxes as their charity kitchen distributes thousands of free meals every day across the capital Cairo during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.(Photo: Xinhua)

 
Ramadan is a particularly busy month for Al-Rahman Kitchen, from where thousands of meals, all free of charge, are prepared and dispatched across the Egyptian capital of Cairo every day.

During the holy month, Muslims fast from dawn to sunset, without eating or drinking anything.

Al-Rahman Kitchen provides at sunset free iftar (fast-breaking) meals to fasting people who can't afford a decent meal in over 30 places in Cairo.

Mohamed Gamal Basiouny, an engineer and contractor who started the charity kitchen seven years ago, said that preparing so many meals daily is "a challenge," but is worth all the efforts when motivated by charity, benevolence and love for others.

"Each day is a challenge, for the kitchen prepares about 7,000 meals daily at a cost of about 350,000 Egyptian pounds (over 11,000 U.S. dollars). It's difficult to collect so much money every day, but we made it," Basiouny, nicknamed by friends as Jimmy, told Xinhua.

Both Jimmy and his friends contribute to the philanthropic endeavor, and also encourage others to donate. Some of the donors give ingredients of the meals while some others donate money, according to Jimmy.

"More than 300 or 400 people work in the kitchen every day. They are all volunteers. Only the 17 chefs are paid, yet their payment is less than the effort they make as they work round the clock," he added.

The kitchen is full of large cooking pots and trays of grilled chicken or cooked beef that will be later taken outside for packing in boxes along with cooked vegetables, rice or macaroni, juice and some dessert, before being loaded onto vehicles for distribution.

Despite the high inflation and rising prices in Egypt, Al-Rahman Kitchen did not cut the number of its daily iftar meals, according to Ahmed Samir Mansour, an owner of a chemical company who is in charge of purchasing and donation collection.

"Amid the rising prices, the number of our daily meals is the same or even outnumbered that of last year," Mansour said.

"I urge all people to do such charitable deeds. It is the best thing a person can do," he said.

Starting early in the morning, the volunteers work almost all day to be able to deliver the meals to fasting people before sunset. Some volunteers take a leave from work during Ramadan to join the charitable activity.

Maram El-Nadi, a graphic designer, has been volunteering in the kitchen for at least five years. She said her family and friends like the idea and those who can't come would donate money.

"My mom came (to the kitchen) before and she was impressed by the idea, the organization, the quality of food and everything. My friends call me every day to offer their help," she said.

"The kitchen expands year after year. We used to make fewer meals, but this year we've reached 7,000 or 8,000 meals daily," Yehia Ayman, a procurement specialist, told Xinhua.

Some children joined their parents or elder siblings to visit Al-Rahman Kitchen and helped with packing.

"I feel very happy here. The atmosphere is nice. Time runs so fast and work is so enjoyable that we don't feel tired although we're fasting," said Habiba Shawky, a 13-year-old preparatory school student.

"My friends and I are planning to gather a lot of volunteers from school to work here," the little girl said.