For many fundraisers, completing a 10km challenge would be enough of a task in aid of charity. Add to that, no food and drink for 19 hours, and you have Nazim Ali’s Ramadan Run.
The 35-year-old, a Careers Advisor form Bradford, has raised over £63,000 for charity for a whole plethora of humanitarian causes in recent years – through running several marathons to leg-busting mountain treks.
On Sunday 3rd July, for the third consecutive year, Nazim will take on a 10km run whilst fasting, as he heads to Gateshead for the Great North Run.
The challenge will be both physically and mentally draining for the charity champion as he will have no access to water or food.
However, Nazim said his struggle is ‘nothing in comparison to the plight of the Syrian Refugees’.
For the first time in Nazim’s life, he will not attend the special meditation programme at the Masjid on the night before the race.
He said: “The night of the 2nd July will mark the holy night of 27th Ramadan. For many Muslims, worship during this night alone is better than 1,000 months. It is a personal sacrifice on my part to not be at my local Masjid.
“I will be spending the night in my hotel room in preparation for my run on the Sunday morning. For the last two years whilst fasting, I have ran the Leeds 10K but unfortunately this year’s race is after Ramadan, hence the reason I have entered the Great North 10K.”
Nazim is raising funds for Syrian refugees, having completed aid visits to the refugee camps in recent years.
Hundreds of thousands of Syrian children have become orphaned because of the five year war in their country, which shows no signs of ending.
Many have lost their parents to the conflict and others have witnessed horrific crimes a child should never have to experience.
“Their accounts from my recent aid trip really moved me to continue supporting them. It was heart breaking seeing the sadness on their faces,” Nazim added.
Nazim visited Syria in 2006 on a personal holiday with two other friends and was taken aback at the wonderful hospitality he received from the Syrian people.
He said: “I am greatly saddened by what is currently happening in the country so I thought I’d make my small contribution with the general public’s support.
“SKT Welfare is working with local networks on the ground to identify and help vulnerable families, who can’t get into refugee camps due to overcrowding, and provide them with essential food, household and medical aid.”
During this Ramadan, Nazim is aiming to raise £10,000 to support Syrian orphans for one year in the Springs of Hope Orphanage and Family Centre in the Turkish and Syrian border town of Reyhanli.
“I was there only three weeks ago for the Ramadan Deployment,” he said.
“There are approximately 149 Syrian Orphans and countless widows residing here.
“The charity has permission from the authorities to bring another 30 Syrian orphans from war torn Syria in the coming months.”
People can sponsor Nazim through www.justgiving.com/nazim009
