Students, staff from school funded by Siti and hubby’s foundation safe in south Gaza

SHAH ALAM: Singer Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza Tarudin (pic) is grateful that all the students and staff of the Afwa Al Afiyah school in Gaza, Palestine, which was developed through the Nurjiwa Foundation established by she and her husband, have arrived safely in the south of Gaza.

She said that for the time being, donations from Malaysians can still be channelled through the foundation, as the representative, Dr Mohanad – who is also her acquaintance – is safe and able to handle it.

She said that she and her husband, Datuk Seri Khalid Mohamad Jiwa, were focussing on providing basic needs, including food, clean water and blankets, for the people in Palestine via the foundation.

“The school has more than 100 students, some as young as five years old, with a staff of more than 10 who are still continuing their duties, which are now focused on charity work for the people in the south of Gaza,” she said while appearing in the Bizjihad programme, hosted by the Selangor Zakat Board, here on Tuesday (Nov 14).

Executive chairman of Capital A, Datuk Kamarudin Meranun, also participated in the programme, which was held to share for them to share their experience in their respective fields regarding the importance and obligation of paying zakat and the merits of almsgiving.

Siti Nurhaliza also said that Dr Mohanad had informed them before they leaving for the south of Gaza, that the Afwa Al Afiyah school was still safe from bomb blasts or attacks.

“In the two years that this school has been operating, it has provided shelter to mostly orphans.

“However, even though Nurjiwa Foundation is not as big as other charitable organisations, we are able to provide aid directly to the children there,” she said tearfully.

The number of casualties, due to the continuous attacks from Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip since Oct 7 has exceeded 11,540, including more than 8,000 women and children, while another 28,200 have been injured, according to the Palestinian health ministry on Monday.

Siti Nurhaliza said apart from aid for the Palestinian people, the Nurjiwa Foundation, which was established in 2006, also helps flood victims, the asnaf group, and schooling and medical assistance for the underprivileged in Malaysia. – BK