The government has begun distributing the date packs donated to the government of Maldives by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The Ministry of Islamic Affairs revealed that dates will be distributed through April 6.

As such, the date packs will be distributed from 9:30am to 12pm at the reception area of the Islamic Center.

Individuals are required to carry their national ID cards with them, when arriving at the Islamic Center to collect their date packs.

The ministry went on to reveal that they will be prioritizing the most vulnerable households after thorough analysis, in the process of distribution in cities and outlying atolls.

As such, priority will be given to the households registered as vulnerable households in the Islamic Ministry’s registry publicized in 1443. One pack of dates will be handed over to these families, before the ministry begins distributing the remaining date packs to the households that arrive to collect date packs, in order.

As one pack of dates will be distributed to each household, after distributing this year’s Saudi-gifted dates to vulnerable households, the remaining packs will be distributed at the rate of 26 packets each 100 households.

The ministry went on to reveal that dates will be distributed to the residents of the capital city, Malé and its suburban extensions Hulhumalé and Villimalé through the authority. However, island councils will be distributing dates across the outlying atolls, based off the list of households provided to the Islamic Ministry this year.

The Maldivian government received 50 tonnes of dates from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia this year.

In 2022, the ministry announced a financial assistance programme named “Zakat Nafaa” in collaboration with the Ministry of Economic Development.

Through the programme, authorities will be assisting the vulnerable households and those who have been registered as vulnerable families and individuals in the ministry’s registry, to meet their basic needs.

The five-year programme is being carried out under a set of policies and will also see expenses from the Zakat fund for allocated individuals, in a bid to create a more fulfilled community.

The kingdom of Saudi Arabia donated 25 tonnes of dates to the Maldivian government, last year as well as the year before.