“The passing of a person in the family is not an easy thing, and our whole objective is to make that as easy as possible,” declares Farhan Hussain.
Mr. Hussain is one of seven trustees who helped form a trust in Winsdsor, Canada dedicated to helping the local Muslim community with funeral expenses for loved ones. The goal is to provide both financial and emotional support to those in need.
According to the CBC, “The way it works is members pay into the trust, $100 for themselves and $20 for each of their dependents. There is a 90-day waiting period before a membership becomes active. In the case of a death, all the members split the cost of the funeral, up to $6,000.”
The group provides both the financial end of things and also support by coordinating the funeral arrangements for the grieving families. “I think that part is more difficult than even the financial part of it,” says Zafar Iqbal, who is part of the trust. “This is something that every community needs.”
For now, the trust is just open to members of the Muslim community in Windsor-Essex but organizers say that they are hopeful that their idea will inspire other groups.
