The Old Town Soup Kitchen in Sarajevo is usually a busy place, but especially during the Muslim holy day of Eid al-Adha, or Kurban Bayram. It provides food for anyone in need, regardless of ethnic background or religion.
“Nationality isn’t an issue here throughout the year, and especially not for Bayram. The rule is to give to whoever reaches out his hand in need,” Zilha Seta, locally known as ‘Aunt Zilha’, who runs the Old Town Soup Kitchen told N1.
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“We don’t ask for names or surnames, all we have is a person in front of us. Yesterday, on the first day of Kurban Bayram, we provided 50 tons of meat for four soup kitchens,” she said.
Kurban Bayram is the second of two major Islamic holidays celebrated worldwide each year, with Eid al-Fitr being the other. It honours the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God's command.
Before Abraham could sacrifice his son, God provided a lamb to sacrifice instead.
Muslims commemorate this intervention by sacrificing an animal and dividing it into three parts – one to keep for home, one to give to relatives and the third to the poor.
Many bring their portion for the poor to the Old Town Soup Kitchen.
Seta said that her soup kitchen provides for 1023 people in need regularly and that there is enough meat to last until the end of the year.
“Thank God and the media, if it wasn’t for you we would be long gone,” she told the reporter.
Seta has been working in this soup kitchen for nearly 30 years and she said it is not difficult for her.
“I was in the kitchen yesterday before Sabah (the early morning) and throughout the day, and it is nice. It's not hard for me,” she said.
But Seta plans to retire soon.
“I plan to finish this year, with God’s blessing. I've been here since 1992 and didn't take a day of vacation since then, I have not spent even one Bayram with my family,” she said, adding that she also wishes to do the Hajj, the holy Muslim pilgrimage and that she saved up money for it.
