Meet Tanya Ahmed, the Manchester student who’s feeding 600 people this Ramadan

A University of Manchester student is volunteering to help feed over 600 people during Ramadan.

Tanya, a 23-year-old student from Bolton, has volunteered to cook for her university’s Islamic Society, as well as provided meals for four local mosques.

She explained to The Manchester Tab what inspired her to help feed her community, including what Ramadan means on a wider scale.

The evening of February 28th marked the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan, a period wherein Muslims abstain from eating and drinking during the hours of daylight. Worshippers take one meal before sunrise, Suhoor, and another after sunset, called Iftar, to break the day long fast.

The practise of fasting, as one of the Five Pillars of Islam, allows for the individual to become closer to Allah. As a month of spirituality and reflection, the importance of community and charity in Islam is intensified during Ramadan.

A particularly admirable demonstration of this comes from Tanya Ahmed, who has plans to feed up to 600 people this Ramadan.

As well as providing meals for four local mosques, Tanya has also volunteered to cook for her university’s Islamic Society who frequently hold Iftar meals during the holy month. 

“Ramadan is so much more than just fasting”, Tanya told The Manchester Tab.

“In Islam, we believe everything is written, including provision. I’m a firm believer that it’s not me providing all this food for people; this was their provision, written by Allah, and I’m merely a source of delivering it to them”. 

Boasting an impressive 17,000 followers on TikTok, Tanya has a real passion for cooking; scroll down her page and you’ll find delicious halal recipes. 

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This feat requires much preparation, and when asked if she had any help on hand, Tanya earnestly explained how she prefers to work alone. She told The Manchester Tab: “In all honesty, I’m someone who likes to do things myself. Even when I’m cooking at home for my family, I hate when anyone comes into the kitchen: it almost ruins my flow!”

Adding that she has a good support system around her, Tanya added: “I’m forever grateful for my family and friends who I know are only one call away if need be, and I’ll for sure be calling them over if things get too much. But on the face of it, I’ll be doing it all myself.”

Tanya is funding the initiative personally but reports that many close to her have offered to contribute to ease the burden: “I honestly could not ask for a better support system”. 

In 2022, the Islamic Relief organisation reported that an estimated fifty percent of Muslims living in the UK are enduring poverty. The Resolution Foundation analysed that households are approaching a grand worse off, due to the rise in the cost of living.

Talking to the MEN, Tanya shared that this rise in instability is another motivating factor. “I want to help ease the burden for people who are fasting, particularly those who don’t have the resources”.

Across the course of Ramadan, Tanya has been continuing to post her recipe videos while documenting the process. You can find her on Instagram and TikTok.

Featured image via Instagram