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Working as a radio presenter really does have its perks. Despite the fact that my Mum still thinks I sit in the studio and play and listen to music all day (sheโs just SO WRONG!) I love what I do and feel very satisfied at the end of the day when I go home and Iโve been told I did a good job.
A couple of weeks ago our Operations Director, Jasmine Postwalla sent all us presenters and email asking us which Friday we would be free to celebrate Iftar (the opening of the fast) at a listenerโs home. The idea was to ask our listeners to get in touch with us and invite us to their home to experience Iftar and weโd go bearing gifts from Bidco Oil Refineries, who have sponsored this, and also from East FM weโd take along with us snacks and dates so that the family who is hosting us does not feel they have to spend any money or have to go out of the way to entertain us. The whole idea was to just go to a listenerโs home bearing gifts and experience this holy moment of Iftar.
Last Friday was the first of these and Ruhila Adatia, Rajesh Dandha and I represented the East FM team and went to Amin Bukeraโs home after his invitation was accepted out of the many we received. His name was randomly picked out and I made a call to him on air to let him know we would be coming and Aminโs excitement and enthusiasm was bubbling through the phone. I quickly assured him that they would not have to do anything special to entertain us and that we would come bearing the gifts and celebrate Iftar with them.
Ruhila, Rajesh and I met up at Diamond Plaza, got some fresh snacks and drove off to the Bukera residence with our gifts and we were welcomed like royalty to their home. We were really touched and humbled that they welcomed us like that. Personally I was also very humbled that to them it did not matter what caste or creed I belonged to at all. I was welcomed into their home and family and was given a lot of love and respect that I was really moved.
We met Aminโs parents, his aunt who was visiting from Dar-Es-Salaam, brother, sister and not forgetting his lovely and rather shy wife and their beautiful three month old daughter. They also had a kasuku (parrot) who they said they got when the little girl was born so even the kasuku was three months old. They regaled us with tales of how he could call everyoneโs names and whistle and we were really amused.
While we were sitting there, Aleem Manji made a quick phone call to pass on his salaams to the family and to see how were getting along. This whole idea is Aleemโs brainchild and kudos to him for thinking up something to bring us closer to our listeners as one big happy family.
Gupz was in the studio and the Bukera family had the radio switched on and as soon as the Azaan (call to prayer) went out the Amin family broke their fast with dates and offered them to us as well. Then we were invited to the dinner table to partake a sumptuous spread they had put out for us, despite us insisting they didnโt have to do anything for us. Rajesh, Ruhila and I were treated like top-notch royalty and we had a fantastic time at the Bukera residence right up to the time they all piled out to wave us off when we left.
You, too, can invite the East FM family into your home to celebrate Iftar during the holy month of Ramadhan. All you have to do is send in a text to 4994, start your message with the word EAST and let us know youโd like us to visit your home or you could simply send an email to Ramadhan@eastfm.com. Please remember that we donโt want you to go out of your way at all. In fact the team will come bearing gifts into your home to say a great big thank you to you.
Ramadhan Kareem
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