Dutch Volunteers Reunite Dying Moroccan Man With His Family Before Raising Money to Bring Him Home

For two weeks, no one came to his bedside. The Moroccan man, hospitalized in the Netherlands with heart failure, was seeing his health deteriorate without receiving a single visit. His doctor confirmed that he was isolated. Then one day, a hospital employee decided to alert a charity.

Contacted by the employee, volunteers from Stichting Lopende Liefdadigheid and Al Firdaus Uitvaartzorg went to the hospital. They found a man alone and severely weakened by illness. Their first step was to search for his relatives in Morocco.

They managed to reach his family in Marrakech. They had been worried for a long time, having heard nothing from him. The volunteers stayed by the patient’s side and accompanied him in his final days. According to their account, they recited the chahada, the Muslim declaration of faith, with him before he died.

1,900 euros short of bringing him back to Morocco

After his death, another difficulty arose. His funeral insurance had expired. The man had 2,400 euros in savings, while his funeral and repatriation to Morocco were expected to cost 4,300 euros. They were therefore 1,900 euros short.

The two organizations launched a fundraising appeal shared on LinkedIn, inviting everyone to contribute, even just one euro.

The fundraising effort quickly paid off. On Saturday, October 10, Stichting Lopende Liefdadigheid announced that the full amount needed had been raised. The fundraiser was immediately closed, and the organizers thanked the donors and everyone who had shared their appeal.

The volunteers now plan to carry out the ritual washing of the deceased, hold the funeral prayer and transport him to his family in Marrakech, where a private burial is planned. The date of his repatriation has not yet been announced.