-
Day of Dignity: Helping kids in Brooklyn go back to school ready
by Zana Sahyouni At Islamic Relief USA, we believe that everyone has a right to dignity, and that is one reason why, every year, we bring Day of Dignity events to communities around the United States. Day of Dignity creates an opportunity for caring individuals from diverse communities to provide services to their neighbors in need. Through Day of Dignity, IRUSA brings volunteers around the world together to distribute food, clothing, blankets, medical care, and other services. On Sep 10, 2022 APNA Brooklyn Community Center held their fifth annual IRUSA Day of Dignity “Back-to-School” event in Brooklyn, New York. APNA chief executive officer, Erum Hanif, brought the community together, with…
-
Pakistan is under water: how IRUSA is advocating for climate adaptation and resiliency
By Zana Sahyouni Monsoon rains, caused by rising temperatures related to climate change, have caused flash flooding across Pakistan including the areas of Balochistan, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Punjab, leaving over 33 million people in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. The death toll has surpassed 1,200, and more than 6,000 people have been injured according to Pakistan’s Natural Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). The floods caused damage to vital infrastructure including over 3,000 miles of roads and bridges, damaged or destroyed over 1 million homes, and caused over 800,000 livestock to perish. The damage is still not done—heavy rains are expected to continue, increasing the flooding even more in weeks to…
-
Connecting to the Community through IRUSA
By Zana Sahyouni Growing up in a post 9/11 world, Waseema felt like an outsider that was constantly facing racial discrimination by her peers in middle and highschool. The problems she faced ignited a desire in her to showcase how Muslims are good people. She searched for a Muslim community, and found herself at the International Learning Center Plus (ILCP) in Virginia. In between studying the Qur’an at ILCP, Waseema listened to her friends tell stories of the hardships their family members faced back home. She could not believe that so many people experienced impoverishment, displacement, and oppression in their home countries. Listening to these stories fueled Waseema’s motivation to…
