Emergency Aiding Blogs
IRUSA Emergency response includes the distribution of vital supplies to families in need of immediate relief, as well as long-term plans to help the needy.
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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…
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Islamic Relief in Asia – Our Commitment to Providing Relief to those in Need for Almost 30 Years
By Yusuf Azimi Since 1993, Islamic Relief has been working in Asia, committed to providing emergency relief and integrated programming to those in need. During this time, the region has experienced numerous floodings, landslides, droughts, earthquakes and recurrent disease outbreaks, as well as conflict and economic related disasters. Throughout that time, we’ve established a base in several countries throughout Asia, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, and Sri Lanka. Building teams on the ground capable of providing effective and efficient support rapidly, whenever a crisis arises. As we look towards our 30th year of working in Asia, we recognize that although considerable progress has been made, there are…
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Madness the Middle East
An overview of Middle East humanitarian affairs By Iqra Abid Hasan In the last three years, the situation in the Middle East has deteriorated significantly. There is a humanitarian catastrophe looming in places like Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, and Yemen. Skyrocketing poverty and economic collapse threatens families across the region. Not so long ago, uprisings and wars in the Arab world dominated the agenda at United Nations General Assembly meetings in New York. Almost all of those conflicts have apparently reached a stalemate with the exception of bursts of violence scattered across time. Therefore, the world’s attention has shifted to other global challenges such as the coronavirus pandemic and climate change,…
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Syria: Eleven Years Long
The eleven years since Syria fell The Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories and the Syrian Golan, as well as the impacts of COVID19, create a crisis within a crisis for millions of people living there. In the age of social media and interconnectedness, it would be a travesty to ignore the grim situation that is currently occurring in Syria. All that numerous Syrian children have known throughout their lives is war. These dismal conditions have adversely affected their psychological, physical, and social wellbeing, endangering the eventual fate of children who will one day need to rebuild Syria. Humanitarian groups are unable to access many conflict zones, and there is not…
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Cyclone Batsirai Carves Through Madagascar and Zambia
Sudden natural disaster claims lives and cues immediate response By Iqra Abid Hasan “We saw only desolation: uprooted trees, fallen electric poles, roofs torn off by the wind, the city completely under water.” – Survivor An island rocked Cyclone Batsirai has devastated Madagascar after barreling into the Eastern coastline of the island, bringing winds of up to 100 mph. So far, 20 people have been confirmed dead and 48,000 people have been displaced. However, the UN World Food Program estimates as many as 150,000 people may have lost their homes. The city of Mananjary, just north of where the cyclone hit land, has been left in ruins with electricity unavailable…
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Afghanistan Disaster, from The Ground
IRUSA President Anwar Khan returns from Afghanistan In 2021, the rapid shift of power in Afghanistan left a vacuum for chaos among many communities still in recovery from a decades long war occurring right outside their front doors. Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) filled airport landing strips and even went as far as hanging from airplanes scheduled to exit the country. The U.S. has welcomed over 70,000 refugees since. IRUSA has mobilized volunteers and family services resources to assist those experiencing losing home and homeland in such a rapid manner. Islamic Relief USA was one of the first humanitarian organizations to mobilize cultural competent resources for Afghans arriving as well as…
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Yemen in the Crosshairs
Airstrikes blanket communities and leave fatalities By Syrah Rahman The civil war that continues to devastate the people of Yemen has once more hit the headlines. Air raids in the cities of Hodaida and Sa’ada have killed over 70 people and left hundreds more wounded. This attack, the deadliest in the region in over two years, has left aid agencies horrified at the disregard for civilian lives and infrastructure in a crisis that has been dubbed the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. An escalation in the crisis A recent escalation in the conflict that has been going on for more than six years resulted in the strike on January 21. Amongst…
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Aiding Kentucky after Tornado Outbreak
Disaster Management teams rally to assess and aid survivors The evening of December 11, 2021 held an eerie stillness to it across Kentucky. For nearly 2 days consecutively, an outbreak of tornadoes cleared blocks, crashed against homes, and put communities under arrest. A total of over 65 tornadoes touched down. With over $18 billion dollars in damages, residents have to now face the stark reality that rebuilding will be a cumbersome process. They also have to deal with the emotional toll of losing loved ones and neighbors. The punishing tornadoes claimed the lives of over 90 people. IRUSA is among several humanitarian agencies to deploy to the ground level…
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We’re #GivingTuesday to Refugees.
This #GivingTuesday we want refugees to have a safe winter Many of us saw the tears roll down the faces of Ethiopian mothers, sisters, aunts, and daughters while they exited their homes to escape certain persecution. The droves of people that left on foot with whatever they could grab deserve a fighting chance to survive and rebuild. Over 1.5 million Ethiopians We also saw in Afghanistan, a regime change so concerning to thousands of communities that men were willing to stand in front of planes that were evacuating refugees. For those who are still displaced within Afghanistan, they now face a winter notorious for its brutality. We think of these…
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Oct. 23 Proclaimed ‘Islamic Relief USA Day’ by Harris County Commissioner
Proclamation made during the Grand Opening ceremony of IRUSA’s Houston facility and Day of Dignity event. The City of Houston has a lot going for it. A vibrant downtown, great diversity (Muslims will feel very welcome with its numerous halal restaurants and mosques), and relatively low gas prices (just $2.89 per gallon of regular unleaded at one Mobil station not too far from the George Bush Intercontinental Airport). Now, the city has something else to celebrate; a new Islamic Relief USA building. The nonprofit humanitarian and advocacy organization held a grand opening ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 23, for its new volunteer dormitory on Lee Road in North Houston. The facility…
