by Zana Sahyouni Europe is often thought of as a continent of wealth and prosperity, but the reality is that poverty is a significant problem in many European countries.  One in five Europeans experience at least one form of poverty, and research shows Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo, and North Macedonia – four of the five European countries Islamic Relief works in – are among the poorest nations. One in four say they are in a precarious situation, and that one unexpected expense could push them into poverty. Winter’s plummeting temperatures only exacerbate the situation, making the struggle for survival more difficult.  The Perception of Poverty Poverty is often viewed as a…

by Zana Sahyouni For Islamic Relief USA, Martin Luther King Jr Day is a Day of Service – to mark the birthday of the activist and civil rights leader, we focus on engaging staff and volunteers to do service work. This “day on, not day off,” gives us an opportunity to reflect on the ongoing fight for racial equality and social justice, while also taking action to make a positive impact in our communities. This year, are commemorating the whole weekend with six major service events: at Masjid Hamza in Houston, TX,  we will package 1,000 food kits; at Episcopal High School in Alexandria, VA, 440 student volunteers and 70…

Islamic Relief USA hosted a Refugee and Recent Immigrant convening on Dec. 6-7, the first in-person meeting since 2019 on December 06-07. It brought  together 28 agencies that work with refugees and recent immigrants.  Some of the notable speakers from the event included IRUSA’s CEO Sharif Aly; US State Department Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration Program Office, Kiera Berdinner; Immigration and Criminal Defense Lawyer, Hassan Ahmad; and Director of Social Services at Dar Al-Hijrah Community Center, Stacey Picard.  The event began with Kiera Berdinner discussing the US Reception and Placement (R&P) assistance program. This program, managed by the US State Department Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM), provides…

by: Syed Hassan Islamic Relief USA held its 6th annual Partnership Gala on Wednesday, December 7th, an event that served as an opportunity to thank the many refugee resettlement organizations it has collaborated with over the past year.  “We’re very blessed to bring you all here together,” said Christina Tobias Nahi, director of IRUSA’s Public Affairs and Research Advocacy Department. “We wanted to honor [the agencies] for the very difficult work they do. It is a dedication to those on the front lines.” She mentioned a successful program at the University of Denver, where students in hospitality learn to work with immigrants and refugees to obtain culinary skills for employment.…

Winter Weather and Global Poverty The high cost of food and fuel prices make it difficult for those living in poverty to survive harsh winters. Often, families are forced to choose between feeding their families or keeping them warm. Islamic Relief works year-round to build programming that helps vulnerable people around the world. Our winter kits vary from country to country, and include anything from food aid to household items such as blankets, kerosene heaters, and winter clothing.  Islamic Relief’s Dedication to Winter AidIn 2021, Islamic Relief served over 298,000 people across 14 countries. And over the next three years, we will be working to provide winter relief to vulnerable…

By Dania Qureshi Growing up, I always saw Islamic Relief (IR) advertisements portraying war-torn countries and families yearning for help. I never really witnessed any calamities myself, but I always wanted to shelter these children and families so they could feel safe and worthy. Although, since I was still studying and had no steady income, I couldn’t help them this way— I could only volunteer and make small donations.  My father was looking for volunteer opportunities when I saw a flyer for the IRUSA Meal Pack event on Sunday, November 13 at Brighter Horizons Academy in Garland, Texas.  I felt the need to participate. My mother accompanied me to a…

IRUSA Wants you to Go Vote in Every Election A Town Hall Discussion By Christina Tobias-Nahi and Aseel Elborno  On October 30, 2022, Islamic Relief USA, in partnership with Poligon and MakeSpace, hosted a Midterms Get Out the Vote Town Hall as part of our Go Vote Advocacy Campaign (irusa.org/govote). The goal of the event was to create an inclusive, safe space for Muslim community members to address issues they care about and discuss their participation in this year’s election. We hoped to ensure that attendees are ready and have a plan to vote. The panel was moderated by Wardah Khalid, founder of Poligon Education Fund, a national civic education…

by Muhammad Niyaz Islamic Relief’s legacy in Pakistan dates back to 1992. Right now, we’re on the ground working to help survivors of the floods and ensure long-term support. Upwards of 550,000 people have been assisted with immediate needs including food, water, hygiene kits, emergency shelter, and cash assistance.  In October, I had the honor of going to Pakistan with Islamic Relief USA (IRUSA) President, Anwar Khan, to assess the situation and provide immediate relief.  In Pakistan, we took a 35 minute boat ride to the village Fateh Khan Gadehi. The ride there was eerie – what was once agricultural land looked like miles and miles of lakes, with some…

East Africa Emergency By Nabeeha Shah The threat of famine looms over countries across East Africa including Somalia, Kenya, and Ethiopia as conflict drought have left nearly 20.5 million people without food. The number is projected to increase to between 23 and 26 million by February 2023 if immediate action isn’t taken. Over 8.9 million livestock, a main source of food and livelihood for farming communities across the region, have perished. The struggle to find food and water has forced hundreds of thousands of people across the region to migrate in order to survive, further escalating the crisis. The impact of the war in Ukraine is also a particular cause…

Hurricane Ian By Samiya Majid My motivation for wanting to be a doctor [isn’t traditional.] Instead, it comes from my desire to be a more helpful volunteer. I’ve always loved volunteering. I think it just made me feel useful and more fulfilled in my heart. In middle school, I would spend my lunches going to the library to help organize the books. My [desire] to [become] a doctor came from watching videos of Doctors Without Borders and seeing the incredible work they did, [and imagining] the fulfillment [they] felt. I knew I wanted to do [something similar] with my life, but I stuck to local volunteer opportunities, and hoped for…