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An Eye Toward Progress in Mali and Niger
We all know that Islamic Relief USA supports a lot of projects, mainly through financial assistance and volunteers. It’s always feels good to hear about the good work that is being done. However, seeing the progress being made on the ground must no doubt be gratifying. As I was listening to my colleague, Bilal Aslam, describing his first-hand account of work being performed by Islamic Relief in the countries of Niger and Mali, you couldn’t help but a feel a sense of accomplishment for the organization and its mission. Both Niger and Mali have deep pockets of poverty, especially in their villages. Bilal explained that Niger, for one, is ranked…
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Receptive United Nations Delegation Kept Islamic Relief On Its Toes
By: Syed M. Hassan As a member of the Public Affairs Department for Islamic Relief USA, I, along with my colleagues, have the enviable task of presenting a good and accurate portrayal of our humanitarian work. Granted, it’s not easy. People of influence can be hard to sway, and the traction you hope to gain is fleeting. Sometimes, you feel knocked down because your results fall far short of the effort you put in. But you gotta keep trying. As the late boxer and fellow Muslim Muhammad Ali said, “Ain’t nothing wrong with going down…it’s staying down that’s wrong.” You got to keep punching. Sooner or later, it will have…
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Myanmar Refugees: Stories from the Field with Imam Khalid Latif
Imam Khalid Latif shares realtime stories from his visit to Bangladesh with Islamic Relief USA. There, he met refugees from Myanmar and heard their harrowing stories. 500,000 refugees have fled Myanmar, and the number continues to rise with thousands pouring into the camps every day. Read parts of his journey below, and be a part of the relief effort here: www.launchgood.com/Aid4Myanmar. The Visible Hunger “Sometimes we eat nothing for days.” I didn’t know that it was possible to actually see hunger instead of just feeling it. But walking around the refugee camps in Bangladesh these past few days, I’ve learned otherwise. This is what real hunger looks like. Let’s show the…
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Beyer Encourages Islamic Relief to Stay Strong
Rep. Don Beyer, who represents Virginia’s 8th Congressional district, which includes the city of Alexandria, stopped by on Sept. 15 at Islamic Relief USA‘s headquarters to give a morale boost. “It’s a great pleasure to be here,” he said. Like many times when a political figure comes into contact with his constituents, Beyer struck a positive tone. He lauded the organization for the great humanitarian work it does and for standing on its principles. And if there was any doubt Islamic Relief USA is located in an undesirable locale, he quickly dispelled those perceptions. Beyer said his congressional district is among the most educated and wealthy in the country. As…
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Unity Walks Puts a Spotlight on People Who Hate Hate
There was plenty of physical sunlight present during the afternoon of Sunday, Sept. 10. But as hundreds of people gathered for the annual Unity Walk at the Washington Hebrew Congregation on Macomb Street NW, another type of light had shone. Just ask Rabbi Bruce Lustig. “Hatred doesn’t have the power to include intelligence and discernment,” he told a crowd of hundreds gathered in the synagogue’s auditorium before commencing the walk. “Love does! The face of America is when we come together. We’re here to bring light.” It’s the light that shines when people of different faiths, socioeconomic backgrounds, and walks of life come together to stand up to, and perhaps…
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A Firefighter in Houston: Rescuer and Evacuee
Firefighter Irfan Mujeebuddin in Houston lived through Hurricane Harvey from two perspectives at once — both as a rescue worker and an evacuee. Irfan was on shift at the fire station the Sunday night after the hurricane struck Texas. A tornado had taken the roof off a friend’s home, but the winds had died down. “It was almost a sigh of relief that there were some damages that were sustained but we made it through,” he said. That is, until they realized the worst was still to come—floodwaters, rising slowly but relentlessly. ‘A Very Tough Night’ Irfan lives west of Houston, a stone’s throw from two dams that protect the downtown…
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A Day Off for Eid and a Special Meal — It’s a Luxury
In the U.S., most families try to take the day off of work and school for Eid to make it more special. This Eid, think about what a luxury that is. Because for Saleha, taking off would make the day less special. Saleha, in Bangladesh, goes to work on Eid like she does any other day. If she were to take off, the family would celebrate by having even less to eat. Saleha’s husband is too old and sick to work, and her son-in-law passed away, so she supports her family of seven all alone by working as a maid. They need the money she earns each day—about $1.85 to…
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IRUSA partners with the Delaware Food Bank – One BackPack at a Time
By Christina Tobias-Nahi Just a couple hours north of Islamic Relief USA headquarters is soon to be the largest food bank in the nation. As IRUSA has been sponsoring a project there, a few staff set off to see for themselves how this small state is tackling a hunger problem effecting 114,000 residents, primarily children and the elderly. Run by Patricia Beebe, a self-avowed throwback from the 60s who has been at the helm for two decades, the first thing you notice when arriving is all the bright, cheery tie-dye colors – on the staff T-shirts, buildings, and the cars parked in the lot. There is also a similarly bright…
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No Money, No Honey: Reflections from the UN Women’s Conference
You know that old saying where women do the house work and the guy brings home the bacon? As a single woman, I cannot relate. As a woman raised predominantly by a single mother, I cannot relate. As a Muslimah, I cannot relate because bringing home bacon is a turn off. However, I can relate to the value of a woman’s participation in the household and the greater economy. It’s 2017 and here we are still debating women’s issues, let’s not go down the rabbit hole of women of color, young girls, or equal pay. Fact is, it’s 2017, why is this still even in question? Well, the simplest answer…
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Alternative Spring Break: College Students Giving Back in Flint
Masouna Kochaji is a Communications Coordinator at IRUSA. She recently attending Alternative Spring Break in Flint, MI and shares her experience with ReliefLab. In early March, I was sent to Flint, Michigan to accompany Howard University students on an alternative Spring Break. Having only heard stories of the conditions in Flint, I was anxious to see what the situation would be. The Howard students would be spending an entire week at various schools in Flint, and work with local students and staff in the classroom. While the students were going to support the community for a week, I’d only be on this trip for two days…and what I saw in those…
