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Dear Aleppo…
IRUSA’s Mayssoun Olabi is from Aleppo, Syria. In the aftermath of the recent attacks, she shares a reflection. Today I woke up with a heavy heart. My usual, happy disposition was muted by images that played over in my head, and sounds that echoed off the walls of my heart. My whole body ached. And though I was deeply upset, I needed to show the world that everything was okay. I needed to show my children. I needed to show myself. Forcing a smile on my face, I went about the morning as usual: Wake up, kids! Brush-your-teeth-comb-your-hair-get-ready-for-school. Eat your breakfast. I smiled as my 7-year-old daughter, Mariam, asked me…
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70% of the World Is Water — But So Often, There’s Not a Drop to Drink
When you think of places where girls have to walk for hours to carry back water, you might tend to think of hot, dry regions of Africa. But water shortages can happen anywhere in the world—from remote villages in Albania to cities right here in the United States. Schoolchildren learn that water covers 70% of the planet—it sounds so plentiful. But the fresh water we drink and use in our homes and on our farms only makes up 3% of the world’s water. And most of that is unavailable—locked up in frozen glaciers or otherwise inaccessible. So providing clean water is more difficult than it might sound at first glance.…
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My People of Syria — I’ll Keep Sharing Your Stories
For five years I have watched my people lose their homes and lives to war. For five years I have watched as they scattered around the world in search for safety. From country to country, refugee camp to refugee camp, year after year. For five years, in six different countries and in dozens of camps, I have witnessed first-hand the effects of war and conflict on the people from the same nation my mother, grandmother and her mother were born in—Syria. I’ve seen my fellow Syrians in Lebanon, living in makeshift homes wherever they could find, a masjid construction site, a building boiler room and a leather factory near the…
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Celebrating Unseen Strength on International Women’s Day
When you think of the word “strong,” who do you think of? A muscular man, lifting weights … fixing a road with heavy machinery … carrying bricks to build a big wall? That’s physical strength, yes. But so often, strength looks like this: It’s Mina Bibi, cleaning a clinic in Pakistan for $10 a month to support her four daughters after losing her husband. And then an earthquake destroys her house, and she has to pick up the pieces for them, all alone. That’s strength. Strength is Naza, surviving World War II and the war in Bosnia, losing her husband, seeing her village burned down, then starting over in a…
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Just a Day at the Masjid With Obama
This is the story of how Naeem Muhammad, IRUSA Community Outreach Manager, didn’t quite get to emcee for President Obama, but had an amazing day at an historic event in his home city of Baltimore. Story as told to IRUSA writer Lina Hashem. I got the call on Tuesday, early morning. A good friend from Baltimore called me and asked, “Where are you?” My friends know I travel a lot for Native Deen or for relief work. I said, “I’m home, I just got back from Flint, and I’m going to the office.” He said, “They’re looking for you — they want you to emcee the event tomorrow. The White…
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Flint Water Poisons Americans, Neighbors Come To Rescue
You know what’s not worth saving money? Giving children brain damage. When news broke that high levels of lead had been poisoning the residents of Flint, MI, since April 2014, it was already too late. How did this happen in the first place and how do we fix it?
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How Electrocuting Cold Can Make You Selfish
Drop the whimsical holiday songs and chunky sweater ads – The force of frozen air on my face this December morning was electrocuting. I think I saw a fox huddling over a manhole cover like it was a radiator (Public Service Announcement: From now until March, please check under your tires for curled up kittens).
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A Guy Like You, On the Warmer Side Of Winter
Nada: Saba, thanks for taking the time to talk with us more about your involvement in Islamic Relief USA’s winter campaign. As you know the campaign has taken a non-traditional approach to help raise funds for brothers and sisters around the world who’ll be struggling to keep warm this winter, especially refugees. What were your initial thoughts about getting involvCan you share your warmth this winter?ed in this campaign? Did you think it was a good idea?
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Arab Idol Star Mohammad Assaf Talks Hope And Help in Gaza
“Let me explain to you that, living the life of a Gazan is a life of simplicity,” started the young Arab Idol star and UNRWA Goodwill Ambassador Mohammad Assaf, “Where the biggest worry is to find security for your children throughout the day.”
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Faucets With Clean Water Just in Time In Gaza
“Water is the life of everything. I tell you, we can live without electricity, but we can’t live without water,” said Sabah. She lives in one of the most densely populated places on Earth with three young children and an older son: She lives in Gaza.
