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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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Mental Health May
Mental Health Awareness Month By Nabeeha Shah According to the World Health Organization (WHO), mental health conditions are increasing worldwide. Maintaining good mental health is essential to well-being. When you’re mentally healthy, you’re able to feel good about yourself, enjoy life and the people in it, and deal with stress Mental Health Awareness Month was launched to help fight the stigma around mental health and raise awareness. This year, the Mental Health of America is focusing on educating the public about the importance of mental health and providing support to those who may need it most. Good mental health is essential to well-being. Mental Health in Islam Sahl bin ‘Abdullah,…
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Climate Change, Conflict, and Catastrophic Famine: How Global Events Are Affecting Families Across the Horn of Africa and How the IR Community is Helping
By Yusuf Azimi The Horn of Africa is once again on the verge of a catastrophic famine, with fears that the worst drought the region has faced in decades could be set to continue. Which, according to the World Food Program (WFP), has up to 20 million people in Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, Sudan, and South Sudan at risk of famine. Recent rainfall has been sparse and all signs point to a below average rainy season once again in the region, which would mean that for the past four years an adequate rainy season has not materialized, plunging the region into its worst drought in decades. With COVID-19 and the war in…
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What Flat Tires Can Teach Us About Being One Community
"Though the cir
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On World Poverty Day, Let’s Do All We Can to Mitigate Suffering
At Islamic Relief USA, every waking hour is devoted to reducing poverty. That’s why it was unusual when I learned there was a particular day dedicated to this cause. According to the United Nations, October 17 is International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (also known as World Poverty Day). The UN first declared this day back in 1992. While much progress has been made in the standard of living for many people in many nations around the world, poverty, if not extreme poverty, unfortunately remain common. In the United States alone, there are some 38 million people living in impoverished conditions. To combat this, Islamic Relief USA conducts many…
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100 Kilometers through the Desert
I thought the desert was just sand dunes, but fast realized that it was rocky, mountainous, flat, hilly, vast, and much more. Our trek was challenging, no doubt. We covered a lot of ground within a short amount of time and camped along the way. We lived in the desert for four days, away from the comfort of our daily lives. And, surprisingly, being detached from the world made me more physically, spiritually, and emotionally connected. I journeyed physically through the desert understanding the capacity of my own body and pushing myself to my limits. I journeyed emotionally understanding my own self, my limitations, my presence, my weaknesses, and my…
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Disasters Serve As Tests of Strength…In More Ways Than One
It’s always rewarding to be part of the solution, alleviating the woes of the people who were severely impacted by the major weather events. Last year, it felt as if one disaster didn’t complete unleashing its wrath before another one took place in some other part of the U.S. Fortunately, Islamic Relief USA, a humanitarian and advocacy organization that works in more than 40 countries, lent a hand in the aftermath of many of these catastrophic, and often life-changing events. Thanks to our relatively new Disaster Response Team (DRT), the organization, which will mark its 25th anniversary later this year, was able to have an on-the-ground presence and help people…
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Survival Is Important, but so Is Livelihood
25th Anniversary Development Spotlight: Europe Islamic Relief offices around the world undertake many noble projects around the world. But one area that doesn’t get enough attention is the Balkan region. A curious fact, considering that IRUSA was founded to respond to the suffering in the Bosnian war in 1993. Ismail Saif, manager of International Programs for Islamic Relief USA, recently visited three nations in the Balkans – Albania, Bosnia and Kosovo. All of them have Islamic Relief field offices that launched various livelihood projects. Many of them have yielded positive results and in some cases, exceeded initial projections. But, the unfortunate reality is, many of them have been halted or…
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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…
