1

VOLUME 2 | ISSUE 8 | MAY 2014

A quarterly overview of what we’ve been doing together

Give Freedom

Congratulations from the MA team

Jummah at HMP Holloway

Islamia Primary raise money

Hope through conflict

The big clean-up

A little soul food

Family fun day for plight of Syria

Central African Republic response

Nia’s story

Voices from the Field

MA delivers cleft lip operation camp in Bangladesh

Winter Campaign extends its reach overseas

Development for BeginnersRefugees

Feed The Fasting feedback 2013:How your donations helped

Ramadan live appealTune in & support us

MA team reache IDP’s within Syria

What does Freedom mean to you?

Spotlight on Ahmad Teladia

Syria 2013 our reach

Dig a Well

A big Thank You

By Zahra Said

54

With Ramadan almost approaching, it feels just like the other day we were observing the holy month. Naturally, we

reflected upon the year gone by. In one year, so much has happened and a lot accomplished. Our mission is to serve

humanity, and in 2013, we tested this on another level; it was a year that gave us an opportunity to connect with our

donors in a big way when we asked our supporters to be the change for those who need it the most. This meant actively

encouraging our donors to really get involved.

From emergency aid given to refugees desperate to stay alive, to the livelihood opportunities

for the poor to empower themselves and the long-term development programmes giving

communities a lifeline; you became their hope, their change. And what better way to measure

this success than by the generous donations received.

Thanks to you, we raised £4.2 million during Ramadan. Our Feed the Fasting programme

drew over £374,000 in donations. This meant we could feed over 252,900 people from the

most vulnerable communities worldwide. Over half a million people benefitted from our

water and sanitation programmes last year. Our Dig A Well programme proved to be

success. In 2013 alone, we constructed 729 wells allowing people access to safe drinking water.

We want 2014 to reflect the transition from Change to Freedom. It’s all about

empowering communities to take charge of their own lives; freedom to work,

freedom to eat, freedom to education. We want the poorest communities to

equip themselves with the tools to become self-reliant so that they have the

freedom to life’s basic necessities, such as access to free healthcare, a livelihood,

skills training, education, food and water – things many of us may take for

granted.

At Muslim Aid, we deliver programmes such as microfinance, food security

and education in order to give communities a chance to live their life free from

poverty, disease and hunger.

Our donors ultimately hold the key to this process. They have the power to transform the world they want to live

in. With the success of last year’s Ramadan campaign it was clear that many wanted to see change. Our resolve to

empower the lives of the poor won’t falter and we hope you’ll continue to be a part of the journey this Ramadan and

beyond, Insh’Allah.

Amina Rafique, Editoramina@muslimaid.org

Ramadan Mubarak

76

Congratulationsfrom the MA team

A big congratulations to Br. Hamid Azad who has been appointed

the new CEO of Muslim Aid. He replaces Syed Sharfuddin who

retired after being CEO since 2010. A special mention also goes

to Br. Shuaib Yusaf who was recently appointed as Muslim Aid’s

Assistant CEO. He was previously general manager at the Muslim

charity Al-Khair Foundation. May Allah (SWT) grant them success

and bless them in their new journey.

Ameen

“Christians, atheists, Muslims and the police,” read the

status of Sunbury Flood Volunteers’ Facebook page on

Saturday 22 March. It continued: “Where else, other

than Sunbury Flood Volunteers would you find that?!”

Indeed, one sunny Saturday morning in March, the

Muslim Aid team, Sunbury Flood Volunteers and two

local members of the police force who happened to be

passing, came together to assist with the big clean-up of

Sunbury-on-Thames.

Earlier this year, the area had experienced flooding,

where homes and property had been submerged under

water. In its aftermath, the flood had left residents with

damaged and contaminated property – “I’ve lived here

36 years and it’s never been as bad as this,” said one

elderly resident who had been forced out of her home.

Founder of the local volunteer clean-up group Sunbury

Flood Volunteers, Alison Griffith, said the effort was

due largely for elderly residents, who were at higher risk

of injury – “we’ve had quite a bit of falls,” she said.

“This is a major thing at the moment – getting paths

clear for the older people.”

Having formed a small group on Facebook, Alison

helped gather local residents. Initially complete

strangers, all had one united aim to help the community

recover from the distress of the floods. On discovering

Muslim Aid, the team increased to around 40 strong

members. Equipped with shovels and broom sticks, the

collective helped to remove damaged and unsafe items

away from public pathways and properties, whilst also

cleaning riverbanks and pavements of silt, which had

made certain areas unsafe for walking.

“It’s great being so multicultural!” said Jessey, a local volunteer. “It’s nice to see people come from so far away to help us.” Through sun, rain and even hail, the team were glad to be of assistance.

[ The Muslim Aid team don their walking boots for Sunbury ]

The bigclean-up!

By Nur Hannah Wan

98

As part of UK Development Programmes, Muslim

Aid’s Prisoners Project provides support to hundreds

of Muslims across the UK that are striving on the

path to rehabilitation. Last year, Muslim Aid provided

prisoners with packs that included Qurans, prayer

mats and prayer clothing to support them through

their period of reflection during Ramadan. On her

first visit to a prison, UK programmes Campaign

Assistant, Nafisa Kara, tells us about her day at HMP

Holloway. As we walked through the cold concrete maze

to the detached chapel we entered a prayer space shared

both by Protestant and Catholic Christians. The Muslim

prayer space was adjoined to the chapel but granted the

privacy of a wooden artificial wall with a large carpet

space for the sisters to make prayer. It was a Friday -

verily, the most virtuous of your days is Friday (Sunan

Abu Dawud). The time peaked towards Asr prayers. An

influx of women came through the double doors, some

with smiles and some with bleak faces full of worry of

an uncertain future. We were greeted with salaam and

smiles and as time was limited, we went straight into

the Friday Sermon performed by the Muslim Chaplain.

She touched upon the stories of many women who

had been in and out of Holloway, drawing upon their

insecurities, struggles and achievements to inspire us all

to clutch onto the seeratul mustaqeem (the straight path).

I felt deeply humbled, as if I had shared a collective life

experience with the sisters - the experience of being

a woman; the experience of picking yourself up and

drawing strength from the unknown constantly. A

Greek woman shared her beautiful story of praying

Tahajudd Salah in the early hours of the morning

out of worry for her daughter: “I feel there is nothing

between the heavens and the earth at this time of the

night. Just me and God” After Salah (prayer) every

sister raised their hands to make Dua (supplication). I

shamefully bowed my head reflecting on the fact that

in the outside world, as soon as the Salah is finished we

often rush off to continue with our busy schedules or

instantly check our notifications on our smart phones.

To our surprise, two sisters announced they wanted

to embrace Islam and we witnessed their declaration

of faith. From then, I realised it was crucial to provide

spiritual support to the sisters who are struggling so

hard to reform.

“I cycled from Forest Gate to Walthamstow to get to

the Soup Kitchen. I’m 85 years old,” exclaimed Arthur,

who lives alone. Having served in the army, taking

him to countries such as Egypt and as far as Sri Lanka,

the mission to get to the soup kitchen was no feat for

Arthur, “I really enjoy coming here. Everyone is so

friendly,” he mused, as he parked up his bike. It was

clear to see Arthur’s sentiment was shared by everyone

at the soup kitchen; from the volunteers to the visitors,

the atmosphere was like one big family get together.

Based in Walthamstow, the kitchen, known as Pl84U,

is funded by Muslim Aid and run by husband and wife

team Saira and Farooq. The kitchen provides a hot meal

every fortnight to the homeless, elderly and vulnerable

communities in east london, but everyone accross

London are welcome. Volunteers come from all over to

help out with cooking, serving and cleaning but more

importantly, to chat with those visiting the centre.

As I sat talking to visitors, each person had a story

to tell. Quite often, stories of ordinary people who by

circumstance, now find themselves socially excluded

and vulnerable. Thirty-eight-year-old Joao Veterano

lost his job recently and is struggling to pay rent. He

relies on PL84U to provide him with a hot meal every

fortnight. “I am very worried I will be sleeping on the

streets soon. Coming here shows me there are people

that care. It gives me a sense of peace and comfort.”

His story resonated with me, as it taught me you can

find yourself in a predicament like Joao’s at an instance.

Others, especially the elderly, visit the kitchen as a

means to break the daily isolation they experience.

Seventy-two-year-old Christopher is a regular at PL84U.

He comes for the sense of community and to mingle

with everyone. “I’m a great believer in breaking down

barriers. This place shows you the Muslim community

are giving and respect everyone. The meals are good

and the people are warm.”

Indeed one volunteer, Sadia, has been working at the

kitchen since it started. “As a Muslim, it’s our duty to

take care of our neighbours. I bring my son here to help

out and to teach him about gratitude and compassion.”

As the volunteers served up a delicious hot meal of

chicken curry, rice and vegetables, I could see the place

was more than just a soup kitchen. It was a place where

people came for comfort and of course to eat a little

soul food. As I went round the tables serving coffee,

Arthur got up to leave in a haste. “Going now, I’ve got

another soup kitchen later on in the evening.” I felt

a sense of comfort knowing that just this evening, he

would be in good company and like many of the elderly

and homeless who live alone and in isolation, these

community projects make society a better place.

A little

By Nafisah Kara

[ PL84U creates a sense of community for many ]

By Amina Rafique

Help us to support a prisoner on the road to rehabilitation by donating a prisoners pack for

£10. Call 020 7377 4200

1110

Guest contributer for MA News and one of our

youngest volunteers, 12 year old Nia Ahad from south

London, wrote in to tell us why she enjoys volunteering

at PL84U. From setting the tables, serving cups of tea,

to mastering a game of dominos with the visitors, here’s

what she had to say:

“A couple of weeks ago I went to participate at an

organisation called ‘PL84U’ that runs a soup kitchen

with Muslim Aid. It was very fun and I got to talk to

some very amiable characters who say they love the

centre, the food, and the people. Talking with these

people I found out how much they enjoy coming to the

centre not just because of the mouth-watering food but

because of the friendly environment created especially

by the helpers, who make everyone feel very welcome.

Everyone in the kitchen treat each other like family, -

they make it such a happy and bubbly place to be - that

is probably the reason everyone is so keen to come.

Personally I find the experience very enjoyable and

everyone is so nice. I enjoy helping out and being part

of the community by helping people less fortunate. I met

this lady who says she used to be a head teacher in a

primary school. I’d like to thank her and her friend for

being really sweet to me and playing a fantastic game

of dominoes!”

[ Nia enjoys a game of dominoes at PL84U ]

If you are interested in volunteering at Muslim Aid please contact us on 020 7377 4200

Freedom to me means playing games with my daughter

Jubair Khan, Video Producer

Freedom is to wander the globe without man made borders and nationalities dividing us. The world is home for all

Nafisa Kara, Campaigns Assistant

Living without the fear of rejection

Zahra Said, Graphic Designer

To breatheTaufiq Wan, Marketing Officer

Sailing in Tobago Cays Rebecca Rafique, Explorer

Freedom means coloursTasnim, Donations Being yourself

Roushanara Ali, Donations Officer

Do whatever your mind wantsMuhammed Sufian, Donations

Ability to make your own choicesJhangir Ahmed, Fundraising Officer

The power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants

Mahbub Alom, Office Management

Having peace in my heart whether it is through hardship or ease

Asma Amla, Fundraising Administrator

To go wherever the wind takes youWahida Choudhury, PA

Freedom is everyone having the means to be the best they can possibly be

Nepa Uddin, Fundraising Officer

Being able to explore Ahmad Taledia, UK programmes Officer

Being in control of the decisions you make in life

Shohidul Islam, Web Officer

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Ahmad Teladia

[ Ahmad Teladia joins the UK Dept as UK Programmes Officer ] [ The family fun day raised over £4,000 in aid for Syria ]

This issue’s spotlight falls on Ahmad Teladia, our new

UK Programmes Officer. He will take us through his

work at Muslim Aid, cycling from one country to

another and his tribal name

Tell me about yourself?

I joined Muslim Aid in 2013, about one year ago, as

a fundraising casual staff for Ramadan. After that I

was asked to work with the Volunteer’s Dept and just

recently I joined the UK Programmes Dept as the new

Officer! In my spare time I work with young people and

enjoy playing badminton, cycling and rock climbing.

Teladia is an interesting name, do you have Portugese

ancestry?

As far as I know I don’t. Teladia was the name of a tribe

in Gujerat, that’s where my family come from. But I do

have family in Panama who speak Spanish.

What do you look forward to in your new role?

Facing new challenges, working with a new team, a new

prospect, seeing the life cycle of a project, the list goes

on. Moving between departments was fantastic; I got

to work with a diverse group of people and on various

tasks and learnt how to adapt quickly to different

environments. I will be able to test myself in my new

role and work harder to overcome challenges.

Tell us something we don’t know about you already?

I cycled from London to Edinburgh for charity. It took

me 5 days! I also cycled from London to Paris last year

for charity. I would like to do another charity fundraiser

again and I am calling upon all cycle enthusiasts to join

me for another challenge. If you are interested, please

contact me at Muslim Aid.

What has been your most memorable moment?

There have been so many but mainly team bonding. We

are like a family, the teams have a strong bond and we

spend a lot of time together outside of work.

Islamia Primary

Husband and wife team, Khalid and Tabbassum Nazir

raised over £4000, by organising a Family Fun Day in

their local area, Kingston. Held at St Paul’s Church,

the event welcomed families to a day of face painting,

bouncy castles and food, whilst raising awareness to the

plight of those caught between conflicts in Syria.

Speaking to local newspaper, the Kingston Guardian,

Khalid said: “We are not an organisation, we are just

ordinary people living in Kingston – a big family. We

want to help deserving causes where it brings a good

change to society.”

Islamia Primary School students sported their best

clothes for non-uniform day, each donating £1 in aid of

those affected by the UK floods earlier this year. Inviting

MA’s Fundraising Officer, Ali Gulam to the event,

students marked the day with nasheeds performed

to other school members. “[In the floods] you lose a

lot of things that are important to you, like childhood

photos or souvenirs,” said one student. Another felt

particularly pleased at being able to help a local cause -

“I feel happy because I’m helping people that live in the

same country that I do.”[ Islamia Primary give support to those

affected in the UK floods this year ]

15

Central African Republicresponse

For most, visiting the doctor’s surgery for medical

help or a general check up is just a phone call away.

But for those that have fled conflict and live in IDP

camps (for internally displaced people), access to a

medical professional is not easy to come by. “Living

in an IDP camp is tough and the homeless population

is more susceptible to a wide range of chronic health

conditions,” says Dr Hussien, Muslim Aid’s Health

Coordinator in Sudan. “But no free health care means

a health care bill, and the majority of this population

can’t afford to pay.” Established in 2008, Muslim Aid’s

support paved the way the Primary Health Care and

Reproductive Health Clinic Centre of Hope in the

Sakali IDP camp, Southern Darfur, Sudan. With the

financial support, the centre has been able to recruit

more medical staff and provide outreach services, for

example, creating health awareness days and specialist

clinics. “Many of our patients suffer treatable medical

conditions,” says Dr Hussien. Without the presence

of a free health centre, it is more likely that simple,

treatable conditions can become worse. The health

clinic also provides an emergency ambulance service

where patients with more serious cases can reach the

Nyala City hospital. Muslim Aid Sudan’s acting Country

Director says: “We are proud to be playing a role in

changing the lives of the most vulnerable population.”

As violence spreads across the Central African Republic,

an astounding 400,000 people have fled their homes

and livelihoods, with many thousands seeking refuge

and safety in neighbouring countries. With thousands

believed to be killed, around 2.2 million are in need

of humanitarian aid. Since launching its emergency

appeal, Muslim Aid, with the support of partners on the

ground, Direct Aid Kuwait, distributed emergency food

items such as rice, sugar, cooking oil and flour to 3,850

refugees currently staying in the region of Sahr, Chad.

Muslim Aid are currently monitoring the situation

closely and conducting a needs assessment to see where

further support can be given.

[ Medical staff member Huda Dahab gives a vaccination to Fatima of the Sakali IDP camp ]

“They ask you (O Muhammad) what they should spend in charity. Say: ‘Whatever you spend with a good heart, give it to parents, relatives, orphans, the helpless, and travellers in need. Whatever good you do, God is aware of it.’”

The Holy Quran, 2:215

1716

We’ve presented 4 case studies to show how your contribtuion to our

Feed the Fasting programme last year helped the poorest families

get through Ramadan with ease.

Hajara takes care of her four young children alone. As

an unemployed mother, keeping her children healthy

and well-fed is her main priority. But this is usually a

difficult task - a usual day for Hajara and her children

consists of just one meal for an entire day – and this

luxury is sometimes sought for from neighbours. Her

home lacks the most basic of facilities, such as water

and electricity, and close relatives are also financially

deprived. Even in hardship, Hajara will fulfil as much of

her fasts as she can, but this has proved difficult in the

past: “Usually, my eldest daughter and I will fast in the

month of Ramadan, but sometimes we can’t as we do

not have food for Suhur (pre-fasting meal) – sometimes

we can’t even celebrate Eid happily.” Last Ramadan,

Hajara was able to fulfil her fasts with dry ration packs

through Muslim Aid’s Feed the Fasting programme –

“Fortunately, this Ramadan Muslim Aid came forward

– with the packs I was able to complete at least some

of my fasts”.

Umar lives with his wife, two children and elderly

mother, in a house that has no source of water, latrine

or electricity. Leaving education at grade 9, Umar does

not have a permanent job. His small income depends

on unskilled labour work he receives only temporarily.

Umar says: “I face challenges daily as I am undergoing

intense financial difficulties. During Ramadan, my

children spend days without consuming proper meals

during Suhur. I am extremely helpless in this situation”.

On receiving food packs last year, Umar and his family

were able to fulfil Ramadan in a healthy manner. The

extra support also meant Umar could put money aside

– “this helped me to save some money to buy Eid clothes

for my children,” he said. “Thanks to Almighty Allah

and Muslim Aid’s generous donors.”

In the Tementai village, thirty-year-old Alameen works

as a farmer to provide for his large family of nine. With

a shortage of rainfall last year, his crops suffered and

he was unable to afford provisions for his family. “In

the past, I’ve bought my needs for the fasting month

from the market of Hdalia village,” he says. “But this is

very expensive. The people are poor and can’t afford the

needs of Ramadan as there is a need for certain foods”.

Through Muslim Aid, Alameen and his family received

a pack containing wholesome and nutritional items,

such as rice, lentils, sugar and wheat flour, allowing for

a healthier fast. “I hope this project continues in future

because it helps a lot of vulnerable people,” he says.

“Muslim Aid and their donors have provided a great

service to us.”

Seventy-three-year-old Dilbar lives with his wife and

has no children that can provide for him financially.

“I’m really old,” he says. “I don’t have much potential

to earn a daily wage.” When the month of Ramadan

arrives each year, Dilbar often worries how he will fulfil

his fasts – “I was worried a lot about how I would

manage the whole of Ramadan during Sehri (morning

meal) and Iftar (breaking the fast). “ Through Muslim

Aid, Dilbar and his wife were able to fast with sufficient

food for both suhoor and iftaar.

Muslim Aid Community Hospital in Pabna arranged a

two-day cleft lip and palate operation camp in February.

A specialist team of plastic surgeons from the Dhaka

Medical College Hospital treated a total of 20 patients,

free of charge.

Saleem Hajara Umma, 41, Sri Lanka Umar Lebbe Abdul Manaff, 44, Sri Lanka

Alameen Mohammed, Sudan Dilbar Khan,73, Pakistan

[ MA Bangladesh delivers cleft lip operation camp ]

How your donations helped

thank you

2120

From January to March this year, Muslim Aid

implemented its emergency winter campaign in

Jordan and Lebanon. Five hundred families and 3,500

refugees ranging from the elderly, orphans, widows

and the disabled in Mount Lebanon and the Beqaa

district, were given mattresses, rugs, blankets to

protect them from the harsh weather. Temperatures

during these months tend to fall to subzero with

wind chills falling to zero degrees, leaving vulnerable

people in further hardship.

During a field visit, MA staff noted that many

refugees were suffering from the cold and sleeping

on wet cold surfaces, playing havoc on their failing

health. A further 1,600 Syrian refugee children in

Jordan were given winter clothes to help them cope

with the cold.

[ MA’s winter campaign reaches Syrian refugees ]

extends its reach overseas

Despite the heavy risks associated with the security

situation within Syria, Muslim Aid staff, with the help

of partners on the ground, carried out an emergency

relief distribution for 50 internally displaced families

from Homs, who have escaped to a village called Qah.

Initial assessments made by the team found the IDP’s

living in dire conditions sleeping on rocks and stones.

With no food and water, mattresses and blankets to

sleep with, many were experiencing extreme hardship,

especially children and the elderly. After the assessments

were made, the team provided cement to help them

make smooth surfaces to rest their tents on, a water

pump and two water tanks to obtain and store

clean water from a nearby well.

Food baskets were also distributed among the families

providing them essential nutrition for a month. In

another village in Latamneh near Hama, where daily

clashes occur, the brave team risked the security

situation and reached out to hundreds of families

providing 200 food parcels to last them for a month.

[ IDP camp in Qah ]

2322

Imagine that you were forced to leave your home and

belongings behind, and flee to a new and unfamiliar

place, not knowing when you will return home,

see your loved ones or even eat your next meal.

Unfortunately, this is a sad reality for millions of

refugees throughout the world.

What is a refugee?

A refugee can be defined as a person who has been

forced to leave their country in order to escape war,

persecution or natural disasters. Refugees often have

fears of being persecuted because of their race, religion,

nationality, social or political opinion and cannot return

to the country of their nationality (Refugee Welcome

Trust). At the beginning of 2012, there were 15.2 million

refugees around the world. The highest number, 4.8

million, were found in Pakistan. The most refugees,

which were 2.7 million, came from Afghanistan. Women

and children are estimated to make up 80% of refugees.

Eighty percent of the world’s refugees are in developing

countries (dosomething.org). Since March 2011, 7-9

million Syrians have been estimated to have fled their

homes due to the outbreak of civil war (syrianrefugee.

eu). According to UNHCR, 2.5 million refugees have

fled to neighbouring countries, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq

and Turkey.

What do refugees need?

When a person has fled their home, they leave with

little or no resources and ultimately require assistance.

This can come in many forms such as food, shelter,

health care, clean water and sanitation, education and

Refugees

counselling. Often, those fleeing conflict, are in a very

vulnerable situation and also require protection.

What does Muslim Aid do to help refugees?

In 2012 Muslim Aid began work on the ground in Syria.

Though partners and field offices, we distributed aid to

those living in conflict areas and in Iraq, Jordan and

Lebanon. Initially, urgent items such as food, blankets

and sanitary items were distributed along with efforts to

improve healthcare and shelter. Muslim Aid increased

distribution to the mountainous areas of east and north

Lebanon. In Jordan, two medical clinics were set up in

Al Ramtha and Al Mafraq camp to treat the sick and

wounded - 200 patients were treated everyday and

special cases were referred to a new established hospital.

Free treatment and medication were available at the

clinics. In Iraq, Muslim Aid provided clean drinking

water, blankets, mattresses, pillows and food baskets to

2000 refugees. Over the winter period in 2013, Muslim

Aid provided assistance to 14,000 refugees in Lebanon

and Jordan, providing essentials such as blankets,

raincoats, socks and gloves.

Here, in the UK, Muslim Aid has provided funding

to the Northern Refugee Centre for a women’s welfare

advice and advocacy support project. Based in Sheffield,

it has supported many refugees in the UK especially

destitute and isolated women. The advocacy support

provides a free and confidential drop-in service that

gives advice on gender-specific issues such as asylum,

housing, healthcare, domestic violence, forced marriage,

female genital mutilation and trafficking.

2524

[ Villagers receive a deep tube well providing clean water ]

“We had to collect water from dirty ponds and canals.

The community in my village were facing serious health

problems due to using dirty water. Recently Muslim Aid

installed a deep tube well to solve this problem.” Abdul

Khalek, Bangladesh.

For everyone living in the slums of Gorerkanda village,

access to clean water was a huge problem. More than

70 families living in the village were at threat from

contaminated water. Many feared for the health of

their children and found it difficult to live a healthy

life. When Muslim Aid installed a deep tube well in the

village, a new lease of life was given to the community.

For Abdul Khalek, a labourer, whose meagre earnings

barely support his family of five, the new tube well

meant more than just having access to clean water to

drink, wash and cook with. He said, “we are using the

water for watering vegetables and farming. Instead of

collecting dirty water from canals, the well has allowed

us to save time and get on with paid work.”

In 2013, through the Dig A Well project, Muslim Aid

has built 741 wells in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka

and Cambodia. Since 2008, 2194 wells have been built

serving hundreds and thousands of people with safe

clean drinking water.

If you are interested in donating a well, please visit:

www.muslimaid.org/causes/water-and-sanitation

252,900PEOPLE RECEIVED

IFTAR PACK FOOD PARCELS

over

41[ 41 Countries reached including

Palestine, Rwanda & Syria ]

2726

Since 2007 MA Lebanon began implementing the

Rainbow Family child sponsorship programme to

deliver support to orphan, destitute and disabled

children in a country where poverty has become rife,

mainly due to civil wars. Currently, the programme

supports 300 children across Lebanon, where over

half, are Palestinian refugees living in camps. Muslim

Aid’s Sultana Begum, from the Rainbow Family paid a

visit to Lebanon recently to report on the programme’s

progress.

Q. Tell us your observations about the situation for

children in Lebanon.

Most families cannot afford three meals a day and some

children cannot afford to eat lunch at school. In many

cases, living conditions are difficult with large families

living in 1 or 2 rooms. This causes health problems.

Healthcare in Lebanon is very expensive. There is no

national health system in place and the government

offers little to no support to families in terms of

treatment. Twenty out of the 300 children currently

sponsored are disabled and require regular treatment

which is very costly. During my trip, I visited a number

of children who suffer from disabilities. All the families

of these children highlighted that healthcare was

expensive and that they could simply not afford it with

the sponsorship amount. This requires some attention.

Having visited Lebanon for a week, and from my own

experience, the country is currently going through

inflation and most things are very expensive, especially

food.

Q. What are MA doing to change the situation?

MA Lebanon will be working to create healthcare

projects developed to reduce the cost of healthcare

for sponsored children in Lebanon. We are looking to

partner with a local clinic, Al Shifaa Medical Clinic.

MA has worked with Al Shifaa in implementing other

healthcare projects in recent years and they have

delivered good services. Such a partnership would be

a breakthrough for the Rainbow Family in Lebanon

as a vast majority of our young beneficiaries suffer

from a range of healthcare problems, from cerebral

palsy to cancer. With soaring healthcare prices, such a

partnership would mean sponsored children can benefit

greatly from discounted healthcare. We’re going to need

our donors to support us if we want to see this project

through.

Q. What other projects did you visit in Lebanon?

During my visit, we visited Syrian refugees in Iklim Al

Kharoub, Mount Lebanon. We were exposed to some

dire living conditions. Many Syrian refugee households

had aqua boxes and mattresses which they had received

from Muslim Aid through the Emergency programme.

Some said they had also benefitted from the Ramadan

2013 programme. I visited the road resurfacing project

in Al Rashidiyah Palestinian Camp in the South of

Lebanon. Funded by Muslim Aid, the project is a

success. The road looked really good and is being used

by children to get to school safely. In addition to this, I

came across a number of wells which had been provided

by Muslim Aid in Al Rashidiyah Camp, through the Dig

a Well Project. The wells provide clean water for families

and they expressed how happy there were to have access

to clean water.

Q. What message would you like to relay to everyone?

Many children live in complete poverty, other families

have been forced to flee their homeland, mainly

from Palestine and more recently from Syria. It’s a

traumatising experience for children. So it’s imperative

that we do more than just providing monetary help, but

play an active role in delivering quality moral support.

The child Sponsorship programme at Muslim Aid does

just this. You can write to your sponsored child and give

them the moral support they really need. These children

need monetary support but since they’re children, that’s

not their main concern. They just want to know that

someone out there cares.

[ MA’s Sultana Begum visits Rainbow Family children in Lebanon ]

2928

Reuters/Sharif Karim courtesy Trust.org - AlertNet

Tune in this Ramadan and support us to deliver life changing programmes and emergency aid for the most poorest and vulnerable communities worldwide.

Our donation line is open 24 hours this Ramadan. To help you with any queries, we will have a Ramadan helpline to guide you through issues related to zakat,

fidyah and kafarrah.

Just call us on 020 7377 4200 or visit muslimaid.org and remember,

100% of your Zakat donations goes to our beneficiaries!

24th July

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31

Mission

Volunteer

Comments

Muslim Aid’s mission, guided by the teachings of Islam, endeavours to tackle poverty and its causes by developing innovative and sustainable solutions that enable individuals and their communities to live with dignity and by supporting initiatives that promote economic and social justice. Vision: The alleviation of poverty, education for all, and the provision of basic amenities for those in need to create a world where charity and compassion produce justice, self reliance and human development.

We are always looking for dedicated volunteers. If you would like to contribute and help out at Muslim Aid please contact the Volunteer Department at volunteer@muslimaid.org

We would love to hear your feedback. Please send any comments about our magazine to amina@muslimaid.org

Cover photo: MA Pakistan reaches 46,590 people in 2013, providing nutritional foods, such as flour, rice, pulses and sugar, to last the month of Ramadan

32Charity Reg No: 295224

London Office

Tel: 020 7377 4200 PO Box 3, London, E1 1WP

Birmingham Office

Tel: 0121 771 3372 541 Coventry Road, Small Heath, Birmingham, B10 0LL

Manchester Office

Tel: 0161 861 0782 557A Barlow Moor Road, Chorlton, Manchester, M21 8AN