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VOLUME 2 | ISSUE 9 | DECEMBER 2014

A quarterly overview of what we’ve been doing together

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18

20

30 Years Strong

Labour Party Conference

Country Directors Meet

Iftar at Booth House

MA at the UN Conference

MA Sweden Office Opens

Warm Hearts Winter Campaign

Qurbani 2014

Spotlight on Zahra Said

Winner goes to Bosnia

Figures that CountGaza 2014Mahinoor’s Story of Hope

Microfinance working at its best

Voices from the FieldOla - MA’s unsung hero in Gaza

HealthcareNorthern Delta of Sudan

IndonesiaInvesting in Sustainability

BaytiA Home Away from Home

Development for BeginnersEmergency Ramadan 2014

Bukhari & Muslim

Photograph by Am

ina Rafique

“The believers in their mutual kindness, compassion and sympathy are just like one body.When one of the limbs suffers,

the whole body responds to it with wakefulness and fever.”

Muslim Aid News: UK Update

5

As 2014 comes to a close, Muslim Aid is already preparing for the new year ahead. 2015

marks our 30th anniversary and we are excited to reach this milestone. It marks three

decades of serving the poorest and most disadvantaged communities worldwide and is

also a testament to the longevity and global popularity of our work. All of which has

been made possible by our generous donors, supporters and volunteers.

This year has not been without challenges. We saw an escalation of conflicts and disasters

around the world. There was the war in Gaza last Ramadan. Usually a month of peace,

many Muslims across the world were filled with grief as innocent people were being

killed in Gaza. We were on the ground, quick to respond to the crisis. We delivered

emergency aid with immediate effect and brought essential life saving equipment,

medicines, medical supplies and fuel for three major hospitals in Gaza. In just one night

we raised over a record breaking one million pounds during a live appeal – more than

any other charity had achieved. Our field officer, Ola Dadah became our unsung hero.

Despite the heavy bombardments and ground troops, she was in Gaza to coordinate

emergency food, water and fuel distribution for the internally displaced. You can read

about her experience on page 18.

We reached 40 countries this year with our Qurbani programme. What was special about

this year’s Qurbani was that we carried out our first ever distribution for disadvantaged

families living in the UK. The response was great as our UK Qurbani sold out fast and

showed us that our donors are keen to address food poverty in the UK. You can read

more about this on page 11. And as part of our UK development programme, we are

continuing our important Winter Campaign for the elderly and homeless at the end of

the year. Find out more about this on page 7.

We are excited about 2015.We have already opened a fundraising office in Sweden and

plans to open further field offices in Europe are underway. We want to ensure our reach

is covered worldwide. And, of course, we are excited to be showcasing thirty years of

humanitarian work next year. Thank you for being part of our journey towards serving

humanity.

Amina Rafique, Editoramina@muslimaid.org

[ MA distributes medical supplies in Gaza ]

Muslim Aid News: UK Update

76

Muslim Aid AttendsLabour Party Conference

In September 2014, Muslim Aid opened its new

fundraising office in Sweden. Based in Stockholm,

Muslim Aid will work with partners and donors in line

with its objectives to extend its reach in Europe. The

Muslim Aid Sweden office will also deliver projects to

serve local disadvantaged communities.

With the upcoming general election drawing closer,

it was an exciting time to be at the Labour Party

Conference in September. The conference, held in

Manchester, was attended by party leaders, MPs,

members and supporters with organisations in

attendance to exhibit their work. Muslim Aid took the

opportunity to hold a stall to promote its work for the

homeless, elderly and disadvantaged in the UK and the

response was overwhelming.

Our programmes which support the elderly were of

particular relevance, as high gas and electricity bills were

on the agenda, which are a leading cause of poverty and

illness in older people throughout the winter months.

The improvement of education was also on the agenda,

fitting in with Muslim Aid’s vision of quality education

for all in the UK and overseas. It was great for Muslim

Aid to receive the interest and praise that it did at the

conference. MPs and leading party members took time

out of their busy schedules to visit our stand to meet

us and discuss our work, and it felt so rewarding to be

recognised and praised by such important figures in UK

politics. Since 2011 Muslim Aid has continued to support the

homeless and elderly in the UK during the winter

months through its annual Warm Hearts Campaign.

Every year over 30,000 people die. The majority of these

deaths are among people over 65 who have underlying

health conditions and are living in poor housing.

Homeless people who take shelter on the streets are also

vulnerable to the harsh weather. As fuel costs increase

the situation for many is becoming difficult to bear.

Muslim Aid aims to raise awareness of this issue and

provide continued support for the disadvantaged and

vulnerable, particularly for those who are most isolated.

Last year 2,646 people benefitted from our Warm

Last September saw Muslim Aid conduct its annual

Country Directors Workshop inviting senior staff from

all the field offices. This year, Muslim Aid’s workshop

focused on defining the core areas of work for 2015.

This is an important step for Muslim Aid, as next

year sees the end of the United Nations Millennium

Development Goals, and in many areas where Muslim

Aid has offices, these targets are a long way from being

met. Despite great improvements in certain areas such

as education, other areas like maternal care are much

further behind. As a result, Muslim Aid is addressing

these core problems to ensure that key areas are met

with programme development.

As a conclusion to this year’s meeting, Muslim Aid is

refocusing its work into four broad areas: education,

healthcare, livelihoods and humanitarian response. This

will enable Muslim Aid to put donor’s money into the

projects that bring about the biggest changes in the lives

of the poorest and most vulnerable worldwide.

Hearts Winter Campaign by receiving winter warm kits

or engaging in our befriending services.

This year we want to reach even more people who are

suffering due to the harsh weather. You can help us

by signing up to our RucksackChallenge; an exciting

opportunity for you to get involved, by packing a

rucksack full of warm items to give to a homeless

person in your area. This initiative aims to reach out to

the homeless who are not engaged in any services and

go unnoticed. Alternatively you can join the Muslim

Aid team on our distribution days to help deliver the

rucksacks to those in need. Please help us to make a

difference this winter. Visit www.muslimaid.org for

more information.

By Sara Morad

Winter Campaign

[ Training held for volunteers in Sweden ]

[ Sara with the Shadow Minister for International Development, Alison McGovern MP ]

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how your donations helped

Ramadan 2014 was a big one for Muslim Aid, a month in which we

worked tirelessly to serve humanity around the world. With your

support, we were able to do bigger and bolder things. Our Feed the

Fasting Programme reached 39 countries and provided 252,275 people

with nourishing meals for suhoor and iftar. This included 210 displaced

Rohingya families in Myanmar and around a thousand worshippers who

gathered to break fast in the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. Around the

world, your donations had a huge impact. It was also in Ramadan that we

had our biggest ever street collection, covering 32 boroughs in London,

Luton and Bedford. Our volunteers collectively sacrificed over 600 hours

of their time, despite the heat and thirst of summer, and raised £14,415

for those in need.

Then we appealed for your help to build the ‘Bayti’ orphanage for

Syrian children, and you didn’t let us down. With the £144,897

raised, work is now underway to build and furnish a fully fledged

home for some of the child victims of the war in Syria, many of

whom have lost one or both parents to the ongoing violence. When

Gaza was engulfed by war, our donors responded in solidarity to

those suffering in Palestine. On the 27th night of Ramadan, we raised

an unprecedented amount through an Islam Channel live appeal when

you donated over £1.1 million towards alleviating Gaza’s suffering. Since

this time, we have provided food, medicine, fuel, ambulances, and helped

hospitals to continue running. We will also be purchasing Gaza’s first life

detecting machine, a crucial piece of equipment that allows emergency

services to find those trapped beneath rubble and debris.

The month of blessings passed as soon as it came, however your acts of

generosity will have a lasting effect to be felt for years to come.

Our Lord! Accept (this service) from us: For Thou art the All-Hearing, the

All-knowing

Qur’an[2:127]

Muslim Aid News: UK Update

1110

[ MA food pack for the homeless ]

The cold streets of London are home to many who

have fallen on hard times and have nowhere to go.

For those facing such circumstances, Booth House

provides a shelter and respite from some of life’s

troubles. This Ramadan, Muslim Aid staff and

volunteers visited the social service centre to share a

warm meal with its guests and patrons.

Booth House sits inconspicuously on the modest stretch

This year, Muslim Aid’s Qurbani Programme was

carried out in 40 countries across the world, delivering

7,824 animals, as well as 1000 units of canned meat to

Syrian refugees. For the first time, we also delivered

free range Qurbani meat to disadvantaged families

around the UK.

In an age when much of what we eat is produced

through intensive and unnatural farming methods,

Muslim Aid were delighted to be able to offer this free

range, ethically sourced option for Qurbani. The meat

was sourced from small scale farms in the UK, where

emphasis is placed on the welfare and natural rearing

of livestock. A total of 50 sheep were slaughtered for

our UK Qurbani Programme. The meat was delivered

to our donors and a third of it was given to families and

individuals facing hardship here in the UK. Working

with homeless shelters and food banks, we identified

single parent families, victims of domestic violence,

people abandoned by their families and homeless

people to share the packs of fresh meat with.

“This Qurbani meat has helped me provide wholesome

food for my children who eat less meat due to it being

expensive. I thank Allah (SWT) for allowing me to receive

this blessing” - Umm Omar, London

We hope to expand this programme in the coming years

so that we can share quality, free range Qurbani with

more families in the UK.

that is Whitechapel Road, just beyond the hustle and

bustle of London’s Square Mile. It was in this same

part of the East End that William Booth, founder of

the Salvation Army, once exhorted the masses to help

those who had fallen victim to the poverty and squalor

that afflicted Victorian London. The slums that Booth’s

army of volunteers worked tirelessly to uplift have long

since vanished, however the spirit of sharing remains.

And it was in this same spirit of giving that on one

evening in July, Muslim Aid’s UK Development team

visited Booth House to share a warm iftar meal with

the centre’s patrons, many of whom have come off the

street, without homes or family to go back to.

As the time to break the day’s fast drew near, 70 or so of

the centre’s users filed into the canteen and were served

a hearty meal of biryani, dhaal and meat kebabs by

the volunteers. ‘Food Brings people together..and what

Muslim Aid is doing here by donating food is bringing

joy to people’s lives,’ remarked Darius Pantea, Early

Intervention Officer at Booth House. ‘I see Booth House

as a bit of light and hope in a place where you don’t have

too much hope. And I think what Muslim Aid is doing

and what we’re doing here in this borough is giving hope.

And not only hope, we’re giving purpose.’

In all, around 170 meals were enjoyed that night, both

inside Booth House and out on the street, where a

Muslim Aid stall distributed food packs to those in need

of something to eat. The smiles and warm exchanges

between the volunteers and guests from different

backgrounds and faiths were a sign of the positivity that

can come from something as simple as sharing food. It

is these small acts that inspire hope, especially for those

trying to find their feet after falling on hard times.

Muslim Aid News: UK Update

1312

Meet Muslim Aid’s Graphic Designer Zahra Said. When she’s not creating

a masterpiece, she dotes after her two cats and writes inspirational quotes.

Tell me about yourself and what you do at MA?

I’ve been the Graphic Designer for MA since 2011.

I design all the creative elements that go into a print

and online campaign. I enjoy working at MA because

it allows me to have full creative freedom to explore

design. I’d like to see myself as a Creative Director in

five years time at my own agency.

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

I’m a mixed bag of sorts. Ethnically my mum is

Pakistani and my dad is Yemeni but we are Kenyan! I

was born in Somalia and I have lived in Kenya, Yemen,

Denmark, Italy & France. Other than designing and

drawing, I have a developing passion for hand written

Muslim Aid’s CEO , Hamid Azad, was invited to attend

two UN confernces on ‘Open Government Partnership:

Citizen Action, Responsive Government’ and ‘Ending

Poverty: Why Strong, Accountable Institutions Matter’

at the 69th United Nations General Assembly. These

important events were attended by world leaders,

international NGOs and civil society organisations.

Launched by US President Barack Obama, the

partnership has grown into a global movement to

include a total of 65 countries, hundreds of civil

society organisations, and over a dozen foundations

and partners working together for transparency,

accountability and public participation. The CEO

stated: “This programme is about engaging civil society

in policy making in order to develop a cohesive, dynamic

and transparent society. As the CEO of MA I got to share

my experiences and learn from other state leaders and

heads of NGO’s about their experiences on how civil

society can impact on development. For example, the open

government award was given to Denmark for a project

involving senior citizens in development policy. The

effects have been positive and have shown senior citizens

are important members of society who have added value

and should not be overlooked and undervalued.” At the

‘Ending Poverty’ conference, a Trustee of Muslim Aid,

Dr Abdul Bari also attended. The event’s core objective

was to discuss the post-2015 sustainable development

goals at the UNGA in September. Hamid commented:

“In order to achieve this we have to be transparent and

rule out corruption, involving people at the grassroot level.

We are working to develop a just and fair society and our

programmes in education, livelihood, microfinance and

healthcare reflect this.”

quotes - (facebook.com/creativenoteuk). I love all

types of cats especially my two beautiful Norwegian

felines who I absolutely adore.

What does charity mean to you and why are you

working for Muslim Aid?

My mother inspired me to work for charity. She

worked for the UN and this meant I had exposure

to the humanitarian sector. My mother taught me to

be compassionate, giving and kind to others. For me,

joining MA is a testament to my mother’s teachings and

how she raised me. I hope I can do half of what she

achieved working in the humanitarian field.

[ Muslim Aid at the 69th UN General Assembly ]

Muslim Aid News: UK Update

1514

Photograph by Am

ina Rafique

Bukhari

“Every good deed is an act of charity.”

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In a small village in Savar, Dhaka, Mahinoor Begum sits in a tiny, dimly lit hut sewing the seams of a brightly coloured saree. Her two little children play in the corner of the room, careful not to disturb their mother. Mahinoor radiates with a smile and tells me she is in a good place. Like many women from this village, her face radiates beauty and strength amidst the daily struggles faced due to poverty.

Before working as a seamstress, Mahinoor struggled to survive. Her husband barely made enough money to support the family and the nearby water resource was contaminated. In order to wash and drink clean water she had to walk miles to the nearest well.

Luckily, with a Muslim Aid interest free microfinance loan, she was able to turn her life around. She borrowed money and bought herself a sewing machine. Once she started to work as a seamstress, orders for tailoring began to increase and her income grew.

Muslim Aid Bangladesh reports microfinance to be one of their most successful programmes, with 99% of loans given to women to help them to become financially independent. The effects of the microfinance loan have had a positive effect for Mahinoor and her entire family. After repaying her first loan, she took out another and opened a grocery stall at the local market, which her husband now manages. She also brought a water pump for the village so that everyone now has access to clean water.

As she finished sewing the seams of the saree, I asked Mahinoor about her future aspirations and without hesitation she smiled: “I have hopes for my children to become doctors. I can earn enough to put them through school. I really enjoy being able to support my family and my friends. Thank you so much for this opportunity.” With Mahinoor, her family and the community benefitting from one small loan, it’s clear to see microfinance working at its best.

By Amina Rafique

“I have hopes for my children to become doctors. I can earn enough

to put them through school.”Mahinoor, Bangladesh

Photograph by Nurul A

had

Muslim Aid News: Overseas Update

1918

Since launching an emergency appeal for Gaza, Muslim Aid’s Project Officer, Ola Dadah, has been coordinating emergency aid for people affected by the crisis. MA News interviewed Ola about her experience working in Gaza.

Ola, tell us about you and your role with Muslim Aid based in Gaza.

I’m a very normal Palestinian woman, a mother for four kids. I’m working with Muslim Aid as a Projects Officer. My role is to monitor and evaluate our projects in Palestine and visit our partners to ensure everything

is running fine according to Muslim Aid policies and guidelines. I love Gaza and the people of Gaza. This is my homeland. Your courage to deliver emergency aid during the crisis was an inspiration for us. How did you feel and cope during the crisis?

There are no words to describe what we have been through. It’s like asking someone to describe their feelings while waiting for death. Every minute homes were demolished and people were killed. Despite my fears, I had a duty to carry out for the people of Gaza. I would leave my home to coordinate the distribution of food and non-food items given by Muslim Aid. This was important for me to do in order to alleviate the suffering people were facing during the war. Each time I left home I was ready for death. Nowhere was safe in Gaza, not even home. I worried all the time about my children when I left them home. When I heard the air raids at night, I would check on my children while they slept. Sometimes, almost entire families were killed leaving one child behind. When I spoke to parents, their greatest fear was being killed and leaving a child behind. So at night, many families slept together in one room because if they are bombarded, then they all die

together. This was the tragic reality here.

Please tell us what emergency aid Muslim Aid delivered through partners?

Through Muslim Aid and our partners, I helped to coordinate the delivery of medicines, medical supplies and an ambulance to three hospitals. We also provided the Ministry of Health with medicines as they had zero stock and they urgently needed supplies for surgeries and casualties. Muslim Aid also distributed meals in the shelter centers and UN schools for displaced families. We also distributed food and hygiene kits for displaced families living with their relatives and friends. We worked with children who lost parents or a parent due to the shelling. We organised safe spaces for them to play, draw and gave them clothes, stationary and toys so that they can feel a sense of normality during the crises. This was important for their psychological well-being.

What do the people of Gaza need now?

A lot of displaced families have come back to rubble and a big sense of loss. Memories and personal property

have all been destroyed for them. Paying attention to the future of Gaza’s children is of prime importance. Children were the main target during the aggression. It is really heartbreaking to know that if you are six years old and live in Gaza, you have already experienced your third war. The United Nations reports that in 2020, Gaza will be a place that will be impossible for humans to live. Gaza needs rehabilitation in education, health and in women and youth development.

What message would you like to leave for the people of the UK?

We really appreciated the protests in the UK against the war. It showed us that we are not alone. It helped our morale.The people in Gaza are prevented from traveling for an education or medical treatment. We are prevented from having portable safe water and proper waste disposal. We are prevented from living safe and secure. We are fighting for these rights and need the support from people globally. Despite this nothing can compensate a child losing their parent, and people losing their homes, but we can still help in funding projects to address these issues such as sponsoring orphans, helping young people get an education and rebuilding homes.

[ Ola with Gaza’s children ]

“I love Gaza and the people of Gaza. This is my home.”

Muslim Aid News: Overseas Update

2120

Last September I visited Sudan to report on our community healthcare project based in the Northern Delta State of Kassala. Funded by the European Union, Muslim Aid has partnered with a local development NGO, JASMAR, to deliver healthcare to the rural population. The project aims to train healthcare professionals and build the capacity of health care services for 18,000 people and their families from 2014 to 2016.

Driving through an uneven dusty road in Kassala, it was clear to see arid land stretching for miles on end without life. A carcass of a cow lay strewn across the plain. I was told by my colleague that the recent drought had terrible effects on livestock. Open houses propped by wooden stills and roofs made from animal hides were dotted everywhere. I took a moment to think how communities survived out here, as basic services such as health clinics and schools are located miles away.

Kassala is one the poorest and marginalised states in Sudan. The rural communities living here suffer between frequent episodes of drought and heavy rainfall and live without basic access to nutrition, health, education and clean water. Since 2008, Muslim Aid has been providing the community with a mobile health clinic, covering seven villages. Yet, due to poverty and the lack of knowledge about maternal care at the local level, maternal mortality is very high at 750 per 100,000 live births. This figure has not decreased significantly since 1990.

To address this issue, Muslim Aid introduced the ‘community based healthcare development programme’ to train healthcare professionals and strengthen the capacity of local maternity and child health.

My first stop was a village in Matataib to visit one of the 24 Safe Motherhood Groups (SMGs) established by Muslim Aid and JASMAR. These SMGs comprise of women from the village, midwives and healthcare

professionals who train local women on how to take care of themselves to avoid diseases and illness.

Asha Hassan, the leader of the Wagar SMG, trains the group in HIV/Aids awareness and prevention, reproductive health, sanitation and environmental protection using slide show presentations and illustrative brochures, as the majority of the population are illiterate. Asha told me: “For many women this is the first time they are learning about HIV and Aids. The training is so important for us women to protect ourselves and our families. Prevention is better than cure.”

My next stop was the Kassala Midwife School where I met 30 very lovely women all eager to demonstrate how to safely deliver a baby using a prosthetic model. Muslim Aid along with JASMAR are training women on midwifery in order to improve ante-natal care in the area.

Fatima Shringra, a midwife, is receiving refresher training on midwifery. She was keen to tell me how important being re-trained is for the community: “I can teach women living here about general vaccination, diseases related to pregnancy and how to refer pregnancy complications to hospitals and post-natal care. A lot of women don’t have a basic understanding of healthcare and face illness and even worse - death.”

Earlier on I reflected on how communities survived in these isolated rural areas. After meeting members of the community it was reassuring to see that a collective group spirit kept them healthy and safe.

With Muslim Aid’s community healthcare project, inroads are being made to decrease the rate of deaths associated to pregnancy. And as the women of the SMGs told me “motherhood is everything”, there is hope that every mother, woman and child has a chance to a better and healthier life.

By Amina Rafique

[ Asha Hassan shares a tender moment ]

Photograph by Am

ina Rafique

Muslim Aid News: Overseas Update

2322

“The awareness drama sessions helps us to understand why diseases start and

spread. We are now more informed to raise awareness amongst our community”

Faiz Ahmed, 18, right

Photograph by Am

ina Rafique

[ Two pupils from the Wagar Boys School, Sudan, receive health awareness drama sessions through Muslim Aid’s community based healthcare programme. ]

2524

“There was a rumour going around that our city had been sold… I didn’t know what this meant.”

What Mayasa didn’t understand, she was to soon discover, amidst the concrete, rubble and chaos that would become the only memories of her past life. “Chemical barrels, the bloodshed…dead people”, she said. “This is the only memory I have of Syria”.

At seventeen, war and death had thrust itself upon this young girls’ fragile, care-free shoulders. “Before the war, I wasn’t working. I wasn’t doing anything, I would just stay at home”, she said. “Then I became one of the helpers, carrying people, my neighbours, from beneath the fallen buildings.”

Torn between her city and conflict, Mayasa soon learnt that safety and home were two words she could never again speak in the same breath. She knew the decision that lay ahead, and with that, she left her beloved city of Homms; her home, her life, her mother. Escaping with her brother and close relatives, she walked into the distance - away from the carnage of Syria’s civil war.

“If you could see the state of my clothes when I arrived, they would tell you their own story,” she said, looking up to laugh nervously. Now sitting before me, Mayasa had been reluctant to speak. A timid girl, her nervous laughter was a diversion from having to re-live the nightmare of her journey; but eventually, she did.

Mayasa and her relatives had escaped Syria on foot. Walking for days, they hid inside a tunnel for one month before crossing the border. She explains how they had survived on “anything we could find…grass, vermin…mice.” Eventually reaching Turkey, they had found safety at the cost of loved ones they had lost along the way: “To this day I do not know what happened to some of my younger relatives,” she said. “They just went missing”.

Her journey eventually led her to the “Bayti” orphanage, where our paths had crossed that day.

Mayasa was not an orphan, but amidst the brick and bare-walls of this still semi-constructed building she had found hope that perhaps one day she could have her life back again. Though the building was still under

construction, its gardens were luscious and green, boasting new-life; each unfurnished and empty room was immersed with the sunlight that would flood through its still bare windows. Downstairs in the food hall, a square, oven-shaped hole in the wall filled the canteen with the would-be smell of warm, freshly cooked bread. Above it, the words ‘“Bismillahirrahmanirrahim”’ - in the name of God, the Beneficent, the Most Merciful”.

“This is not an orphanage”, Zeina, the centre’s manager told me. “This is home”.

In this place, Mayasa helped out with day-to-day chores whilst her brother assisted with construction work. As well as provide a home for children left orphaned by Syria’s conflict, the project provided a means for refugees like Mayasa and her brother, to earn a living - “The whole project takes into account everyone affected by the war,” Zeina told me. “When Syrian’s arrive here, it’s very difficult to find employment - this project gives them work and an opportunity to make a living”.

Everyday, Mayasa and her brother walked for two hours, from their makeshift home in an old abandoned warehouse, to the orphanage, helping to prepare it for the children that would soon arrive.

Mayasa’s sandals clung to her feet, dusty and tired, paying testimony to the journey she had endured. Though she smiled warmly, the stoop in her posture displayed the pain she still carried with her on her shoulders.

“Would you ever go back to Syria?”, I asked, attempting to understand the reality of having to abandon one’s home. Painfully, she replied: “This is my life now, I would only return for my mother”.

The “Bayti” orphanage in Turkey, supported by Muslim Aid, accommodates 100 children up to the age of ten, who have lost one or both parents in the outbreak of conflict in Syria. This Project aims to nurture the children left traumatised by the war, both with home and school life, so they are given back the opportunity to build their futures. Today, more than 6.5 million children in Syria are in need of humanitarian aid.

By Nur Hannah Wan

[ Nur Hannah embraces Mona at Bayti Orphanage, Turkey ]

Muslim Aid News: Overseas Update

2726

What is emergency relief?

Across the world millions of people are suffering due to the effects of conflict, natural disasters, famine and poverty. Emergency relief and aid is used to help affected communities and can be given in the form of food, water, medicine, shelter, hygiene equipment and training. For those in life threatening circumstances, this aid provides essential support that can help them survive under the most dire conditions.

What do we do in conflicts and disasters?Muslim Aid contributes to global emergency relief

and is committed to supporting people facing major conflict and disasters. For example, the year 2011 also saw the start of severe conflict in Myanmar. Muslim Aid provided emergency relief to those affected e.g. internally displaced people. In partnership with Al-Asmakh Charity and Mercy Malaysia, we were able to deliver long term development projects and construct healthcare clinics, which benefitted 24,000 people. Muslim Aid Myanmar has so far distributed school uniforms and educational materials to 720 children.

In April 2013 the collapse of a factory in Bangladesh, that killed and injured thousands of people, attracted worldwide attention. Muslim Aid Bangladesh aided

rescue efforts by providing first aid kits, water bottles, hygiene kits and food items to survivors.

How does Muslim Aid support refugees in Syria?

In 2013, the conflict in Syria entered its second year. Millions of refugees were forced to flee to neighbouring countries where Muslim Aid was able to provide emergency relief through its field offices and partners in Lebanon, Iraq and Jordan.

Food parcels lasting one month were given to 5,700 refugee families from Syria by Muslim Aid Jordan. Refugees in Iraq were given 3,920 food parcels for one month and in Lebanon, 3000 more were given food vouchers, coal, mattresses, rugs and blankets. Through partners Muslim Aid was able to distribute one month worth of food parcels inside Syria. 150 households were given non-food items and financial support. Those in dire need during the harsh winter in and outside of Syria were given clothes, socks, hats, gloves and blankets.

What type of aid is given during natural disasters?

Natural disasters have a huge impact on struggling and vulnerable communities in developing countries. Earthquakes, floods and hurricanes leave behind

disastrous affects on lives and livelihoods all around the world. Survivors require help and support to rebuild their lives and recover.

In November 2013, Typhoon Haiyan killed over 6000 people in the Philippines. Homes, villages and livelihoods were destroyed, leaving victims in severe poverty. Muslim Aid joined the global relief effort and provided 2,000 beneficiaries with food, clean drinking water, shelter and sanitation.

In 2013 Pakistan was struck by large scale flooding and earthquakes that left devastating affects. Muslim Aid Pakistan provided 75,000 people with healthcare clinics and clean drinking water. 200 households were given non-food items and shelter. Aquaboxes, tents and hygiene kits were given to a further 2,500 beneficiaries.

The year 2013 also saw flooding in Kenya and Sudan. Muslim Aid Kenya provided 1,830 people with food, sanitation and rehabilitation of schools. 5,000 people were given support from Muslim Aid Sudan.

4,675 households were given water and sanitation by Muslim Aid Indonesia. 100 households were supported by Muslim Aid Cambodia after the flooding.

Emergency Aid

[ Muslim Aid distributes emergency aid to Syrian refugees]

Muslim Aid News: Overseas Update

2928

This year, the lucky winner of our Snowdonia challenge, Ali Aslam, became our highest fundraiser which earned him a ticket to visit MA projects in Bosnia for disadvantaged communities. MA news talks to Mohammed about his experience and his reflections on charity.

Tell us about yourself? My name is Ali Aslam. I am Alhumdulillah a Chartered Accountant working at a professional services firm called PricewaterhouseCoopers. I work in their Sustainability team. Islam for me is not just about fasting or salah, it’s about doing something for the sake of God. It’s our moral and religious obligation to help those in need. Helping out charities, such as Muslim Aid, gives me an opportunity to thank God for everything.

What projects did you visit and what are your thoughts on MA’s work in Bosnia? I visited 14 different projects in Bosnia, ranging from the greenhouse and milk farm projects to meeting children sponsored under the Rainbow Family Programme. I also visited a Muslim Aid funded playground for disabled children. All projects encourage communities to be self-sufficient. With the greenhouse milk farm project, farmers are exporting vegetables overseas and selling milk locally for an income.

I was very pleased with the work MA is doing in Bosnia. As a donor, it was encouraging to speak to people benefitting from the projects who are very happy with the support. I think it’s paramount that the aim of charity should be to “teach man to fish, so he can be fed for a life time”.

What prompted you to fundraise for MA? My affiliation with Muslim Aid started last year when I participated in the Snowdon climb, raising money for the Rohingya cause in Burma. I somehow became the highest fund-raiser for Muslim Aid at the time. Muslim Aid’s decision to set up an Internal Audit department to improve their own processes comforts me that they want to improve. Most importantly, what made MA stand out for me relative to other charities is that MA

was conscious enough to raise awareness and help out in countries, which don’t feature often in the news, such as the plight of people suffering in the Central African Republic, Bosnia and Burma.

After a long drive through the Javanese countryside, we arrived in the village of Ngargomulyo, Central Java. The lush green environs of the village stretch out and wind down the hills and slopes, overshadowed by the dark spectre of Mount Merapi, Indonesia’s most active volcano. The small houses and plantations that sit in the shadow of this natural furnace are a reminder of the delicate balance of nature, and how human progress trudges along at the mercy of the elements. Thus, it was only fitting that I had arrived there to see Muslim Aid’s investment in organic farming methods, and how local men and women were being trained to grow crops in ways that work in harmony with nature.

After enjoying the typical Javanese hospitality of hot jasmine tea and fried snacks, I was introduced to Monica Sampyuh and other local women who had been

trained under the programme. A quick tour of their small gated garden where they had grown spinach and other plants, was then followed by a small trek down the steep slopes and across small streams to the field where chillies were growing without the use of harmful chemicals and pesticides. The slugs that once ate away at the plants, one farmer explained, were now being used to make a natural pesticide. As I stood there taking in the serene beauty of the countryside, the smiles and warm greetings of the villagers gave me a true sense of what our development work is about. Whilst it is true that Muslim Aid does much work around the world helping people in conflict and disasters, there is also much work being done to invest in local people and help them to find sustainable lasting solutions to poverty.

[ Ali at a Milk Farm, Bosnia ]

[ Monica and friends tend to their organic garden ]

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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

Contributors:

Taufiq Wan - Communications OfficerNur Hannah Wan - Video ProducerSara Morad - Information and Public Affairs AssistantNafisah Kara - UK Department AssistantSara Kasmani - Country Desk Manager

Cover photo: A woman from Kassala, Sudan, enjoys health awareness training delivered by MA. Photograph by Amina Rafique

Gaza2014

Even before the ceasefire agreement was in place, Muslim Aid’s partners were on the ground responding to the needs of the people of Gaza. Muslim Aid is continuing to work with its local partners and UN agencies to develop long-term plans for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of services in Gaza. Since then we have used your generous support to provide relief in the following ways:

8,000 sick and wounded people have benefitted from MA’s vital supplies of blood to intensive care units at three hospitals, helping surgeons to perform life-saving treatment for the wounded and critically ill.

10,000 people received medicine, medical equipment and sanitary supplies from 14 health centres.

15,000 litres of fuel were given to power generators while electricity was unreliable and limited.

10,000 people benefitted from an ICU ambulance and 5 new fully equipped ICU beds.

6,098 displaced people were given essential household items such as blankets, baby care kits and emergency food stocks.

Over 5,600 people were provided with food, hygiene kits, mattresses, jerry cans to collect water and children’s clothes and toys in Nusierat, Khan Younes, Beit Lahiya.

600 children were given clothes on Eid al-Adha.

Muslim Aid are working with specialist teams to provide psychosocial relief to 12,000 children & 600 parents through recreational projects, group therapies and individual counselling.

Muslim Aid is also working on the development of a new Mother and Child Care Centre in Al Shaaf which will provide recreational facilities, psychosocial support and income generation activities.

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London Office

Tel: 020 7377 4200 - Web: muslimaid.orgPO 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