Ramadan 2012 Magazine

Magazine 2012

/Building a better future

With your support

Niger / Al-Mustafa Bashir, a severely malnourished child diagnosed at one of our community clinics.

CEO’s Message

Message fromIslamic Relief’s CEO Assalaamu ‘alaikum / Peace be upon you, Welcome to Islamic Relief Canada’s magazine – our way to thank you for your support and share how together we have helped relieve the suffering and pain of others.

This past year has truly been exceptional – 2011’s crisis in East Africa was one of the

biggest tests we have faced reminding us of the fragility of life and the enormity of the task ahead. Our new global strategy, faith inspired action aims to better prepare for disasters. We see this need clearly in the impending crisis in West Africa and we are determined with your help and by the grace of Allah to act quickly and prevent a ‘second Somalia’.

International development is all about transformational change; change that has a lasting impact. Therefore, as well as protecting life and dignity, we aim to empower

communities and work beyond a crisis to help rebuild the lives of those affected. To

end their suffering for good, we will need structural changes too so our third aim is campaigning for change. For both Somalia and Syria, we have been pressing both decision-makers from the grassroots level and leading political voices for rapid and effective humanitarian intervention.

Due to our highly respectable reputation, further support has been provided to us by the Canadian International Development Agency worth over a million dollars which in turn has helped us provide emergency food assistance to vulnerable populations suffering from droughts to famine stricken Somalia.

None of this would be possible without your generous support – whether through

donating, volunteering, or simply remembering us and those in need in your prayers, thank you. I hope you will enjoy reading about the progress we have made together by the grace of Allah.

Wa salaam / In peace,

Sallah Hamdani Islamic ReliefCanada CEO

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Farhia, 20 year old refugee &

Islamic Relief volunteer at the Mangaize Refugee Camp.

Contents

/3 CEO’s Message /6 Peace In The Middle East /8 East Africa: Update /13 Canadian Government Partnership /14 Building a better future /20 Not So Risky Business /22 With Love & Hard Work /28 Maher Zain Tour /30 Volunteer Case Study /32 Blood, Sweat & Volunteers /34 We Are Accountable

Director Of Communictions: Zaid Al-Rawni Managing Editor Adil Husseini Editor Zaid Al-Rawni Creative Director Ahmad Tudor Designer Ahmad Tudor Copy Writer Louiza Chekhar Researcher Reem El-Khatib

With thanks to all those who contributed.

Photographs © Ahmad Tudor & Adam Scarth.

Except pages 10 & 12 © Shaista Chishty & Page 9 © Mo Dahir.

/ SYRIA SYRIA / As the Arab Spring swept the Middle East, horrific fighting broke out in Syria, and thousands left their homes in search of refuge. Islamic Relief called for a ceasefire to allow humanitarian access.

As families arrived on the borders of Lebanon

Islamic Relief provided medical supplies,

protection, Islamic Relief was there to provide the

vaccinations and anaesthetics. Our access is

and Jordan empty-handed, seeking shelter and

essentials for survival, like food packs, hygiene kits, blankets for the cold winter and money to pay their rent. For a long time, access into Syria for those not fortunate enough to escape

was impossible. Thankfully we were able to send supplies into Homs in March 2012, where civilians had set up makeshift clinics to treat the wounded,

Syria/ Dr Mohamed Ashmawey of Islamic Relief, was instrumental in pressing the UN for humanitarian access, including Valerie Amos & Kofi Annan.

including antibiotics, blood transfusion bags, uncertain, but every life we can save is worth the

risk. With the fighting intensifying in and around

Damascus, the outlook for the coming weeks is poor. More and more people are pouring out of Syria feeling for the lives. With your help our teams in Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey & Iraq will

continue to ensure their basic needs are met, while we continue to reach those we can inside Syria.

Yemen / Child walks

lost amid the carnage of the conflict.

YEMEN / Following prolonged conflict over several months, the situation in Yemen reached crisis point when over half a million people were forced to flee their homes in fear for their safety.

Fighting has disrupted supplies of water, fuel,

Islamic Relief has been working in Yemen for

to clean water or healthcare, diseases like

the call immediately. Distributing food packs

electricity and medicine. With barely any access

over a decade, so we were ready to answer

malaria, meningitis and TB are spreading fast,

to thousands of families, we also provided

and over a million people now need emergency

essential hygiene kits to help to stop the spread

treatment. On top of this, a severe food shortage

of disease. Families had left everything behind

has left nearly 5 million hungry, and over half of

when they fled, so were in desperate need of

Yemen’s children malnourished.

basic shelter items like mattresses and blankets, which Islamic Relief quickly supplied.

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Crisis

In 2011, a deadly combination of lack of rain and rising food prices led to the worst drought East Africa had seen in over 60 years – and the 21st century’s first official famine.

With 13 million people affected in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya, this was undoubtedly one of the biggest crises Islamic Relief had ever faced, and we were horror-struck by what we witnessed.

We saw Abdul Ilahi, the boy who walked for 200 miles with his

family to reach Mogadishu. We saw Aisha, who gave birth after

reaching a refugee camp to a tiny baby boy who died just two

weeks later – before he had even been named. We saw, and we responded – 6 months after the famine was declared, stunned by your generous support, we had implemented a multi-million dollar programme reaching over a million people.

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Water / clean drinking

water for 400,000 people,

and 18 wells rehabilitated

Children / 11,000 malnourished children treated, and a new

emergency unit constructed for

children suffering diarrheoa and cholera.

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Crisis

Health / 3 clinics established

treating over 45,000 people, and 10 tonnes of medicine provided

Food / emergency food

packages for 1 million people

East Africa may no longer be in the media spotlight, but Islamic Relief is

still providing major support. Not just

emergency supplies, but long-term solutions too: new wells to provide clean

water, support for farmers to get their livelihoods back, and schools to give

children a future. In short, with your continued help, we’re rebuilding lives.

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Islamic Relief Canada(IRC) has signed a new $ 3 Million

in impoverished regions around the world” he added.

Agency (CIDA).

The partnership, unprecedented for Muslim charities in

The agreement will provide Emergency Food

Relief Canada committing $1.5Millon. The partnership

contract with the Canadian International Development

Assistance to vulnerable populations in drought and famine stricken Somalia. “We are very proud and

pleased with this announcement” said Sallah Hamdani, CEO of Islamic Relief Canada, “It demonstrates the

scale and capacity of Islamic Relief, our credibility with

the Canadian government and the affect we’re having

Canada, entails CIDA providing $1.5 Million and Islamic inaugurates what IRC hopes will be continued support

by the Canadian government for its work not only in Somalia but other countries around the world and the Canadian governments continued commitment to the worlds poor.

Actor Hugh Quarshie helped Islamic Relief bring a spotlight to the crisis

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CIDA PARTNERSHIP

Canadian Government $3million partnership with Islamic Relief

With your help we have made progress – less people are dying and malnutrition has dropped – but the crisis is far from over. In a report published in February 2012, Back From The Brink, Islamic Relief highlighted the need for the international community to step up and support Somalia with increased, consistent aid to the most desperate areas. We urged them to respond quickly to the earliest warning signs, and help the region strengthen and protect itself against future crises. This report led to significant interest and private briefings

Islamic Relief believes in sustainable solutions.

We have empowered thousands of people all over

the world, giving them the means to provide for themselves, long after we have left.

S / HUMANITY NEEDS SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS / HUMANITY NEEDS SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS / HUMANITY NEEDS SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS / HUMANITY NEEDS

When Mati Rani’s husband died five years ago, she was forced to work as a farm labourer and housemaid at the

same time, yet still could not support herself and her two children. Gradually, her dreams of becoming selfreliant and providing for her family were shattered.

That is, until Islamic Relief trained Mati, and other

women in the village, to weave baskets and other crafts.

Given just a few tools and materials, Mati set up her own business, and was soon producing so many baskets

to sell that she was able to take on five employees, empowering even more women!

Proud but shy, Mati is overjoyed that she no longer has

to knock on door after door, asking for help. She is not just weaving baskets – she is weaving a life for herself.

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S SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS / HUMANITY NEEDS SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS / HUMANITY NEEDS SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS / HUMANITY NEEDS SUSTAINABLE SOLU

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SUBHY / For generations, the fishing trade has

Islamic Relief helped fishermen like Subhy

family. It is his only source of income, but he

new boats and tools. For Subhy, this support

passed from father to son in Subhy Miqdad’s

rebuild their livelihoods, providing loans to buy

struggles to raise his son alone, since fishing

was “like a lifeline” – he had no other way of

restrictions stop Palestinians sailing more than

buying a new boat. Subhy is delighted to carry

three miles from the shore. There are just not

on his forefathers’ trade, and is training his son

enough fish to go around in the tiny strip, so

to become a fisherman too. Now, the repaid loan

nobody can afford to replace essential boats or

can be used to help yet another family in need.

equipment.

NIVEEN / When Niveen Salhi’s husband was

She also teaches local women to embroider,

newborn, she was determined not to depend on

provide for themselves!

martyred, when their second son was just a

empowering yet more people with the skills to

others to bring up her children. All it took was

one simple gift from Islamic Relief: a sewing

Niveen hated feeling like a burden to others, so

machine.

she is extremely happy to support her sons all

by herself. To her, this gift was not just a sewing

Now, Niveen makes and embroiders shawls,

machine – it was the gift of dignity.

bags and dresses. By selling them, she can feed her family and make vital repairs their home.

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NIGER / For two years, lack of rainfall in Niger

The panels store energy, so the well keeps

Ouallam district. No crops are growing, and there

low-cost, environmentally-friendly solution which

has had a devastating effect on the people of

working at night or on cloudy days – the perfect

is no clean water to drink, cook or wash with.

never runs out!

Everyone is hungry, and children are picking up diseases from what little infected water there is

For 17-year-old Nafisa Salei, the well means that

available.

she doesn’t have to carry heavy, back-breaking buckets of water over long distances for her

Islamic Relief built a solar-panelled well in Farka

family every morning. The crisis in Niger is far

village, taking natural energy from the sun, and

from over, but this is just one of the ways Islamic

using it to pump pure water from deep below the

Relief is creating solutions to the lack of water –

ground into a vast 7-metre-tall tank. The water is

solutions which last for good.

then split between four borehole wells, so that all 2,500 villagers have a water source nearby.

Salamatou Marou, Niger

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Fatee Direesa getting fresh water. Four communities are now supplied from just one well.

because of you, we are providing long-term solutions to poverty

Village chief Amadou and Islamic Relief worker Raboui, standing proudly by the solar panels.

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Not so Risky Busin Bangladesh is the most disaster-prone country in the world. Islamic Relief

works hard to prepare and protect people before emergencies strike – not

only saving lives, but also money on repairs!

Every year, families in Bangladesh lose their homes and possessions when flashfloods destroy everything. Islamic Relief

found a very simple solution – using plinths to raise houses, they can avoid most of the damage.

We set up a disaster response point, and trained local people to help those in need when the floods hit.

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Sabina Yasmin, DRR trainer, Bangladesh

ness

“I’m not teaching the community – every day I learn something new from them!”

For over 15 years, Sabina Yasmin has been helping communities in Bangladesh protect themselves from the floods that ravage their homes every year. With the most basic of household items, the lives of entire families can be saved.

From simple aluminium jars...a raft to keep stranded families afloat.

By simply unwrapping a sari and throwing it out...a mother can rescue her two children before they float away.

It seems almost too good to be true, but Sabina says “these techniques are very effective. The aluminium jar

raft is very easy, takes only a short time to make, and anyone can do it.”

Every year, families in

Before Sabina’s training, flash floods would rush into

and possessions when flash

couple of simple lessons and some smart thinking, she

Bangladesh lose their homes floods destroy everything.

homes and families would be torn apart – now, with a has thrown them a lifeline.

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Children need love. Brave and

beautiful children like 4-yearold Somoud, who lost her father in

Palestine’s violent conflict, need love.

When you sponsor an orphan out of

love, we can give them everything they need for the best start in life; food, shelter, clothes, healthcare and education.

Sultan and Bushra lost both

their parents in Gaza at a young age. Sultan is supported

by Islamic Relief, but sadly

we haven’t found a sponsor for his sister. To sponsor a

child please call Islamic Relief today on 1.855.377.

HOPE(4673)

We all know that ‘love’ isn’t just word, it’s an action.

Love isn’t easy, it takes hard work and dedication, but the rewards can be beyond imagination. Seeing a child walk into a new classroom that we’ve built, excited to learn about the world is something very special.

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In Bangladesh sat a run-down school building, left

empty for over 20 years. Children were sitting on the floor to learn, in dark, unpainted rooms with

empty shelves – it was far from the bright and inspirational place a school should be.

The Conservative Party’s Social Action Project Maja chose to team up with Islamic Relief, knowing

about the great work we do, to refurbish the Mohd Hazi Shafiq School. Led by Baroness Sayeeda Warsi and MP Tobias Ellwood, amongst many other politicians and volunteers, and supported

by B&Q, Aldershot FC and Britain’s celebrity chef

Enam Ali, the team completely rejuvenated the building in just one week.

Walls were brightly painted, varnished desks and

benches shone in the classrooms, cupboards

were full of sports equipment...we even installed a state of the art computer lab, turning it from a mere shell into one of Sylhet’s most exciting schools.

The trip was an eye-opener for everyone involved.

Seeing the things we take for granted in our schools – so trivial to us, but life-changing to

children in Bangladesh – gave the team a whole new perspective on what we can achieve. By working together, we can make a difference.

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Maher Zain -

The Living Arts Centre was rocking to the

Many of those in the audience were in

with an Islamic nasheeds during a

sometimes mellow, sometimes raucous

sound of praise of the prophet

(pbuh),

fundraising concert.

a generous mood, as the nasheed — — opened up their ears and their wallets.

Multi-platinum singer and songwriter

Sheikh Alaa El Sayad of the Islamic

was the last of three taking place across

South Service Rd. in Clarkson took to the

Maher Zain headlined the concert that Canada to raise money for Islamic Relief

Canada (IRC), a charity dedicated to alleviating poverty and suffering. The other two were held in Ottawa and Montreal.

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Society of North America mosque on the stage to singlehandedly raised $284,000 from the audience.

In all, a total of over $500,000 was raised from the three-city tour.

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Inspiring

Ottawa / $82,782 Montreal / 143,513 Toronto / $284,669 Inspiring amounts raised

Zain, who released his debut album,

help themselves.

with fellow Canadian artists Irfan Makki,

In advance of the concert, IRC chief

Moe’Money to help IRC help orphans and

group was hoping the concerts would

Thank You Allah, in 2009, teamed up Moez Melon and comedian Waseem children in need.

With offices in more than 40 countries, IRC provides rapid relief in the event of

human and natural disasters and helps

establish sustainable local development

executive officer Sallah Hamdani said the

“open the eyes of our community ... to show them that the children worldwide and even right here at home in Canada need our help.”

projects allowing communities to better

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First, let’s get one thing clear. Dirty water kills 2 million children every year. There is just one question you need to ask yourself: ‘What will I be doing in 2012?’ Will you be standing at a bus stop or will you be standing on a mountain top? Will you feel an amazing sense of accomplishment, knowing that you’ve helped give people around the world access to the most basic but essential commodity – clean water – just by having fun? So, are you in? Get involved today, call 1.855.377.HOPE (4673) to find out more.

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Challenges

Name/ Sabahat Naheed Challenge: Climb Mount Kilimanjaro at

Kilimanjaro’s snow-capped peak, just as the adhaan echoed from a nearby mosque.

5895m Cause: To give people all over the world

The climb was difficult, but it made me

Water For Life...

realise how fortunate I am. I had friends around me to help when I struggled – but

Having climbed pervious mountains for

for the mother whose child is crying from

Islamic Relief, I knew my next challenge

thirst, who is there to help her?

Sabahat Naheed

had to be the world’s tallest free-standing mountain, the highest peak in Africa –

We set out to raise £60,000 for Islamic

Mount Kilimanjaro.

Relief’s Water Solutions, providing people all over the world with clean drinking

With fourteen other challengers, we set

water, but amazingly we ended up raising

off through the humid, lush rainforest,

over £100,000! Climbing Kilimanjaro for

which transformed as we climbed higher

this cause was definitely worthwhile, and

into Alpine desert, hot and dry with very

if I had the chance, I would do it all over

few plants. The trek was tough, but

again.

the scenery was beautiful, truly Allah’s work of art – my favourite sight was of

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Volunteering

“Time is money” – at Islamic Relief, where the work never stops, over a thousand volunteers in cities across Canada donate their time to us, working day in, day out.

So thank you for all the dinners, leafleting, bazaars, collections, challenges and school

visits you’ve taken on this year! If you’d like to join our fantastic volunteer team, call 1.855.377.HOPE (4673), or email info@islamicreliefcanada.org – you’ll never look back.

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Student from Islamic Relief’s ‘Lhok Nga Lampuuk Elementary School’ in Mon Ikien, Indonesia.

Call 1.855.377.HOPE(4673) islamicreliefcanada.org charity number: 821896875RR0001