Islamic Relief’s latest Annual Report, published, shows continued growth in the positive impact as IRW tackle poverty and suffering in an increasingly turbulent world.
In 2023, the report shows, Islamic Relief responded to more large-scale humanitarian crises than ever before. Conflict, natural disasters and extreme weather events devastated lives in many of the communities the organization supports.
See also: Study unveils the costliest natural disasters of 2023
The incredible donors gave more generously than ever, allowing them to reach a record number of people in need. IRW supported 16.8 million people in 39 countries through emergency responses, development work and campaigning.
The commitment and selflessness of supporters who gave their time and money enabled IRW to raise a record £274.6 million and made the life-saving and life-changing work possible.
The Annual Report details how Islamic Relief managed responses to major crises around the world while supporting individuals and communities to take significant steps towards self-reliance through development programming.
“Many of the crises to which we responded in 2023 continue to devastate lives, while global hunger, climate change, and faltering global governance snatch away precious development gains. In all the years I have served as a humanitarian, I have not experienced a more tumultuous time – nor have I ever felt prouder to be part of the Islamic Relief family, as each part of our global federation has stepped forward to play its part” , Waseem Ahmad, CEO of Islamic Relief Worldwide, says.
Islamic Relief responded rapidly and effectively to humanitarian crises
As the world looks back on 2023, the overwhelming impression is of a year dominated by large-scale emergencies. Crises erupted in Sudan and escalated in Gaza, with devastating consequences for ordinary families. Meanwhile, drought and its lasting aftereffects continued to grip the Horn of Africa. Major earthquakes hit Türkiye, Syria, Afghanistan and Morocco, while catastrophic flooding swept through communities in Libya.
Through 326 emergency projects, Islamic Relief responded rapidly and effectively to these crises and many more. IRW provided 8.7 million people with food, water, shelter and other essentials after disasters struck and, in many cases, continued working with affected communities to rebuild homes, infrastructure and livelihoods in the months that followed.
In Gaza and Sudan, many of the staff faced the same challenges as the communities they serve, bravely working to support others while grappling with displacement and danger themselves.
In Yemen, which remains gravely affected by the global hunger crisis, Islamic Relief’s most extensive aid programme reached 2 million people in need each month with food aid. Working with the World Food Programme, the organization delivered food and cash vouchers to families in crisis.
Islamic Relief supported the long-term development of communities, families and individuals
In 2023, Islamic Relief continued building integrated sustainable development programmes that met multiple needs in the communities it serves, addressing the root causes of poverty and supporting individuals, families and communities on the road to self-reliance.
The organization ran 334 development projects around the world, improving access to education, healthcare, clean water and sustainable incomes for more than 4.6 million people.
💙 Thanks to the generosity of our incredible supporters, last year we helped 16.8 million people in 39 countries!
Thank you to all who made it possible – your support is making a real difference in people’s lives 🫶
📎 Read more in our Annual Report: https://t.co/pq0uTag4KR pic.twitter.com/6bNNWfNBL3
— Islamic Relief Worldwide (@IRWorldwide) July 16, 2024
The report highlights a project in Niger’s capital, Niamey, which empowered 600 women to start and expand their own small businesses. The project included information-raising sessions on nutrition and hygiene and trained local faith leaders on child protection and gender-based violence so they could raise community awareness.
As well as the financial boost from their businesses, the women who participated in the project reported an increase in their confidence and involvement in household decision-making around finances, children’s education and marriage.
In 2023, the generosity of the donors provided more than 91,900 orphaned children with life-changing sponsorship, while the seasonal Ramadan and Qurbani programmes helped ease the hunger of some 3.5 million and 890,000 families respectively across more than 30 countries.
IRW supported over 2.8 people with healthcare interventions and provided better access to water, sanitation and hygiene services to more than 967,000 people.
Islamic Relief campaigned for positive and lasting change
Islamic Relief continued advocating for women and girls, refugees and displaced people and those hit hardest by the harmful effects of climate change in 2023, spending £1.4 million campaigning for positive and lasting change.
With the climate crisis continuing to cause and exacerbate emergencies around the world, it remained a major focus of the advocacy in 2023.
One year on from the devastating flooding in Pakistan, IRW produced a report detailing recovery efforts and advocating for a stronger and fairer humanitarian and international response to climate-related disasters.
Islamic Relief’s landmark STRIDE project produced a major research paper on localisation and climate adaptation – key issues affecting many of the communities the organization serves. In 2023, the programmes supported over 205,000 people to become more resilient to the negative impacts of climate change.
In November, IRW engaged virtually with negotiations at the COP28 climate summit in the United Arab Emirates, drafting articles for the influential daily ECO newsletter published during the conference and speaking at a workshop organised around the event.
Islamic Relief plotted the course for the next decade
For Islamic Relief, 2023 was a year of introspection as well as action. As IRW prepared to mark its 40th anniversary in 2024, the organization reflected on the organisation’s journey from a small office in Birmingham, UK, to a major charity with a presence in more than 40 countries.
Over the decades, the support of so many generous individuals has enabled to improve the lives of vulnerable people around the world, but there is so much still to do.
With this in mind, the organization launched the new Global Strategy for 2023-2033. At its heart lies the principle that to affect systemic change, the world must increasingly address the root causes of inequality and injustice.
The strategy also lays out three ‘core outcomes’ – saving lives and reducing vulnerability to humanitarian crises, empowering communities to tackle poverty and vulnerability, advocating for change to the system and eliminating the global and local root causes of inequality and objectives within each goal to guide towards achieving them.
As IRW reflects on 40 years of serving humanity, the organization recognise that the work is far from done. Poverty, injustice, inequality and suffering continue to devastate lives, and so, Islamic Relief recommits to increase the impact still further into the rest of 2024 and beyond, with the continued support of the steadfast staff, donors and partners.
