Islamic Relief turns 35

Dr. Hany El-Banna and fellow students from the University of Birmingham – had set up Islamic Relief on 17 January 1984. The first donation was 20p and from that, the organization has been able to grow and help millions of people across the globe.

Just a year later, in 1985, IR began its first project and raised over £100,000 to help those affected by famine in Africa. Islamic Relief has gone on to provide a lifeline for millions of people in the decades that followed, often working in areas that other organisations struggle to access.

Islamic Relief was one of the international aid agencies working in Iraq during the conflict in 2003. When the deadly Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami struck in 2004, the organization provided lifesaving aid. It has assisted families affected by the 2010 floods in Pakistan, the 2011 famine in Somalia, and when a typhoon hit the Philippines in 2013. When conflict erupted in Gaza again in 2014, Islamic Relief once more continued to work on the ground to help vulnerable people.

At present, the organization is responding to many of the world’s most dire humanitarian crises – including the conflicts in Syria and Yemen, and the East Africa food crisis. IR is also using its global influence to push for action on some of the most urgent issues facing the planet, including climate change, gender justice, and the rights of refugees and migrants.

Over the last 35 years, Islamic Relief has saved and transformed the lives of over 100 million people. IR is the first Muslim organisation to attain Core Humanitarian Standard certification, in recognition of the high quality and impact of our work.

Original source: Islamic Relief
Published on 17 January 2019