Waseem Ahmad
MESSAGE FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE
Assalamu alaykum Peace be with you
If 2020 was the year in which we were first confronted with the challenges of Covid-19, 2021 was when the profound and lasting human and economic impact of the pandemic became clear for all to see. Supporting those worst affected has been at the heart of Islamic Reliefâs work, alongside responding to the climate emergency and the enduring effects of protracted crises and conflicts in places like Yemen, Syria, Afghanistan and beyond.
All our work is underpinned by our faith-based values of supporting and empowering the poor and marginalised, and by our commitment to furthering the United Nationâs Sustainable Development Goals.
This was a year scarred by further growth in global hunger. This deeply distressing development is a consequence of both the pandemic and ever more extreme weather, in some places further exacerbated by conflict. Millions of people have been uprooted from their homes and have been unable to sustain their traditional way of life. The prospect of widespread famine is now a reality for millions, with many millions more struggling to feed their families each day.
Our response to this hunger crisis has been shaped by listening to the insights and experience of frontline staff working in the communities they serve. I spoke up in favour of this approach when addressing over 100 fellow CEOs from partner organisations of the UNâs World Food Programme at an event to share knowledge and experience in tackling growing global hunger.
In the face of diverse and complex humanitarian challenges, Islamic Relief has remained by the side of people in urgent need. In 2021 we supported over 12.5 million people. We provided emergency relief in response to disasters across the world, from Bangladesh to Mali, the Philippines and Gaza, places where the effects of climate change are often compounded by years of insecurity and endemic poverty. In Syria and Yemen, whose respective crises have raged for many years, we have continued to provide vital life-saving assistance despite huge operational constraints. In Afghanistan, we remain steadfast in our support for those whose lives have been turned upside down.
In 2021 we developed new principles to capture our locally led approach to adaptation, ensuring that local knowledge, ideas and experience are at the heart of how we support communities worst affected by climate change. We are raising awareness of climate change and the adaptation measures that can be taken to build resilience among the most vulnerable communities. We have implemented climate-smart solutions for farmers in drought-afflicted parts of Ethiopia; helped people in Pakistan to better prepare for the changing climate; and assisted families in Kenya to find more climate-resilient ways to earn a living in the face of increasingly unpredictable and extreme weather patterns.
We continue our commitment to children who have grown up in great hardship and often lack access to shelter, education, basic healthcare and food. Our Orphan Sponsorship Programme continued to grow in 2021, and now supports over 80,000 children worldwide; while more women used our trailblazing Qurbani Plus model to improve their childrenâs lives and prospects for the future.
I am delighted that we were also able to further strengthen the impact of our advocacy work, playing our part in securing positive change on the most important issues in the world today. We continued to throw our weight behind the movement for climate justice, now needed more than ever. Amplifying the voices of the communities already bearing the brunt of the climate breakdown, we made sure decision-makers heard their experiences and insights by delivering 10 events in and around the COP26 summit in Glasgow.
As this report demonstrates, we are intensifying our efforts and diversifying our tools and approaches in response to increased and diverse humanitarian needs. While the challenges are great, the strong backing of our generous supporters, partners and the communities we serve continues to motivate us to do all we can to save and change lives around the world, inshaâAllah.
This was a year scarred by further growth in global hunger. This deeply distressing development is a consequence of both the pandemic and ever more extreme weather, in some places further exacerbated by conflict. Millions of people have been uprooted from their homes and have been unable to sustain their traditional way of life. The prospect of widespread famine is now a reality for millions, with many millions more struggling to feed their families each day.
Our response to this hunger crisis has been shaped by listening to the insights and experience of frontline staff working in the communities they serve. I spoke up in favour of this approach when addressing over 100 fellow CEOs from partner organisations of the UNâs World Food Programme at an event to share knowledge and experience in tackling growing global hunger.
In the face of diverse and complex humanitarian challenges, Islamic Relief has remained by the side of people in urgent need. In 2021 we supported over 12.5 million people. We provided emergency relief in response to disasters across the world, from Bangladesh to Mali, the Philippines and Gaza, places where the effects of climate change are often compounded by years of insecurity and endemic poverty. In Syria and Yemen, whose respective crises have raged for many years, we have continued to provide vital life-saving assistance despite huge operational constraints. In Afghanistan, we remain steadfast in our support for those whose lives have been turned upside down.
In 2021 we developed new principles to capture our locally led approach to adaptation, ensuring that local knowledge, ideas and experience are at the heart of how we support communities worst affected by climate change. We are raising awareness of climate change and the adaptation measures that can be taken to build resilience among the most vulnerable communities. We have implemented climate-smart solutions for farmers in drought-afflicted parts of Ethiopia; helped people in Pakistan to better prepare for the changing climate; and assisted families in Kenya to find more climate-resilient ways to earn a living in the face of increasingly unpredictable and extreme weather patterns.
We continue our commitment to children who have grown up in great hardship and often lack access to shelter, education, basic healthcare and food. Our Orphan Sponsorship Programme continued to grow in 2021, and now supports over 80,000 children worldwide; while more women used our trailblazing Qurbani Plus model to improve their childrenâs lives and prospects for the future.
I am delighted that we were also able to further strengthen the impact of our advocacy work, playing our part in securing positive change on the most important issues in the world today. We continued to throw our weight behind the movement for climate justice, now needed more than ever. Amplifying the voices of the communities already bearing the brunt of the climate breakdown, we made sure decision-makers heard their experiences and insights by delivering 10 events in and around the COP26 summit in Glasgow.
As this report demonstrates, we are intensifying our efforts and diversifying our tools and approaches in response to increased and diverse humanitarian needs. While the challenges are great, the strong backing of our generous supporters, partners and the communities we serve continues to motivate us to do all we can to save and change lives around the world, inshaâAllah.