Islamic Relief Bangladesh

Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW) based in UK, is a charity organization, started its endeavor in 1984 towards sustainable development of poor and ultra poor communities through relief and development interventions. The organization has a vision that is inspired by Islamic faith and guided by core values envisages towards a caring world where communities are empowered, social obligations are fulfilled and people respond as one to the suffering of others. In 1991, Islamic Relief started working in Bangladesh to respond to devastating cyclone in the south-eastern coastal belt of Bangladesh through relief operations. Later on, the organization has expanded its programme through an integrated approach in the field of livelihoods, child rights and welfare, health and nutrition, sanitation, education, disaster risk reduction and climate change issues.
Values:
Following prophetic guidance; we remain guided by the timeless values and teachings provided by the revelations contained within the Qur’an and prophetic example (Sunnah), most specifically:

• Sincerity (Ikhlas): In responding to poverty and suffering our efforts are driven by sincerity to God and the need to fulfill our obligations to humanity

• Social Justice (Adl): Our work is founded on enabling people and institutions to fulfill the rights of the poor and vulnerable. We work to empower the dispossessed towards realising their God-given human potential and developing their capabilities and resources.

• Compassion (Rahmah): We believe the protection and well-being of every life is of paramount importance and we shall join with other humanitarian actors to act as one in responding to suffering brought on by disasters, poverty and injustice.

• Custodianship (Amana): We uphold our duty of custodianship over the earth, its resources and the trust people place in us as humanitarian and development practitioners to be transparent and accountable.

• Excellence (Ihsan): Our actions in tackling poverty are marked by excellence in our operations and conduct which are deserving of the people we serve.


Legal Affiliations:
Islamic Relief Bangladesh has been registered with NGO Affairs Bureau of the Government of People’s Republic of Bangladesh. The registration number is 553.
Working Areas: Currently Islamic Relief Bangladesh is working in 24 districts across Bangladesh with comprehensive integrated development approaches.


Programmes
Islamic Relief Bangladesh has been implementing varied interventions in five broad areas which include (i) Sustainable Livelihood and Community Development, (ii) Health and Nutrition, (iii) Orphan & Child Welfare, (iv) Humanitarian Assistance and Early Recovery and (v) Climate Change and Disaster Resilience.

Livelihood and Community Development Programme
The primary objective of this programme is to ensure a sustainable livelihood through capacity building and input support for the most marginalized and vulnerable communities. Towards alleviating poverty, the programme has been focused on strengthening peoples’ organization, empowering communities through IGA based skill development training, asset/IGA transfer, Sharia based Islamic Microfinance etc. By delivering timely and effective services and engaging communities in all development efforts, the following impacts have been made so far by the organization.

Some of the impacts of this programme are-
• Adopting inclusive approach mainstreamed elderly, disability, widow, ethnic minority and occupational groups in economic and social development processes.
• Poor and ultra poor households, of which 85% are women headed, have increased their income by 12% in 2012.
• Promoted indigenous knowledge and practices and income generation options including transforming new technologies. Increased women mobility to economic activities and control over their income and resources.
• Initiated farm, non-farm and vocational skill development training and provided input support to 39,475 direct beneficiaries to adopt decent and sustainable livelihoods. Promoted Self-Help Karje Hasana and built solidarity amongst 1357 groups.

Orphan and Child Welfare Programme:
Since 1992, the programme delivers a number of services to the targeted orphan and their families which include; financial input support, scouting and cultural activities, Shariah based Karje Hasana for the children and their families, capacity building related to skill and awareness, provide health facility and shelter etc. In addition, Islamic Relief has a Child Protection Policy to protect and promote child rights. The organization has been instrumental to reduce the number of hazardous child labor in Bangladesh.

Some of the impacts of this programme are-
• The rate of passing has exceeded the national average in different public examination of Bangladesh.
• Mothers of sponsored orphans are considered as decision makers in the society and one of them got elected as the member of a local Union Parishad (UP)
• Increased improvement in the education and nutritional status of distressed children.

Health and Nutrition Programme:
Aiming to improve the health and nutritional status of the poor and ultra poor, the organization is working for having an increased access to health and nutritional facilities by the poor and ultra poor community and for better understanding on health and hygiene related issues. The major interventions of this programme are to provide treatment facility through the health care center & mobile health camp, pathological facility, low-cost medicine, raising awareness on HHN issues, anti-natal and post-natal support, provide training to the village motivators and provide referral system etc.
Some of the impacts of this programme are-
• 3650 poor and ultra poor people got their eye sight back.
• Community people are being made aware on cataract and other eye diseases.
• The attitude of undue delay and fear of eye surgery are decreasing day by day and the community people are more sensitized to address eye care and blindness prevention.
• Awareness sessions on eye care and eye health issues are putting a positive impression among participants especially on different institutions and communities.
Humanitarian Assistance & Early Recovery Programme
Islamic Relief Bangladesh provides emergency support within the shortest possible time to reduce the loses and damages of lives and assets of the affected population. The emergency response includes providing supports viz. distribute emergency food and non-food items, construction of multipurpose cyclone/ flood shelters and its management, repairing and construction disaster affected family shelters, distribution of IGA input, ensuring safe drinking water, implementation of Cash for Work (CFW) and Cash for Training (CFT), help to build linkages with the service providers.
Through an integrated approach, WATSAN implements various interventions which include creation of safe water sources through installation of Shallow Tube Well (STW), Deep Tube Well (DTW), Pond Sand Filter (PSF) and Rain Water Harvesting etc. It provides training and raising awareness on WATSAN issues which contribute to change the behavior of targeted households.
Every year Islamic Relief raises funds from donors across the world to help the poor and marginalized during Ramadan and Qurbani.

Some of the impacts of this programme are-
• Equipment was provided to Fire Service and Civil Defense Department of the Government of Bangladesh to help the search and rescue operations in Rana Plaza, Savar, Dhaka.
• Poor and ultra poor people escaped hunger and malnutrition through our seasonal food distribution programme.
• 40 Kilometer of small and large roads has been repaired in 2012 in the Aila and Sidr affected areas.
• 2559 disaster resilient family shelters have been constructed and approx. 12795 people have been benefited in 2012.
• Enhanced awareness and responsiveness to disasters reduces the lose of lives and assets in the working area.
• Increased awareness helps significant reduction of water borne diseases (diarrhea, dysentery, hepatitis and skin diseases) in the working areas.
Climate and Disaster Resilience Programme
The Climate & Disaster Resilience Programme works with the most vulnerable communities in the disaster hotspots of the country with an inclusive approach for the socially excluded and marginalized groups including women, children, elderly and persons with disabilities. CDR works with specialized emergency response agencies including Fire Service & Civil Defense and Armed Forces Division of the government to strengthen effective coordinated response in emergency with community being the first responder as a result of their increased response capacity.
Islamic Relief builds partnerships with national and local government and invests in their capacity development through training programme, sharing experience and research findings. In that regard, CDR programme invests in advocacy and leadership development amongst the most vulnerable communities so that their priorities and concerns are included in the national and local level planning process.
Some of the impacts of this programme are-
• Enable the local communities and institutions to better prepare for adaptation and respond adequately to disasters.
• Mainstreamed DRR actions identified through local level risk assessments into Annual Development Plans (ADPs). Islamic Relief motivated the local community and government institutions to leverage a total of BDT 1,92,28,825 from ADP and locally raised funds.
• As a member of National Alliance for Risk Reduction and Response Initiatives (NARRI) Consortium, Islamic Relief contributed in formulation of the recently enacted National Disaster Management Act.
• Islamic Relief directly contributed to the development of the Flood Early Warning Guideline for the government which was also incorporated in the National Disaster Management Policy.
• Islamic Relief's work on urban risk reduction interventions in Sylhet through mobilizing community and institutions has been recognized at the 1st Guangzhou International Award for Urban Innovation in China. Sylhet was the only city from South Asia that reached the final shortlist of 15 cities.
• NARRI Consortium was awarded the 2013 UN Sasakawa Award for Disaster Risk Reduction.


Milestones of Islamic Relief in Bangladesh:
Year Milestone
1984 Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW) started its journey in the United Kingdom (UK).
1991 Islamic Relief started its operation in Bangladesh.
2004 Islamic Relief expanded its relief operations to 18 districts of Bangladesh.
2012 IR Bangladesh's work on Urban Risk Reduction in Sylhet is recognized at the Guangzhou International Urban Innovation Awards in China. Sylhet was the only city short listed for the award in South Asia.
2013 NARRI alliance was awarded the 2013 UN Sasakawa Award for Disaster Risk Reduction

Affiliation with various national and international networks/forums:
• Disaster Emergency Committee (DEC) in UK;
• Consultative Status (Special Category) of UN Economic and Social Council;
• World Economic Forum – C100 (Faith & Social Organizations);
• Trustee People in Aid (UK);
• UK Platform of the Liaison Committee of Development NGOs to the European Union;
• Code of Conduct for International Red Cross Red Crescent Code & NGOs in Disaster Relief;
• BOND (British Overseas NGOs for Development);
• Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon (BAPA);
• Credit and Development Forum (CDF);
• Global Child Protection Cluster;
• National Girl Child Advocacy Forum;
• National Alliance for Risk Reduction and Response Initiatives (NARRI);
• WASH Cluster of the Government of Bangladesh.
Islamic Relief has strategic relationship with the following ministries/departments of the Government of Bangladesh:
• Ministry of Social Welfare;
• Ministry of Agriculture;
• Ministry of Labor & Employment;
• Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives;
• Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief;
• Ministry of Women and Children Affairs;
• Ministry of Environment and Forest;
• Fire Service and Civil Defense/Ministry of Home Affairs.
Conclusion: Islamic Relief is envisaged to help the poor and ultra poor community by changing their lives and livelihoods through an integrated, caring and community driven strategy where every people irrespective to gender, age, religion, ethnicity are the centre of all development interventions.

For more information, please contact:
Islamic Relief Bangladesh
House 10, Road 10, Block K
Baridhara, Dhaka-1212
Phone: +88 02 9893458, +88 028819392, Fax: +88 02 8825119.
Email: info@islamicrelief-bd.org
Website: www.islamicrelief.org.bd