| | A few hundred millionaires now own as much wealth as the world£s poorest 2.5 billion people | Food parcels and handouts offer temporary respite from hunger, but unless people are given the means to lift themselves out of destitution, the aid will eventually run out leaving only dependency.
Women generally face the greatest difficulties in finding work. Typically, when they are widowed or left abandoned with several children they have no skills to earn an income.
Islamic Relief makes a lasting difference in the lives of the poor by building the capacity of local communities to sustain themselves through: - Vocational training programmes (computer classes, tailoring, making handicrafts etc.)
- Interest-free loans to start small businesses.
- Widows welfare (training and micro-credit).
- Distribution of livestock.
- Promoting agriculture: distributing seeds and fertiliser, improving irrigation.
- Strengthening community governance.
The projects are also self sustainable as once the loans are repaid the money can be loaned out once more.
Case Study: PakistanIslamic Relief began work in villages in rural Pakistan by forming a community organisation made up of members of the village. Islamic Relief then provided management and financial training to the community organisation and interest free loans to set up a savings system, which has allowed them to give small loans to members to help with their businesses or farming.
Islamic Relief set up community organisations to ensure community participation, thus making projects sustainable.
| "We were scattered, there was no unity between the residents of Killi. Each of us was thinking in isolation and was not bothered about other people's problems. With the formation of the community organisation we learnt we can find solutions to our problems and help each other.
We also learnt about saving money for worse situations and for our community development."
Bibi Naaz, manager of female community organisation, Kharan,Balochistan | | |
