Our Progress so Far - ICNA Relief Canada

Our
Progress
so Far
January 2011
In this Issue...
A Message from the Ameer
of ICNA Canada
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2
A Message from the
Chairman
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2
Pakistan Floods 2010
3
Rebuilding Haiti 2010
4
Pakistan IDPs
5
Islamic Micro Finance
6
Our Food Banks
7
Orphan Sponsorship
Program
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7 & 10
ICNA Relief Around the
World
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8-9
Muslim Family Services
11
Youth Leadership
Development Program
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14
News & Highlights
14
Global Zabiha Program
15
ICNA Relief Canada
No Borders - No Boundaries
A Message from the Ameer of ICNA
A Message from Our Chairman
Assalamualaikum
Assalamualaikum,
I am very pleased to know that ICNA Relief is publishing its
newsletter.
It is a great pleasure to write on the achievements of ICNA
Relief Canada. During last past few years, I have seen
enormous progress in the growth of ICNA Relief work and
projects. It has demonstrated its strength in raising the
funds and its ability to support millions of needy people
globally and locally.
I welcome this step, to introduce relief activities to our
readers and those who support our relief activities. I
encourage our readers to welcome this service. This newsletter will not only provide updates about different relief
activities, but will also report interaction between us and
the community, so that the community's proper role in our
work is recognized. The newsletter will be a link and a
source of motivation for others.
ICNA Relief always feels grateful to our contributors, whose
support is not seen only as an act of charity, but it is also a
way of Dawah and introduction to Islam. The need is huge
when resources are very limited, but even this small service
is still a point of starting, and a way to continue with further
services.
May Allah bless the organizers and workers for their efforts
for charity in the cause of Allah and in the cause of wellness
of humanity.
Dr. Mohammad Iqbal Al Nadvi,
Ameer, Islamic Circle of North America
I would like to congratulate ICNA Relief's team for their hard
work and for their persistency to reach out to the masses to
support the needy people globally. I would like to thank our
respected donors for their immense support in the fund
rising for Pakistan Flood Victims, Haiti Relief, Orphans
Support Program, Food Banks and other programs.
The Domestic Projects of ICNA Relief have also demonstrated great achievements. These achievements include
the opening of three new Food Banks in Canada, the
Canada Day Program in collaboration with City of Mississauga and the successful Youth Leadership Development
Program.
I have great expectations that ICNA Relief will continue to
grow and expand its efforts and provide support to millions
more of the most desperate and poverty-stricken people of
the world, InshAllah.
I pray to Allah to accept all the efforts of ICNA Relief donors,
staff and volunteers who spent their time and money to
serve to the most deserving people at home and abroad.
Fakhir Usman Baig,
Chairman, ICNA Relief Canada
2
Pakistan Floods 2010
thousands of people, providing Primary Health Care (PHC).
The
medical
facility
provided free medical
consultation and needed
medications
for
the
visitors, safe deliveries on
a 24/7 basis, and
ambulance
services
amongst other things.
Another field clinic was
established in Shikarpur, Sindh, sponsored by the Muslim
Community of Calgary.
Our team setting up a tent for the victims
Everyone knows of the massive floods that swamped a
quarter or more of Pakistan; destroying with it hundreds of
thousands of homes, and affecting millions more lives. The
UN Secretary General has declared the Pakistan Floods of
2010 to be the worst disaster in recent human history. The
Pakistan Government has suggested that some 20 million
people had been affected by the floods. That is 1/10 of the
country's entire population.
ICNA Relief Canada responded immediately and became
active on the scene, to help the victims of this massive
disaster. The relief programs were implemented through the
experienced teams of our partners in Pakistan, particularly
Helping Hand (HHRD). Thus far, we have been able to help
over half a million affectees; with food distribution to over
177,000 people, and medical care provided to nearly 98,000
patients and counting.
Medical Aid
Every day, our 14 established field clinics treat around 1,000
to 1,300 patients. Every day, medications worth $1,000+ are
either used or distributed to the patients that arrive at our
clinics. The patients most commonly suffer from diseases
such as:
Upper respiratory tract infections
Diarrhoea
Malaria
Skin and Eye Infections
Other Skin Problems
Each of ICNA Relief & HHRD’s field clinics has its own story to
tell: the one established in District Kot Addu, Punjab was
kindly funded by the Muslim community of Windsor,
Ontario. Using these funds, ICNA Relief was able to setup a
facility that has thus far helped
Similarly, field clinics in Dag Besood and Akora Khattak,
District Nowshera, KPK have been helping the towns'
population of 60,000 flood affectees. Alhamdulillah, another
clinic has been providing similar services at the District
Rajanpur facility.
Food Distribution
In addition to medical aid, ICNA Relief was able to focus
massively on food distribution, especially in the first two
months after the flood crisis.
Each Food Package included
ICNA Relief and HHRD were
the following:
able to distribute nearly 3
Quantity
million meals to more than Item
200 thousand survivors as of Wheat Flour
10 Kg
December 2010. The crisis Rice
5 Kg
situation has not gone away Sugar
03 Kg
from Pakistan yet, we still Dates
02 Kg
need to continue providing Cooking Oil
05 Litters
for the displaced families
Vermicelli
02 Packets
who have lost everything.
Energy Biscuits
Roasted Grains
Tea
Total
1 big packet
1 Kg
1/2 Kg
28 Kg
Many donors, including three
specific
communities,
decided to make a difference
in different areas of the flood
devastation. They sponsored the distribution of Food
Packages as an Eid Gift for the flood victims. The Muslim
Communities
of Edmonton, Calgary and Windsor
sponsored the food distribution in Punjab, Sindh and
Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa. These funds made possible to
provide Eid meals to thousands of families and individuals.
continued on pg. 12...
3
Rebuilding Haiti
Earthquake 2010
Haiti was hit with a 7.0
m a g n i t u d e
earthquake
on
January 12th, 2010.
Lives of the people
changed within a
matter of minutes.
ICNA Relief Canada
r e s p o n d e d
immediately
by
deploying our team to Haiti to start emergency relief efforts.
The team included ICNA Relief Canada Executive Director,
Irfan Khurshid supported by HHRD team of Shahid Hayat,
Saqib Attique, Ilyas Chuadhry, doctors and volunteer teams
from North America.
ICNA Relief's Contributions towards Haiti Relief since
January 12th, 2010:
little or no medical help available. The Medical Clinics
treated more than 2,000 people per week. Two rounds of
vaccinations were provided to hundreds of men, women
and children.
Medical Professionals: Originally a team of volunteer doctors took large supplies of
medications bought for them by us to Port-au-Prince. They
established the mechanism
for field and mobile clinics
Testimonials:
and organized them for one
week. Later on, one full-time “I have to admit that I am
local Haitian Doctor was absolutely amazed and
hired, who would bring along
inspired by the people of
a female doctor everyday to
Haiti... I'm amazed by their
especially attend to
Immediate Emergency Response:
ICNA Relief Team left for Haiti immediately after the
earthquake.
women's health issues. Every
week volunteer doctors and
other medical staff were
going to these six rotational
clinics.
Food Distributions: Shelter Village:
Distributions were made on a consistent basis in the weeks
and months immediately after the earthquake. It included
the basic necessity items: Food, Drinking Water, Baby Milk,
Powder Milk, Rice, Juice Boxes and Tents.
A brief overview of medical work done:
# of Rotational
Clinics:
Doctor Hours:
Nurse Hours:
58
1120 Hours
1009 Hours
Volunteer
Hours:
Patients:
$ Worth of
Medicines:
2361 Hours
11,734
$164,690.00
Medical Clinics: After the immediate crisis of
helping the injured and
hungry, ICNA Relief launched - Raihan Dakhil, volunteer
a campaign to 'Sponsor a
Shelter' for $900 each. 100 shelters had been built for the
people of Haiti giving the thousands who had turned
homeless after the earthquake a place to live with their
families. A school for 200 children and a mosque was also
built in the shelter village.
Fitra & Eid Gift Program:
Food packages were distributed to thousands of needy
people
Zabiha/Qurbani 2010 Program:
An increasing number of medical problems like post
trauma, respiratory infections, gastroenteritis, abdominal
pain and pneumonia had been
spreading quickly. 60% of the
patients were complaining of flu
like symptoms and throat
infections. Millions had been
living in unsanitary conditions,
cultivating more infections by the
day. ICNA Relief set up six
rotational clinics in the most
remote areas where there was
4
spirit, their perseverance,
and their rare ability to
find happiness in even the
smallest of things... I
personally feel a bit guilty
because I feel that I
benefited more from them
than they have from me.”
More than 6,000 pounds of meat was distributed to help
more than 6,000 people.
Mr. Irfan K. helping to distribute medicines
Pakistan IDPs
Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in KPK, Pakistan
Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him
Measles and TB.
and grant him peace, said, "The person
who strives on behalf of the widows and Case Study
poor is like those who strive in the way Rangoon Mohammad, a resident of
of Allah and like those who fast in the Barwand, Waziristan left his home
day and pray at night." (Bukhari, 131)
with his 8 family members. Due to
the lack of transportation facilities,
Internally Displaced Persons: they moved on feet toward Dera
Ismail Khan. After four days of an
An internally displaced person (IDP) is exhausting journey, they reached
someone who is forced to flee their Dera Ismail Khan. This harsh
home but who, unlike a refugee, experience faced by Rangoon
remains within their country's borders. Muhammad, depicts the situation
More than one million people in KPK
of many other IDPs.
Pakistan were displaced due to internal
conflicts in Swat, Bunier and FATA. ICNA Relief immediately
started an assessment of the area and initiated its relief
efforts by providing medical support and ambulance
services. IDPs were in great need of: shelter, food, medical
aid and other essentials:
Despite the tough security challenges, ICNA Relief team
continuously worked in the conflict areas and provided
food, health assistance, tents and other needed relief
items to the IDPs during emergency phase.
Transportation for IDPs: 10 vehicles were used to
transport the people from Mangora to Batkhela in
district Swat. More than 5,000 people had been
transported to safer parts of the area.
Ambulance Services: Two Ambulances serving the IDPs
Four Emergency Health Clinics: Talash, Samar Bagh,
Tamegara, Tatalai
Thousands of children were immunized to prevent
Well over 100,000 IDPs benefited
from our Food Distributions
Over
1,100
people
were
accommodated in our temporary
tent accommodations.
During recovery and rehabilitation
phase IRC was providing the relief
programs, included but not limited to,
health services, skills & vocational
centers, Orphans Support Program,
Wedding Boxes, Livelihood Programs
through Interest Free Program and
ambulance services.
Patient receiving medical checkup
Mr. Agha Syed
Manager Resource Centers, Public Relations and Marketing
Mr. Syed Agha is the one of the
leading members of ICNA Relief
team.
Programs and more. Most importantly, we have improved
the image of the organization by outreaching to various
communities in Canada.
Sharing his experience and work
with ICNA Relief Mr. Syed Agha
said:
We engage lot of volunteers in our fundraising campaigns
and implementation of the relief project. It is one of the main
reasons that our administration, fundraising and program
expenses are very low. And in terms of credibility and
reliability and service we could be rated as one of the best
Muslim relief agencies in Canada. And that could be one of
the reasons for the steep increase in the growth. Service and
reliability are among the most important things to have for
a relief agency.”
”When I joined ICNA Relief nine
years ago, the major focus of ICNA Relief was on
international relief programs, but we are now having a
number of local projects within Canada as well, such as
Food Banks, Family Services, Youth Development
5
Islamic Micro Finance Program
Livelihood Program using Interest Free Islamic Micro Financing
RECYCLE YOUR CHARITY
Your one time donation allows for interest free loans for the needy,
the unemployed and the widows. That family uses that money to Give a man a fish
start a small business or buy a sewing machine for example and and you feed him
that will become a source of livelihood for them. This will allow self
for a day;
sufficiency and the loan will be repaid. The repaid loan then goes
Teach a man to
back into the pool of money that will be used to loan out money to
fish and you feed
others in need. The cycle continues and it becomes a form a
him for a lifetime
Sadaqa–e-jariya. The best form of charity.
Denotation levels: $500, $1000, $1,500, $2,000 & more
Dr. Shabbir Hussain, Ph.D.
Managing Director of ICNA Relief Canada’s Microfinance Program in Pakistan/Kashmir/Afghanistan
Dr. Shabbir had described the
need of Islamic Micro Finance
Program in Pakistan & Kashmir.
He said:
“There are currently 27.7 million
people in the micro-finance
market. We need to expand, since
only 1.87 million have been
reached so far. Some of the
interest based groups that give out micro-finances are
charging high interest rates (30% or up) while we are
doing it interest free.
We have three modes of lending finances:
Qardh-e-Hasna, Murabah, and Musharakah.
Qardh-e-Hasna – for marriage, building houses,
etc... The same money we give is taken back after a
certain period. Currently operating in Kashmir, Manshera, etc. with 200+ beneficiaries.
Murabah Program – under which we provide
loans for the micro enterprises started by women.
Especially set for graduates through our Skills Development Program. We are providing [specific]
machines for their business needs. No money is
provided, only commodities. Instead of charging
interest, we add a margin to the total price for the
loan. For example, if they request a sewing machine
that costs Rs. 5000, we sell the machine for 5500 and
make a contract that it must be paid in 1 year.
Mudarabah/Musharakah – 80/20 profit sharing ...
6
risks sharing. The lender is doing business, we share
in the profits: 80% for them and 20% for the lender.
So we share in the risk of any profits and losses. If we,
for example, provide them the cow and it dies, it is
our loss, not theirs. We assess the borrowers before
giving them the loans. This is decided by the Market
Committee
(group
from
the
local
community/village). They send us the proposal first,
and then we assess and approve the loans.
In addition, please note that we don't have branch
banks. That means, we don't have local offices in each
town and village, since most of our clients are from rural
areas, the Market Committees from each locality are
empowered from each area to ensure that the micro
financing program keeps working in a smooth manner.
It is group based banking; the community/village
ensures that each lender pays back the loan. This also
creates a sense of ownership by the community itself.
We will also be starting Takaful Insurance, shortly,
InshAllah.
Pakistan office is focusing its efforts only in
Pakistan/Kashmir & Afghanistan. But ICNA Relief has its
interest free Microfinance Programs in Sri Lanka &
Bangladesh as well.”
ICNA Relief Food Banks
Sharing the Bounty
Sr. Nargis at the Mississauga Food Bank
Scarborough and Thorncliffe.
The Food Banks have truly
become a signature
service of ICNA Relief
Canada; and one that we
are very proud of as an
a c h i e v e m e n t ,
Alhamdulillah.
What
started out as a single
location in Mississauga
five years ago in 2005;
has expanded to six
locations all over Canada.
The six cities in which we
currently operate are:
Mississauga,
Calgary,
Edmonton,
Ottawa,
The mission of the Food Banks project has always been to
take care of poverty domestically and share what God has
blessed us with, locally, while we continue to reach out to
the afflicted and needy abroad. By the Grace and Mercy of
Allah (SWT) nearly 1000 families are registered with our food
banks, from which around 900 are regularly using our
services!
The Mississauga Food Bank, our very first location, currently
serves 186 families, 30% of whom are non-Muslims and 70%
Muslims. The concentration of Landed Immigrants is 45%,
46% are Canadian Citizens and 9% are 'Others'.
Our Food Banks are unique in that they not only serve as
centres for food pickup by
families in financial difficulty;
“What started out
they also facilitate family
as a single location
counselling and serve as
in Mississauga five
locations to host workshops on
various
practical
life-skills
years ago in 2005;
development topics as well. The
has expanded to
Mississauga Food Bank office
six locations all
also hosts the headquarters of
our Muslim Family Services
over Canada”
department.
The ICNA Relief Food Banks are a community-supported
project based on volunteers who give their time, cash and
in-kind donations. We primarily depend on local food drives,
online food drives, community grocery stores' collection
boxes and individual donations by caring donors like you to
keep going.
If you would like to volunteer at one of our locations, please
email [email protected]. Find out more at
www.ICNAReliefCanada.ca/domestic
Orphan Sponsorship Breakdown
(by Country)
7
ICNA Relief A
BANGLADESH: is one of the
most densely populated
countries in the world. Many
people of Bangladesh are
landless and forced to live on
and cultivate flood-prone
land. They have limited access
to drinking water and fall
victim
to
water-borne
diseases. Bangladesh is one of
the countries that had faced
high number of tragic blows
due to natural calamities and
economic crisis.
Canada:
Food Banks
Muslim Family Services
Youth Leadership Development Program
Zabiha program
A community that is trapped
in poverty can only be helped
through ideas that focus on
its economic development.
We put together a range of
long-term projects.
INDIA: ICNA Relief Canada has carried out several relief
projects in India. Since 1995, we have concentrated our
efforts toward the development of education in India by
supporting many committed educational institutions.
Educating girls leads to knowledgeable women whose
children grow up to be educated and productive members
of society. That is why we started sponsoring girls’ project
Jamiatul Bannath, a school for women, housing 750
residential and non-residential students near Delhi, India.
8
In Calcutta, West Bengal, we undertook our second project
with the Trust for Promotion of Education that provides
schooling for the poor children. The trust runs 572
educational institutes of various sizes, teaching a total of
29,200 students. We are dedicated to helping the suffering
and oppressed people of the world. Our goal is not only to
provide free services but also to develop programs which
will enable people to help themselves.
round the World
Pakistan:
Orphan Support Program
Student Scholarship Programs
Permanent Houses
Emergency Relief
Interest Free Micro Financing
Temporary Shelters
Medical Support Program
Ambulances
Zabiha program
Eid Gift & Fitra Program
Iftar Programs
Water for Life
Wedding Box Program
Afghanistan:
Education Programs
Orphan Sponsorship Program
Water Supply Program
Skills & Vocational
Development
India:
Orphan Support Program
Student Scholarship Programs
Permanent Houses
Emergency Relief
Temporary Shelters
Medical Support Program
Zabiha program
Eid Gift & Fitra Program
Iftar Programs
Water for Life
Wedding Box Program
Kenya:
Orphan Sponsorship Program:
supporting 100+ orphans, under
the care of Children Home Isiolo
Medical Clinic
Zabiha program
Eid Gift & Fitra Program
Iftar Programs
Water for Life (Water Wells)
Wedding Box Program
Bangladesh:
Healthcare Care Centres:
centre's are located in Dhaka,
Noakhali, Pabna and Satkhira. Well
over 10,000 mothers, children and
other individuals have benefited
from our services.
Orphan Support Program
Interest Free Micro Financing
Zabiha Program
Skills Training Program:
Education
Eid Gift & Fitra Program
Iftar Programs
Water for Life (Water Wells)
Wedding Box Program
Sri Lanka:
Orphan Support Program
Emergency Relief
Interest Free Micro Financing
Zabiha program
and more...
INDONESIA: After many disastrous
earthquakes in Indonesia and a
Tsunami, ICNA Relief and its partner,
PKPU,
immediately
began
assessments and relief activities.
ICNA Relief Canada in partnership
with HHRD had provided Free
Health Services in 12 different areas
of West Sumatra. Thousands of
persons had benefited from the
project. Each day, after this tragedy,
approximately 400 patients visited
the Medical Camps.
After the Padang Earthquake, ICNA
Relief immediately provided the
emergency relief items for the
citizens of Sumatra which included
temporary shelters to house
families, proper medical assistance,
and water supplies. We continue to
conduct ongoing programs within
the country of which the Orphan
Support and Seasonal programs
remain the top two.
Indonesia:
Orphan Support Program
Permanent Houses
Emergency Relief
Temporary Shelters
Medical Support Program
Ambulances
Zabiha program
Eid Gift & Fitra Program
Iftar Programs
We reach out to the poor, the hungry, the sick, and the parentless of
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Kenya and the world. It is a noble project but
nothing can be accomplished with wishes and good intentions alone.
Won't you please extend your helping hand now? Please visit our
website or contact us to contribute.
9
Orphan Sponsorship Program
Every child counts...
Everyday millions of children go to bed without a father or a
mother to take care of them. These children often end up
being neglected, and suffer due to lack of opportunities that
come their way. ICNA Relief Canada continuously strives to
make the greatest and most long-term difference in the lives
of these little ones.
Alhamdulillah in the past two years we have been able to
continuously sponsor over 1300 children in Pakistan,
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Sierra
Leone, Indonesia, Kosovo and Palestine.
Under Orphan Sponsorship we have two types of support
we provide: (1) the first is to support approved orphanages
in the above mentioned countries that we believe meet our
criteria of adequacy; (2) and the second type of orphan
support is for children living with their remaining family, at
home. In both cases, ICNA Relief makes sure that the child
receives the adequate provisions that may include items
such as food, water and health care; a good education to
10
progress in life; as well as financial support for the families
who are caring for the child.
The primary aim of the Orphan Support Program (OSP) has
been to allow the orphaned children to take advantage of
their youth and attain the necessary education to progress
and compete with everyone else in good careers, when they
get older. Instead of forcing these children to work in order
to support their families or themselves; your kind
contribution of just $1 a day allows these kids to continue
focusing on their education while we take care of their
living expenses.
ICNA Relief Canada truly wishes to take its OSP to higher
levels, and start supporting thousands of more children, but
such a goal is not possible without the caring and generous
financial support of dedicated donors. Please extend your
support to help change the life of a child in a poverty or
disaster stricken area by sponsoring an Orphan child today
either online or by phone!
Muslim Family Services
Preserving & Strengthening Families
The number of families migrating to Canada is increasing
day by day, with their major concentration in the GTA. As the
number of immigrant families increases, so does the need of
appropriate counselling services for them. These families
are faced with the challenge of adjusting to the new culture.
A major challenge faced by new-comer families relates to
raising their children in a way that balances aspects of their
cultural and religious values with the new Canadian values
that their children are picking up from peers. The stress of
living in a new culture, no doubt, impacts the family life by
creating marital problems.
Realizing this strong need in the immigrant community,
Muslim Family Services (MFS) was established in 2006 with
the aim of solving these challenges of the community.
Major activities
achieved
&
targets
Counselling & Crisis Intervention:
Counselling support services and
crisis intervention are one of the main
activities of our agency. On average,
70-90 families are assisted each year;
the major areas where the families were
assisted related to family & marital
issues, value clash between parents
and children, immigration &
settlement, unemployment, stress, anger management and
financial problems.
continued on pg. 13...
Mr. Irfan Khurshid
Executive Director of ICNA Relief Canada
in Canada.
Mr. Irfan was engaged with IRC
for more than 12 years in
different capacities and roles
mostly
dealing
with
international relief projects. In
last 4 years he also focused on
domestic relief projects in
Canada, helping ICNA Chapters
in establishing many Food Banks
When discussing about ICNA Relief, Mr. Irfan said:
ICNA Relief Canada (IRC) started its relief work
approximately 20 years ago in response to some disasters
in Pakistan, Bangladesh & India. Since then IRC
responded to needs of the victims of many disasters like
the Floods in Pakistan, Bangladesh and India. The
earthquakes in Pakistan, Turkey, Indonesia and India.
And in 2003, we aided the Tsunami victims as well. In
addition, we help the Refugees & IDPs in Bosnia, Kosovo,
Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India and many
other countries as well.
ICNA Relief Canada is a department of ICNA Canada and
works on guidelines provided by ICNA leadership & the
Board of Directors.
Talking about ICNA Relief’s growth in international
relief programs, Mr. Irfan said:
IRC operations have grown to more than 50 countries
including on-going projects in more than 10 countries
including, Canada, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Kashmir, Iraq,
Haiti, Kosovo, Sierra Leone, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Indonesia.
Alhamdullilah.
As an individual who travels extensively to
monitor IRC’s various international project sites,
his message to the donors about the reliability
and effective usage of their donations to ICNA
Relief Canada, was:
By using IRC’s strict monitoring and implementation
procedures, IRC is able to implement its relief
programs effectively and efficiently.
Cost effectiveness procedures and engaging volunteer
teams help us keep IRC admin expenses very low.
IRC chooses the programs and projects that can
respond to the emergency needs as well as have long
term impact on the lives of the people.
When asked that as the IRC’s Executive Director,
how and where he sees this organization in the
coming years, Mr. Irfan said:
Increasing the number of orphans sponsorship
program from 1,400 to 5,000 orphans
Increasing the Food Banks/MFS/Resource Centers
from 6 to 15 by 2015
Making the Micro Finance program as one of our
main programs, Inshah-Allah
11
Pakistan Floods 2010
continued from Pg. 3
In-Kind Donations and Tent Distribution
In addition to the critical medical and food aid, ICNA Relief
Canada & its volunteer teams collected in-kind donations at
the Al-Falah Islamic Centre, Oakville, worth $100,000 in
value. These items were sent through an air consignment,
and were distributed upon arrival to Pakistan.
ICNA Relief Canada volunteers in Hamilton were able to
send several containers of in-kind donations to Pakistan
since the floods began; their latest shipments having been
sent in December 2010. Some of the items in all of the
containers included: used & new clothing, non-perishable
food items, and blankets, among other things.
We also invested in tent distribution to serve as temporary
housing facilities for some of the displaced families;
Alhamdulillah, at least three thousand families have
benefited so far. Each tent costs approximately $100 to
setup.
Adopt A Village/UC Program
ICNA Relief had planned to complete many "Adopt a
Village/UC" Programs by providing the needed relief
programs that make the difference in the lives of the
affected people, including but not limited to:
Shelter Homes (each homes costs approx. $1,900)
Field Hospital
Establishment cost: $10,000 to $20,000
Running cost per month: $5,000 to $10,000
Ambulance (cost: $15,000 to $20,000)
Diagnostic Center with Pathological and blood analysis lab, X-Ray,
Ultrasound and more (cost: $15,000 to $20,000)
Water Filtration Plant (cost=$10,000)
Tube Well (cost=$5,000-$15,000)
Skills & Vocational Center for Women (cost: $10,000 to $20,000)
12
Industrial Homes for Women (cost $10,000 to $20,000)
Adopt A Schools (cost $10,000-$25,000)
Livelihood & small business programs through Microfinance &
interest Free Loans= ($30,000/cluster of 100 families)
Wedding Box program (upto $500/box)
Orphan Support Program (Minimum 100 orphans in the cluster,
$30/orphan/month)= $36,000/year)
Educational Sponsorship Program for needy children (Minimum 50
Children in the cluster, $15/Child/month)= $9,000 to $18,000/year)
Water for Life (Drinking Water Wells, Water tanks, Hand pumps)= (cost
$500 to $2,500)
If each Muslim Community in each city/town in Canada
adopts one village/Union Council (UC), we together can
make a real and tangible difference in the lives of needy
people in the flood affected areas. Individual donors can
adopt one or more projects in any “Adopt a Village/UC”
program.
So far, ICNA Relief & its donors had adopted three Union
Councils to provide relief and make the difference in the
lives of the people in that area by providing the most
needed from above relief programs. Three UC’s adopted:
Kot Addu, Punjab (UC-1 Moazah Chaudary), adopted by Muslim
Community of Windsor
Charsada UC Aghra KPK
Shikarpur, Sind adopted by Muslim Community of Calgary
They're Still Counting on You...
The displaced people's crisis is not yet over. Millions are still
largely homeless, food-less and most important of all,
dependent on donors' support. We urge you to be that kind
donor, and keep donating for this crisis. ICNA Relief Canada
is still accepting donations in the form of Cash, Cheque or
Credit Card payments. You can pay online through our
website, on the phone or personally at our Head Office.
Pictures are worth
a thousand words...
Photos of some of our success
stories from the Islamic Micro
Finance Program in Pakistan.
Muslim Family Services
continued from Pg. 11
Settlement services: Quite a big number of new immigrant
families contacted us, with regards to settlement issues.
They were linked with appropriate agencies and community
resources such as job finding clubs, workshops, ESL classes
and learning centres.
Focus Group for Newcomers to Canada: The MFS
organized a focus group on the initiative of the United Way
of Peel to voice the concerns of new immigrants to Canada.
Discussion of newcomers’ experiences in Canada yielded a
numbers of frustrations and challenges that they continued
to face.
Collaboration with other organizations: MFS also
collaborated with other organizations as a partner in the
following projects:
1. Bridging the gap with the Muslim community – in
collaboration with MIAG
2. Seniors to Seniors (STS) – in collaboration with Family
Services of Peel
3. Education and Awareness Workshops/Info Groups:
Positive & Healthy Parenting,
Need for Pre-marital counselling
Introduction to Good Mental Health
Domestic Violence: Impact on children
Leadership and Delegation
Family laws
Mediation services
Building healthy family relationships
Raising children in a Western society
Marriage & Family life
Youth workshop on problem solving
Parenting and children’s rights
13
Youth Leadership
News & Highlights
Development Programs
Canada Day - Food Festival
ICNA Relief continues to
espouse in its vision of
developing its local
community along with
the
communities
abroad; this past year’s
Youth
Leadership
Development Program
(YLDP) was held at the
South
Common
Community Centre, in
the west end of Mississauga; attracting sixty bright and energetic
students from the Mississauga, Oakville, Brampton and Milton
communities.
YLDP is unique in its approach as it combines intensive applied
skills training with brief visual presentations delivered by
experienced and qualified presenters in the areas of public
speaking, team building and personal and community
development. The month long program held in July is carefully
designed to keep the youth constantly involved, allowing them
to have a comfortable and friendly environment where they can
challenge themselves and develop leadership skills in a way that
they normally would not be able to in school environments.
Students are separated into teams of 8-9
individuals, each team having a mentor
who assists them in their projects; each
group is assigned tasks and goals they
must complete each week, with an
eventual aim of successfully organizing a
fund-raising event or drive by the end.
In addition to the valuable experience
YLDP gives the participants, each student
also receives 20 community service hours
needed for high-school completion; and
earns 5 points towards ICNA Relief's university scholarship. The
entire event is free for the participants, and at the end a
graduation ceremony is held to properly celebrate the
achievements of the participants.
Among the wide variety of guests who graciously came and
spoke at the sessions and graduation ceremony included MPPs,
scholars and well-known community activists.
Every week participants are given specific projects to do,
relevant to the topic being covered that week. The biggest
project in the week of Organizational Development; each team,
along with their mentor, is required to organize an event of
campaign to raise funds for some worthy cause. The participants
are not forced restricted to which charitable organization they
15
14
continued on pg. 15...
This year on
Canada Day,
ICNA Relief’s
Mississauga
Food Bank, in
collaboration
with City of
Mississauga,
organized a
food festival
for raising funds for the food bank. We set
up a stall of hotdogs & pop sale. Some other
organizations such as Maple Lodge also
contributed in the drive. Around 50
volunteers participated in this event and we
were able to raise $4000!
Wedding Boxes Creating Joy
in South Asia!
With the aim of making weddings and
marriage easier and more joyous for
everyone, ICNA Relief Canada has started
helping families with daughters getting
married, by giving $500 for their marriage
related expenses. So far more than 200
families have been gifted this mariage gift in
Pakistan, Kashmir, India and Bangladesh,
Alhamdulillah!
Mango Trees in Kenya Project
To help a
Muslim
Orphanage in
Kenya keep
running,
ICNA Relief
also funded a
Mango Tree
planting project, where we sponsored the
Orphanage management to grow 300 more
Mango Trees which would give fruit by the
end of 2012, inshAllah. The orphan children
help in the planting and maintaining of the
trees to help the orphanage keep running.
...continued from pg. 14
wish to give their collected funds to, and the sense of
competition between the rivalling teams serves as healthy
motivation to excel in their efforts. Each years participants
bring their own unique talents and ambitions into the
organizing of the events; some of the activities done by
participants in the past few years include:
Food Drives – whatever is collected is given to the Foodbank of the
team's choice
BarBQ Fundraiser – the team would invite the community to raise
funds, which would be given to a charitable organization. One of the
years' team was successfully able to bring Caroline Perish to their
event!
Orphan Sponsorship Drive – collect money from relatives, friends,
family, and neighbours, to donate to the Orphan Sponsorship
Program.
Bake sale – conducting bake sales in mosques, at events, etc.
Raising funds for the Sick Children's Hospital
InshAllah, ICNA Relief Canada plans on developing and
duplicating its success in the YLDP to other other cities, in
the coming months and years. If you believe you can
contribute to this cause in some way that email us at:
[email protected]!
2010 Global Zabiha Program
Record high sacrifices made this year!
the sacrifice.
The blessings of the Islamic
month of Dhul Hijjah bring with it
the commemoration of the
sacrifices of the friend of Allah,
Prophet Ibrahim. It is through his
spiritual tests that Muslims
partake in the sacred rituals of
Hajj; and those who await their
calling to the Holy cities of
Makkah and Madinah spend their
time in fasting and preparing for
As Muslims from all over the world, be they the Hujjaj or
those who are not, ready themselves for the festivities of Eid
ul Adha; there are those who remain in a state of pain and
agony; they are robbed of this spirit of Eid due to the
circumstances they face, the situation they are currently in
and the devastation that surrounds them. However, they
are in the thoughts and prayers of their Muslim brothers and
sisters, and this is so through ICNA Relief's “Global Zabiha
Program”.
This year ICNA Relief performed Udhiya/Zabiha/Qurbani for
over half a million needy in more than 55 countries around
the world. The Global Zabiha program allows donors to
perform Zabiha of their choice in the country of their choice.
ICNA Relief involves local communities and regions in the
Zabiha Program thereby strengthening the bond of
humanity.
This year we requested everyone to make an additional
sacrifice for the Pakistan Flood Relief victims. 20 million
people are displaced and millions go hungry each day. The
Pakistan floods are recorded as being the largest disaster in
its history.
its children are underweight. ICNA Relief annually performs
Zabiha in Africa; giving the poorest of the countries the
nourishment of meat, where
food itself is scarce. “This year ICNA
Sitting collectively to share a Relief performed
meal on one of the two
Muslim holidays grants these Udhiya/ Zabiha/
people a moment of succor, Qurbani for over
by being able to forget their
half a million needy
struggles and worries and
rejoice over the blessings of in more than 55
brotherhood. Regardless of
countries around
how immaculate the meal,
merely the opportunity for a the world.”
father to provide his family
with a moment of joy by partaking in Eid ul Adha, can be the
most heartwarming of feelings.
We would like to thank all of our donors for their
contribution towards this once a year joy given to the
countless
people who
do
not
acquire meat
the rest of
the
year.
T h e i r
gratitude is
showed
in
every smile
w h i l e
receiving the
Z abih a/
Zabiha preperations in Mongolia
Udhiya/
Qurbani packets.
Not to be forgotten is Africa, the second largest continent in
the world, and one of the poorest. More than one quarter of
15