Beginnings

Kashmir in crisis

Fierce fighting in Kashmir forced entire families to uproot themselves from their homes and livelihoods to find security. This led to the establishment of the Muzafarabad Medical Centre in Kashmir to serve refugees and locals.

Alhamdulillah, this focus in the early years of MH proved to be a critical investment when a devastating earthquake hit the area in 2005. Still running after 15 years it has served more than 300,000 patients with check-ups, medicine, medical tests and an ambulance service that the community could otherwise not afford.

Elsewhere

• Peshwar, Pakistan: Primary school for Afghan refugees estbalished
• Gambia: Primary school opened.
• Medical clinic opens in rural Gujrat, India.

Expansion

MH responded immediately to the Mozambique floods, sending two four-wheel drive ambulances from the UK. In addition, a medical team, mobile medical units and food parcels travelled to remote communities. With infant malnutrition at epidemic proportions, nutritionists were employed at centres to administer high energy feeding and nurse young children back to health. A Low Cost Housing programme helped build new homes from local materials, giving families shelter lasting up to 30 years.

Elsewhere

• Africa, Asia & the Balkans: Muslim Hands Orphan Sponsorship Scheme starts.
• Kashmir: 4 vocational training centres for women set up helping widows and other needy women.
• First computer literacy centre opened in Wazirabad, Pakistan, catering for students of various ages, and trains local teachers.

Bangladesh floods

This year saw one-third of Bangladesh submerged with the most devastating floods of the decade. Muslim Hands distributed food, medicine and clothes and medical camps were established in-and-around Dhaka. MH workers reached otherwise inaccessible villages by boat.

A comprehensive programme for rebuilding homes, repairing infrastructure and installing hand-pumps was initiated. The Housing Project reached out to the neediest segments of society with low-cost homes built of bamboo, clay and corrugated metal sheets.

Elsewhere

• In Kashmir trainees at vocational centres form a cooperative.
• A small business generation scheme provides rickshaws.
• Over 100 children are given accommodation after the construction of a madrassa in Tanzania.

Mozambique flood

MH responded immediately to the Mozambique floods, sending two four-wheel drive ambulances from the UK. In addition, a medical team, mobile medical units and food parcels travelled to remote communities. With infant malnutrition at epidemic proportions, nutritionists were employed at centres to administer high energy feeding and nurse young children back to health. A Low Cost Housing programme helped build new homes from local materials, giving families shelter lasting up to 30 years.

Elsewhere

• Four schools are established for Chechen refugee children.
• The sacking of Grozny: Muslim Hands provides regular food, clothing and shelter to 7000 refugees in Georgia.
• Drought in Balochistan, Pakistan: Four temporary feeding centers fed 30'000 people.

Gujarat violence

Donations received in response to the violence and riots in Gujarat were used for a multi-pronged approach to rebuild and heal the communities affected. Food parcels, clothing, bedding and household kits were distributed. At a community level, emergency medical care and mobile medical units were dispatched. Some 300 mosques were renovated and new homes were built. The Small Loans Scheme helped people regain self-sufficiency.

Elsewhere

• US led war on Afghanistan bought further suffering to impoverished Afghans. 400 tonne food convoys immediately sent in via Pakistan.
• Azerbaijan and Lebanon: bringing the total number of families supported to 1,800 in 17 countries worldwide.
• Emergency medical clinics, mobile medical units and ambulance service set up to serve Kabul, Kandhar, Jalalbad, Chaman and Peshwar. 100 school kits and 300 wheelchairs distributed.

Iraq and Qurbani

Muslim Hands was able to continue to deliver aid across Iraq, even in Fallujah, Najaf and Karbala. MH provided the Fallujah City Water Treatment Plant with a large water pump. Regular food distribution was also carried out to Al-Rashad Elderly Home, Elweeyah Orphanage, Wazeeryah Orphanage and Al-Tufulah Orphanage. Other projects undertaken include a training programme for Iraqi NGOs and financial support for Hajj pilgrims.

The Bam earthquake in 2003 killed more than 45,000 and left 100,000 homeless. Qurbani meat was distributed to 32,000 people on behalf of donors and other charities. For sanitation, 30 latrines and 20 field showers were installed. A Muslim Hands office was opened in Jiroft to supervise disease prevention and rebuilding programmes. The Mayor of Bam gave Muslim Hands four acres of land to construct an orphanage and school for 100 children.

Elsewhere

• Darfur, Sudan: Muslim Hands sets up camps for 100,000 refugees in Kalima and Mosai. As well as distributing water, food and shelter, lanterns are distributed, medical centres set-up and temporary schools founded.
• Bangladesh: Muslim Hands provides aid and new housing to some of the 2 million made homeless by the worst floods seen in 20 years.

Gaza

An economy in ruins, endemic poverty and Israeli bombing rendered the humanitarian situation in Gaza, desperate. MH handed out vital food supplies, tents and water storage tanks. Medical equipment was provided to Al-Wafa Hospital to cope with the growing burden under siege.

In Lebanon, mobile medical units were purchased and deployed in Saida and surrounding areas. Over 6,000 food parcels, hot food and medical care were provided to the thousands displaced by the bombing in Saida, Tyre and Beirut. MH provided safe water tankers & mobile power generators for southern villages after existing electric water pumps were disabled.

Muslim Hands established seven large refugee camps to cater for over 60,000 homeless people during the Pakistan Earthquake.

Elsewhere

• Pakistan: Muslim Hands established seven large refugee camps to cater for over 60,000 homeless people during the Pakistan Earthquake, providing emergency medical assistance and sending over 250 workers and volunteers to the Muzaffarabad area. Muslim Hands set up temporary medical clinics and three new schools in aid camps.

Bangladesh and China

MH responded immediately to natural disasters including the Sichuan earthquake in China, Cyclone Sidr in Bangladesh and Cyclone Nargis in Burma; with the provision of food, clean water, medical aid, sanitation equipment and utensils.

MH organised a sponsored walk along the Great Wall of China as part of Green Ribbon Week 2008. Fundraising took place up and down the country, raising money for 'Innocent Children of War'.

Elsewhere

• MH opened a School of Excellence in Mali, as well as Vocational Training Centres in Afghanistan and Indonesia. MH provided boarding facilities to schools in Nepal and China. MH also supplied school equipment and stationary to 2,000 students in 20 of the poorest schools in Gaza, Palestine.
• MH has over 1,000 orphans sponsored through our orphan sponsorship campaign during Ramadan.

Cyclone Aila in Bangladesh

The devastating Cyclone Aila in Bangladesh left at least 179 dead and over 400,000 people homeless. Experienced in emergency relief, MH Bangladesh urgently dispatched aid teams to villages, travelling by boat through treacherous conditions.  Teams distributed vitally needed supplies, such as food and clothes and began rebuilding homes in District Satkhira, and Shyamnagar Upazila.

Muslim Hands Pakistan provided over 361,000 flood victims with cooked food and distributed 33,400 family food parcels. MH field clinics treated over 114,000 patients. Immediately after the emergency phase, MH constructed 600 homes.

After an earthquake devastated Haiti, MH was present on the ground in Port au Prince within a matter of days distributing food and water to 20,000 people. With local volunteers, MH began rescue operations and cleared bodies from the rubble. Three schools were also established in the area.

Elsewhere

• Muslim Hands Pakistan provided over 361,500 people with cooked food and distributed 33,400 family food parcels. MH field clinics treated over 114,500 patients. Immediately after the emergency phase MH constructed 600 homes.
• Haiti earthquake: MH was present on the ground in Port au Prince within a matter of days distributing food and water to 20,000 people. With local volunteers, MH began rescue operations and cleared bodies from the rubble. Three schools were also established in the area.

Pakistan floods

This year another flood hit Pakistan.Targeting the worst affected areas of DG Khan and Rajanpur, MH Pakistan distributed food and essentials to over 800,000 people and over 1,000 homes were reconstructed.

As the Syria crisis worsened, MH distributed food and hygiene kits to over 20,000 refugees on the Turkish and Lebanese borders. More than 1,000 Syrian refugees received treatment, medication and healthcare advice from the MH medical clinic set up in Bekaa Valley, Lebanon.

Muslim Hands established the Department for Community Development in order to address the issues facing UK communities.

Elsewhere

• During the continuing Gaza conflict MH distributed food and medicine in the worst hit areas. Six hospitals were also equipped with medical supplies to treat the injured.
• After conflict broke out in Myanmar, MH was one of the few charities to be granted access to the affected Rohingya Muslims in the Rakhine State. More than 2,000 displaced families received emergency relief packs and 400 families were rehoused.

Albanian floods

MH distributed emergency aid, including food and blankets to flood victims in Shkoder, north-western Albania.

A large, multifaceted livelihoods project was undertaken by MH. This saw the distribution of livestock, seeds and farming tools and the planting of fruit trees to support rural communities in northern Sri-Lanka.

Muslim Hands provided support for grassroots organisations working with street children in Pakistan and Kenya. MH also sponsored children living on the streets of Pakistan and The Philippines to form youth football teams to take part in Street Child World Cup 2014. The success of the Pakistan team, who came third in the tournament, prompted a nationwide campaign advocating for the rights of street children all over the country.

Elsewhere

• The Uk Community Development Department expanded their work in youth engagement through sports and skills building activities and partnered with Muslim Youth Helpline to address the concerns of Muslim prisoners.
• Muslim Hands opened a second school in Idlib province, Syria, where 1 in 5 schools is no longer functioning. Haas and Al-Fatera schools are collectively educating almost 1,000 children.
• Muslim Hands distributed emergency food and hygiene packs to almost 2,000 flood victims in Wazirabad, Pakistan.

Europe Refugee Crisis

2015-16 saw a surge in the number of desperate refugees and migrants seeking sanctuary in Europe. As 350,000 people crossed into the continent and nearly 5,000 died trying, Muslim Hands was on the ground across Europe distributing vital relief. As well as giving out emergency supplies of food, water, warm clothes and tents in Greece, Macedonia, Germany and France, we provided 380,000 hot meals to refugees in Austria.

Elsewhere

• 15,000 olive trees were distributed to farmers in Palestine.
• Our team in Syria provided emergency food aid to hundreds of families in the besieged towns of Madaya and Aleppo

The Open Kitchen

Muslim Hands opens a new community kitchen for the homeless, low-income families and needy children in London. The kitchen is free and open to all and provides those experiencing food poverty with a safe space where they can be treated with respect and dignity. It serves hot nutritious meals, twice a day, seven days a week. 

MH continues relief efforts for the Rohingya living in refugee camps in Bangladesh. We established children's centres which provided food, education and psycho-social support. We also constructed 250 strong shelter homes for widow led families in Cox's Bazar.

Elsewhere

• Muslim Hands responded to the tsunami in Indonesia immediately, distributing essential food items and hygiene kits to the worst-affected areas. We also established temporary classrooms for secondary students whose schools were destroyed, built a local mosque and sturdy shelter homes for the most vulnerable victims including widows, orphans and the elderly.

Covid-19

As the Covid-19 virus spreads rapidly from country to country, governments enforce national lockdowns, leaving many people isolated around the world. Our UK teams distribute 10,000 pieces of personal protection equipment (PPE) to hospitals across the Midlands, supporting our NHS staff on the frontlines. We also partner up with FareShare to provide over one million meals to vulnerable people in disadvantaged communities across the country. 

Elsewhere

• Our work in Shaam and Yemen continues in the face of numerous challenges and delays. With our generous donors’ help, we launch our Blessed Bakeries project, setting up our first ever bread factories in Aden and Ma’rib, Yemen and Sarmada, Northern Syria. In Jerusalem, we complete the renovation of the Bab Al-Asbat wudu area in Masjid Al-Aqsa and launch a new project to renovate and preserve the Bab Al-Rahmah cemetery.

Climate Change

Somalia is hit by the country’s worst drought in 40 years whilst Bangladesh and Pakistan are ravaged by their worst floods in decades. Millions are left struggling to survive. Muslim Hands donors give generously to provide food, clean water and medical aid, as well as rebuilding homes and masjids destroyed by the flooding. 

Amidst these disasters, Muslim Hands attends the COP27 conference in Sharm El-Sheikh, voicing our unwavering commitment to combatting climate change and striving for a sustainable future. 

Elsewhere

• As millions of Ukrainians flee conflict, our teams provide emergency aid to refugees arriving in Poland. A second bread factory is opened in Ma’rib, Yemen and a mega bread factory opens in Afrin, Northern Syria, producing 50,000 loaves of bread every day. Three years after its launch, the Masjid Al-Aqsa lighting project is completed, illuminating the Qibli Masjid in time for Ramadan.