Click through our timeline below to keep up to date with the MH Ambulance Aid Convoy as it travels through several diverse countries by sea and road to rural Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
Interview: An Essential Clinic in a Much-Needed Community
Read the interview below and learn why MH Afghanistan built a custom maternal health Motherkind Clinic in the Puleh Charki district of Afghanistan.
Learn more about Muslim Hands maternal health campaign Motherkind.
Muslim Hands Brings a Syrian Bread Factory Back into Action
Bread is one of Syria’s most staple food items and crucial to the people of Syria. But the scarcity of fuel and flour alongside heavy damage and destruction to buildings and infrastructure have made it almost impossible for bakeries to make bread. And, supplies are becoming dangerously low.
Watch how hundreds of Syrian families received much needed bread after a disused bread factory was brought back into operation by the Muslim Hands UK team on the ground. Learn how we can carry on helping Syrians in this crisis.
Emergency Winter Relief: Need & Delivery – An Audio Slideshow
For many people in the UK, modern heating and insulation means winter is not too much trouble, alhamdulillah. Unfortunately, people in the developing world can’t rely on the same facilities that most of us take for granted.
Watch our audio slideshow as one of our emergency coordinators discusses some of the struggles faced by many impoverished families during severe winter months across the developing world. The help they need is so little compared to the tremendous benefit it will bring them. Learn how we can continue to help.
Inside Syria: Eyewitness Account
Emergency Winter Appeal
Above: The elderly, infirm and the very young are most at risk
Millions of needy families across the developing world are struggling to cope with the extreme cold as harsh winter conditions, blizzards, frost and heavy snowfall intensify.
Even countries such as Bangladesh, Kashmir and Palestine, known for their hot summers, have experienced cold weather severe enough to kill many thousands.
Bangladesh
A cold snap which saw temperatures drop to a record low in Bangladesh’s post-independence history (1968) has killed around 80 people. Impoverished and rural areas have been worst hit as vulnerable families cannot afford warm clothing or shelter to protect them from the bitter cold.
India
North India is currently experiencing its coldest weather in decades, with Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana amongst those worst affected. The exceptionally cold conditions has taken the lives of hundreds of people, and caused suffering to thousands more.
The everyday struggle faced by impoverished Gazans is further exacerbated by severe winter conditions.
More than 12,500 people have been affected by a severe winter storm in the Gaza strip and West Bank. Strong winds, record low temperatures and snowfall has damaged 1,570 homes, destroyed livelihoods and temporarily displaced 650 people.
The worst winter storms to have hit the region in the last decade has brought further destruction and death to the country and its neighbours.
While the conflict continues to escalate the extreme weather conditions have caused considerable damage and hardship to over 600,000 Syrian refugees, particularly in Jordan where parts of Zaatri camp were flooded, and in Lebanon where rain and snow limited access to the worst hit refugee location.
The difference between life and death
As the harsh winter weather escalates throughout the winter months, the most vulnerable are living on the edge of survival – their lives are threatened by a lack of heating, clothes and food.
The help they need is so little compared to the tremendous benefit it will bring them.
Simply by providing fuel for heating, high calorie food, warm blankets and clothes, we can help save many lives.
Please donate generously.
Snapshot: Winter Distribution in Kashmir
What: A young boy gladly receives a winter relief pack in the MH winter distribution.
Where: Kashmir
The MH Schools of Excellence
Above: A class picture outside the MH School of Excellence, Islamabad
Muslim Hands run pioneering Schools of Excellence as an investment into the quality and delivery of education for poor and orphan students. These schools serve orphans and poorer children free-of-charge with a tailor made curriculum from our in-house educationalists as well as a uniform and school materials.
All the schools are custom built so benefit from science laboratories, recreation facilities, auditoriums and purpose-built facilities. To deliver dynamic and engaging lessons, Muslim Hands sifts out and trains the very best of new teaching talent to raise the aspirations and morale of students.
The MH School of Excellence also act as ‘beacon schools’ and help to raise educational standards of neighboring schools by sharing practice and allowing local teachers to access our teacher training programmes. Schools of Excellence have been built in Sudan, Pakistan, Kashmir, Niger, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Mali, Sri Lanka and Gambia.
MH School of Excellence Islamabad
The Muslim Hands School of Excellence in Islamabad is part of an extensive educational setup in Pakistan, which consists of a chain of Schools of Excellence, Model Schools and Community Schools aimed to deliver accessible and good quality education to children.
Ayesha Aamir, principle of the MH School of Excellence Islamabad said:
“The school started in a small hired building back in 2000. Initially the school faced many issues of standardization, recruitment and promotion due to a scarcity of resources. As time moved on, with grace of Allah and effort of the entire MH team the SOE kept growing.
“Today we have 25 staff members with the highest qualifications working at the school and 365 children receiving a good education and producing some outstanding results.
“The school has transformed into a purpose-built campus altogether and consists of fully facilitated classrooms, the best equipped science and computer labs, well-furnished library and wide playgrounds to fulfill the students’ curricular and extra-curricular need. Recently, the concept of thematic classrooms has also been introduced to educate the children in best creative and interactive environment.
“The school now symbolizes our beliefs, conviction and dedication towards achieving a goal in providing a service to children. I believe it is truly a shining example of what you plant now, you will harvest later. Today it has become an abode for nourishing the educational desires poor and orphan children.”
A release and an opening for Zain
Zain Ali, 11-years-old, lost his father at a very young age. He is currently studying in his fifth year at the MHSOE in Islamabad and preparing to take his first academic Board Exam.
He said:
“I was very sad when I lost my father; my mother used to cry and so did all siblings; my mother always remained tense. We faced the challenges of life and struggled to survive simply on handouts.
“When I used to see my friends and cousins going to school with their fathers, I felt very distressed. I wished I could also be one of them. Then one day my mother told me that I would also be going to school from the very next day. She told me that Muslim Hands is an organization that is willing to give me an education free of any cost. I can’t tell you how happy I was that day.
“At school I am taught different subjects including mathematics, English, Natural Science, Social Science, Sports and Islamic Studies. Out of all these subjects though, my favorite is definitely science as I have always wanted to become a doctor who will provide free treatments so that I can take care of other fathers as my father died due to not being able to afford treatment.
“Muslim Hands has given me the opportunity to become something of myself and give back to the community.”
May Allah (swt) grant all the orphan children like Zain the utmost success, ameen.
Read more about MH Schools and how to sponsor an orphan child on our website.
Giving to Great Causes- With More Than Money
Giving charity is not just about money, but is also about giving our time, energy and commitment towards good causes.
Recently, a young 12 year old volunteer from Sheffield demonstrated her dedication to helping others and left us all feeling moved and motivated.
In the letter below, read how she raised money for needy children around the world in a fun and creative way.
May Allah (swt) reward her for her efforts, ameen.
You can find out more on how to get involved with Muslim Hands and help the poor and needy around the world by going to our website.
Snapshot: Fresh Meat Distribution in Pakistan
What: Children celebrating Eid al Adha receive fresh qurbani meat to share with their families.
Where: Dudyal, Pakistan (Kashmir)
When: October 2012