Islamic Relief is a faith-inspired humanitarian aid and development agency working to save and transform the lives of some of the world’s most vulnerable people. Established in the UK in 1984, we work in over 45 countries, assist people of all faiths according to need and do not discriminate in any way.
Close to the communities we serve, we work hard to understand their culture and needs and gain their trust. Our proximity means we can often respond swiftly to emergencies and work in areas that other organisations cannot access.
Our humanitarian and development projects typically help over 10 million people every year, contributing directly to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. We help communities to better protect themselves against recurrent challenges such as drought and floods, and we deliver lifesaving emergency aid when disaster strikes. We provide vital services such as healthcare, water and sanitation and hygiene. Our livelihoods and education projects empower people to escape poverty and build brighter futures.
To maximise our impact and build community resilience, Islamic Relief develops the capacity of local partners to work alongside us in delivering effective aid and development programmes. Through global advocacy we push for positive change particularly on climate change, gender justice and forced displacement, and we develop Islamic perspectives that combine spiritual and practical insights to provide distinctive, impactful approaches to some of the biggest challenges facing our world.
The high quality and impact of our work means we are the only Muslim charity to be awarded Core Humanitarian Standard certification. As full members of the INGO Accountability Charter our excellence in transparency, good governance and social responsibility is recognised.
We are signatories to the Red Cross Code of Conduct, which sets ethical standards for organisations involved in humanitarian work and commits us to the important principles of impartiality, neutrality and independence. We are also firmly committed to the People in Aid code of best practice. One of the world’s largest relief and development charities, to date we have helped over 120 million vulnerable people worldwide.
