Islamic Relief Strives To Create A Caring World

By Nabilah Saleh KUALA LUMPUR, March 9 (Bernama) -- The lyrics for the song 'Hold My Hand', sung by international crooner Maher Zain, highlights the importance of promoting a caring global community: Now we share the same bright sun, The same round moon, Why don't we share the same love, Tell me why not, Life is shorter than most have thought. Islamic Relief Malaysia's (IRM) Country Director, Zairulshahfuddin Zainal Abidin, told Bernama recently that the above-mentioned lyrics could well serve as the food for thought for Malaysians in helping promote the idea of a caring world. Located in Seri Kembangan near Kuala Lumpur, IRM has been carrying out the humanitarian missions of the Birmingham-based Islamic Relief (IR) since the Malaysian chapter was established by former Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad in 2005. The organisation operates as a fund-raising avenue for local and international missions carried out with its counterparts from over 40 nations. HELP MANAGE DISASTERS IRM plays a very important role in helping people recover from natural disasters and man-made disasters. Zairulshahfuddin referred to the consequences of the uprising against Syrian President Bashaar Al-Assad, over the last 10 months, as a man-made disaster that not only led to the death of 5,000 people, but it caused more than 10,000 Syrians to flee to neighbouring Jordan, Lubnan and Turkey. "Thus the fate of the displaced Syrians is also being looked into by Islamic Relief," he said, adding that the situation had taken the form of a humanitarian crisis, with the Syrian refugees facing the prospect of famine and disease. The IR, therefore, has been closely monitoring the developments there, especially, during the emergency phase, and has launched the Syrian Fund to channel basic aid. "The basic aid here means staple food for the people there - rice, flour, legumes, salt and even blankets, diapers, milk and other necessities," he explained. DONATION DRIVE Zairulshahfuddin also said that the donation drive period for calamities varied depending on the situation. For example, while IRM launched the Syrian Emergency Fund recently, the Somalian Emergency Fund was still ongoing and its duration had been extended to a year from six months previously. "This is very much due to the situation in Somalia itself, especially looking at the extended periods of draught there. Based on these factors, IR is hoping for an additional US$10 million in donations to help 350,000 Somalians," he said. "Imagine, US$10 million could only be used to help 350,000 people while the number of Somalians suffering has reached nearly 40 million..." he said leaving it to the writer to ponder on the fate of the Somalians. And more funds will be needed when the emergency phase is replaced with a more challenging development phase, said the Country Director of Islamic Relief Malaysia. He pointed out that adequate funds helped the IR effectively carry out long-term projects related to education, health, agriculture, water provision and sanitation, and also in providing income and safety in the affected areas of Ethiopia‘s Liban, Afder, Emi Barat and El Kerre. IRM'S STARTEGY Back home, IRM has been working on new strategies to draw attention and more support to help both locals and foreigners in times of need. Zairulshahfuddin said: "Among the missions that will bring great benefit are IRM’s activities to disseminate knowledge and guidance on how locals should react during recurring natural disasters." He said in Acheh, the IR had attached visuals on signboards along the coast indicating what to do if an earthquake or tsunami recurs. This would serve as a helpful guide in panic situations where people would not know what to do next. On a personal note, Zairulshahfuddin observed that Malaysians tend to become emotional on seeing visuals of disaster victims overseas, on television. He said that in order to draw attention, IRM's awareness campaigns have been worked out creatively and are being propagated through newsletters, websites, blogs, mainstream media and social networking websites like Facebook and Twitter, both are online social media network services. "Looking at the social networking websites’ potential that reaches out to more than 12 million people in Malaysia, IRM is optimistic of realising a greater outreach in calling for more assistance and contribution to its funds," he said, adding that the media coverage in Malaysia had very much contributed to the success of the IRM's undertakings. In its campaigns, IRM has also enlisted several Malaysian celebrities, including programme hosts Jimmy Shanley and Wardina Saffiyah Fadlullah Walmot and actress Irma Hasmie, who have a strong fan following on social networking websites. PROMOTING A CARING WORLD Zairulshahfuddin noted that while Malaysia had a handful of relief organisations, the United Kingdom (UK) has more than 10,000 of them carrying out humanitarian missions. Despite the big number, it was much easier for the relief organisations in the UK to conduct humanitarian activities and it appeared that the people there were always ready to contribute, without big campaigns in the mass media, he said. "This a good attribute to be emulated by Malaysians. Though Malaysians have a big heart, I would like to see more of them coming forward to contribute," he added. Zairulshahfuddin pointed out that there were some who took the easy way out when donating, and let the donations be managed by Zakat Authority or the Social Welfare Department while ignoring other organisations. Explaining why people should donate directly to the IRM, he said, "With NGOs like us, the public can donate directly to us. In fact, any donation that does not specify the cause would automatically be channeled to Islamic Relief Malaysia's General Fund." And in the efforts to create a caring world, continuous exposure to humanitarian work and education were needed, he said. Zairulshahfuddin said mankind should learn from natural and man-made calamities so that better solutions can be found for the future, no matter where they happen. FOR THOSE WHO ARE KEEN TO HELP IRM not only calls for donations, but also volunteers to participate in its activities. And for those keen to donate, they can send in their contribution directly to 'ISLAMIC RELIEF MALAYSIA'; Account numbers MBB 562142708704 or CIMB 12590000804058. To know more on IRM and related current developments, you can visit IRM's official website http://www.islamic-relief.org.my. -- BERNAMA