In April 2006 Islamic Relief (IR) began the Qiemo Drinking Water Project in Aqiang Township, a region in the western province of Xingjiang. Water is very scarce in this area and many of the available water sources are contaminated.

This has left Aqiang Township’s population vulnerable to water-borne diseases such as cholera and dysentery.

This project will provide the population of Aqiang village, the capital of the township, with access to safe drinking water.

Aqiuang village is located in an arid, mountainous area of Qiemo County. There are 201 families living in Aqiang village and all of the people belong to the Uygur, one of the many Muslim minority groups in China. Most villagers rely on agriculture to make a living and many also raise livestock.

One path connects the village to the rest of Qiemo County. There is a post office, small clinic, school and cultural centre in the village. Every school-age child in the village is currently enrolled at the school.

Aqiang village’s remote location, its harsh natural environment and the lack of up-to-date information has led to slow development in the village. One of the main development priorities for Aqiang is providing villagers with access to safe drinking water.

Many villagers are currently at risk of water-borne diseases as they are using polluted water sources. If people do become ill it is very difficult to receive medical treatment as it is not only expensive but involves a long journey to township hospitals.

The water sources that villagers use are located far from Aqiang village. It is estimated that each household spends around 60 days a year fetching water for their family, livestock and crops.

Project Objectives

• To provide clean drinking water for the population of Aqiang village;
• To reduce the spread of water-borne diseases by training the villagers how to prevent and cure these illnesses;
• To reduce the amount of time that village women spend collecting water, which will also improve their social status;
• To benefit the local economy by providing irrigation access.

Project Activities

Working in partnership with a local organisation, Islamic Relief completed construction of the water supply scheme in September 2006. The system includes a settlement tank, flood-prevention dam and 17,000 metres of pipeline.

Three hundred and eighty villagers were employed to construct the water system and the skills that these villagers learnt can now help them to generate an income.

The priority now is training farmers and herdsmen on how to use the system, including how to prevent the taps from freezing. Training will also be given to 700 people from all 201 families in the village on the installation and maintenance of in-house pipelines. These villagers will also be offered basic hygiene training.

"Islamic Relief is striving for a fairer world. Our mission is to help the poor and needy to live sustainable, self-reliant lives within safe and caring communities. Our work is guided and shaped by the core values of accountability, humanitarianism, neutrality and impartiality, inclusiveness, integrity and co-operation, all of which are also integral to the Islamic faith."
Dr Hany El Banna - Founder of Islamic Relief

Islamic Relief was established in 1984 and our unique approach is the result of these many years of hands-on experience.

1. Where possible we adopt a community partnership-based approach; encouraging community involvement, understanding and ownership of projects.
2. We run the majority of our field projects ourselves, giving us direct insight into the problems faced and how best to solve them.
3. We aim to empower those we help in order to achieve sustainable results.
4. Though our emergency response teams are quick to respond to emergencies around the world, we continue to support communities long after the initial media interest has died down.
5. We recruit staff locally to benefit from their local knowledge. This ensures that we are culturally sensitive and allows us to reach communities and areas other organisations cannot.
6. Where necessary we coordinate our work with other reputable aid agencies, local organisations and governments.

Millennium Development Goals

Islamic Relief is committed to the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which have been agreed by the world’s leading development institutions in an effort to meet the needs of the world’s poorest by the year 2015. 

The goals:

1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
2. Achieve universal primary education
3. Promote gender equality and empower women
4. Reduce child mortality
5. Improve maternal health
6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
7. Ensure environmental sustainability
8. Develop a global partnership for development

For more information about the MDGs, please visit: http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/