Islamic Relief is working in partnership with the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) on this emergency relief project. The project aims to reduce malnutrition and hunger during food shortages in some of the poorest regions of Mali.

The project was carried out between January and June 2006 and has benefited 100,000 people in Gourma Rharous.

The Circle of Gourma Rharous is located in the east of Timbuktu, the largest, northernmost region of Mali. Many pastoralist communities have settled in Gourma Rharous. These nomadic herdsmen raise livestock and grow basic crops to survive.

Mali is still feeling the effects of a food crisis that began in 2005 and there are still serious food shortages. Lack of rainfall has worsened the food situation and many people across western and northern Mali are struggling to feed their families.

Project Objectives

Working in partnership with the DEC, Islamic Relief’s Food Security project will work with communities to improve the health and nutritional status of some of the poorest families in nine districts of Gourma Rharous.

Project Activities

Health and Nutrition

• Providing malnourished children with nutritional supplements;
• Providing health centres with medicine;
• Informing mothers about issues related to health and nutrition;

Community cereal banks

• Managed by women’s associations to ensure that food is properly handled and that income generated from the banks goes back to households;
• Training the associations that will manage the banks;

School canteens

• Distributing food to school canteens;
• Training school management committees;

Livelihoods support

• Distributing seeds and agricultural tools to families with low incomes;
• Training on how to recover livestock and livelihoods; 

"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/