A School That Brings Smiles to Libyan Children

Asma Yousef, Islamic Relief USA's public relations representative, is on the ground in Tunisia at the Ramada camp run for Libyan refugees. The following is her first-hand account of how the camp is serving some of its most precious and vulnerable members—the children.

Thursday, May 19
It is 2:00 p.m. local time. An announcer through a microphone reminded residents at Ramada camp, a camp run by the Office for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees for Libyan refugees in Tunisia, it was time for Islamic Relief's after school programs.Children ages 3 to 14 rushed to line up for the start of the program. Libyan mothers came out of their tents calling upon their children to join the activities. Each group was divided by age and class activity. Some of the older children brought their infant siblings along.

The program is part of Islamic Relief USA's child protection initiative for Libyan children at Ramada camp. IRUSA's project provides morning schooling session for 180 students from pre-k to 8th grade. Their subjects of study cover mathematics, reading, writing, science and Quran, with plans to test the students in a month to enable them to complete this school year. After a two-hour break, students begin their after-school program which includes music, painting, handcrafts and theatre.

The 1,400 inhabitants of this camp share the same narrative: they were forced to flee their homes and abandon their possessions as violence gripped the western part of Libya. Amid constant shelling and bombardment, men rushed women and children into trucks and drove for two hours through treacherous mountain terrain to arrive in Tunisia. Inhabitants have told me that their children—traumatized by what they have seen— were having difficulty trusting others. Many I spoke with were hesitant to reveal their names or say where they came from.

But today, I can see the positive effects of the school program, and am most-amazed at the transformation of these brave Libyan children. As soon one comes upon the children at the camp, the first thing they do is extend their hands to shake yours. Children at Ramada smile as they welcome visitors to what has become their temporary home. They are eager to engage visitors in conversation—introducing themselves and asking about who you are and where you come from. As a mother of two myself, it's difficult imagine the level of stress these children must have endured. I find myself comforted by their confidence and smiles as they wave their victory signs, showing pride and courage.

Undoubtedly, the life of a refugee is new to the inhabitants of the camp. As one Islamic Relief staffer explained to me: "The situation in Ramada camp is unique. Usually residents at refugee camps in other conflicts tend to be the less-fortunate, less-educated segment of society. We are seeing the vast majority of residents here are very well-educated professionals, who have never lived a life of hardship but had to adjust to the new circumstances."

UPDATE: Moments after this blog was posted, Islamic Relief was given an appreciation award by scouts from Benghazi who visited Ramada camp.

Learn more about IRUSA's Libya humanitarian relief efforts here. See more pictures taken by IR team members in Tunisia via Facebook.

Currently, there are 1,400 inhabitants at the UNHCR-run camp with plans to expand it further. With your support, these plans can be realized. Please donate toward IRUSA's Libya Humanitarian Relief fund.

Aiding Alabama

On April 27, some 150 tornadoes tore through six southern U.S. states, decimating communities and destroying lives. More than 230 people died in Alabama—the hardest-hit state.

In cities across Alabama, damage estimates range from millions to billions of dollars. Birmingham’s mayor William Bell suggests that removing debris may cost some $10 million while insured losses are expected to exceed $2 billion.

Islamic Relief USA was quick to respond to calls for relief efforts in the aftermath of the April tornadoes. Within days, the IRUSA team was on the ground in Alabama.

IRUSA has been working closely with American Red Cross, Salvation Army, and community and faith-based groups to get resources to survivors as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Here are some of the ways IRUSA team members have helped provide aid:

• Visiting sites to assess damage
  
• Staffing health clinics
  
• Operating emergency response vehicles
  
• Providing situational reports
  
• Providing support to the American Red Cross' staff services, partner services, finance, and mental health services, and its Integrated Care Team.
  
• Operating shelters, and providing shelter services, including cleaning, dormitory patrol, child care, front-desk support, answering phones, and setting up cots.
  
• Assisting at federal sites
  
• Operating preliminary data assessment devices
  
• Distributing blankets, clothing, food to survivors
  
• Interviewing survivors to assess needs
  
• Conferring with other relief organization on best practices and innovative ways to serve survivors and assist with clean-up efforts
  
• Connecting the Alabama governor’s office with a real estate agent to help secure temporary housing for displaced survivors
  
• Giving toys to children to help create a sense of normalcy for them
  
• Advising mosque congregations on how to respond to emergencies; garner supplies and distribute resources to survivors in their areas

IRUSA’s Miriam Soliman said, “We went to the Birmingham Islamic Center and were warmly welcomed by the community. We later connected another Muslim community—the Islamic Center of Tuscaloosa, which has a small distribution center—with B.I.C. and its local thrift store.” This is just one example of how IRUSA and the local Muslim communities worked together to help relief efforts.

But IRUSA’s efforts have extended well beyond Alabama’s Muslim population—and were recognized by many locals, including priest Jack Hinnen from Riverchase United Methodist Church in Bessemer. Jack sent a warm note, thanking IRUSA for its efforts in Alabama—he mentioned that he wanted to buy coffee for the volunteers, but couldn't do so in time, so he made a donation toward's IRUSA's work instead.

IRUSA's efforts were also documented in "Religious Relief for Southern Disasters,” an article on HuffingtonPost.com, one of the nation’s top blog sites.

Perhaps most important, however, are the connections IRUSA has made with survivors and other volunteers, such as Jefferson Traywick. Jefferson, an American Red Cross volunteer working in Alabama, posted this on IRUSA’s Facebook page:

"As a local Red Cross volunteer from Alabama, I just want to publicly acknowledge the great contributions your volunteers have made down here. I spent the day yesterday with five IR workers doing damage assessment in rural parts of the state and helping unload a tractor trailer load of supplies in Alexander City. The IR volunteers worked hard and were an absolute pleasure. Thank you all!"

IRUSA has been using every minute it can to provide assistance. An example: the IRUSA team arrived early for a day to be dedicated to survivor interviews—while waiting for the drivers who would take them to the work sites, team members fulfilled a request from the American Red Cross to help with an administrative task.

"IRUSA is gaining a reputation for filling any need requested,” says IRUSA’s W. Derrick Lea, “And we will continue to serve in this manner."

Thank you for your continued support toward our efforts in Alabama. To help us help more, donate to our USA Emergency fund.

And please remember to pray for the victims, survivors and relief workers in Alabama.

World Refugee Day: Pakistan IDPs Face Second Crisis

On World Refugee Day, a second crisis looms over more than 3 million displaced people in Pakistan as a severe shortage of sanitation facilities has led to outbreaks of disease.

Unsanitary living conditions have caused waterborne diseases and skin conditions to spread quickly amongst the displaced populations and local communities. Islamic Relief health teams have noted frequent cases of diarrhea, scabies, and malaria, all of which can be deadly, especially for young children.

Islamic Relief’s assessments of schools and homes where displaced people are sheltering have revealed that around 60 percent have no sanitation facilities or are in urgent need of repair. In almost half of these schools and houses water systems also need to be built or repaired.

One school in Khairabad houses more than 450 displaced people, yet Islamic Relief engineers did not find a single working restroom. At another school in Gul Bahar, displaced families had no source of water.

Islamic Relief aid worker Sultan Mahmood said:

“In the schools and houses I have visited nearly every family has a member suffering from diarrhoea or scabies as a result of poor sanitation facilities and unhygienic living conditions. I have seen up to 20 people sharing one small room, and with so many people living so close to each other these diseases are spreading fast.”

Islamic Relief health teams are concerned that as the monsoon season approaches these problems will get considerably worse. Every year the monsoon floods the region causing rates of malaria and waterborne diseases to soar. This year, with the influx of so many extra people, the impact is likely to be much more severe.

Islamic Relief is constructing restrooms, washing areas, hand pumps, and is carrying out hygiene awareness sessions in schools and households sheltering displaced people in Mardan District. We are also providing free healthcare at local health centers through mobile health teams. These services are helping displaced people and the local community in 26 villages.

Jerome Akram, Islamic Relief’s Worldwide Head of Programs, said:

“...Although most of the displaced people are not living in tents in camps, they are still facing very real difficulties, not least the serious health concerns we are witnessing.”

Islamic Relief USA in Pakistan

Islamic Relief has been working in Pakistan since 1992 and previously worked in the Jelozai camp in North West Frontier Province until April 2009.

Work in the camp included providing campsite development, water and sanitation facilities, and basic health and hygiene care.

Islamic Relief also provided essential emergency aid after the 2005 earthquake, raising over $70 million worth of aid worldwide, $20 million of which came from US donors.

In addition, Islamic Relief provided over $1 million of aid which benefited over 90,000 victims of the June 2007 cyclone in Baluchistan.