“Whoever saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of humanity.”                       (Qur’an 5:32)

Background

Muslim Aid is an international relief and development charity working to alleviate suffering among the world’s poorest and most needy communities. Set up in 1985 by leading British Muslim organisations, Muslim Aid currently supports projects in 50 countries spanning Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and Europe. By responding quickly to emergencies, Muslim Aid provides relief to the victims of natural disasters, war and famine. Further, in order to tackle the root causes of poverty and suffering, Muslim Aid also supports long-term development projects – in partnership with local organisations – focussing on education, income generation, skills training, orphan care, provision of clean water and healthcare.

Vision & Policy

In many cases relief aid is required because some communities lack the most basic infrastructure to cope with calamities. Therefore we are seeking to assist communities not just to ‘prepare for disaster’ but also to build their capacity to help themselves out of the poverty cycle. In order to achieve this shift Muslim Aid has realised that not just more but also better development work needs to be done.

 Therefore, by the mercy of Allah and with the support of the British Muslim community, Muslim Aid seeks to place a strong emphasis on short and especially long-term development projects and programmes. Our development principles are:

• Projects and programmes should follow a clear rationale, should ideally be strategic in nature, i.e. tackling the root cause of problems, and should be aiming to facilitate sustainable development.

• Active involvement of the local communities in development projects by them providing labour, materials, advice and general support in order to strengthen co-operation, collaboration and capacity building.

• Impartiality regardless of race, gender, religion, nationality or political opinion in order to provide humanitarian aid to the most needy communities.

 Strategic Priorities

In its current strategic plan, Muslim Aid has decided to pay special emphasis on self-sufficiency projects, which focus on giving the poor the means to help themselves out of poverty. In our experience, hand-outs - whilst they may be a short-term fix needed in emergency situations - are not the most effective way of poverty alleviation but instead a sustainable and lasting change has to be made to the condition of the suffering. Therefore we encourage our partners to concentrate their efforts particularly on education, skills training or income generation projects, to give the poor the means to break the poverty cycle.

Moreover, infrastructure improvements especially in the health sector and through the provision of clean water and sanitation facilities are also of extreme importance to afford the suffering with the most basic rights that every human being has. Furthermore, orphan care – because of its Islamic importance – continues to be a high priority for Muslim Aid.

Muslim Aid worked with its partners to provide food,, medicines and shelter in disaster zones in many countries, assisting those most in need during their hour of need. Muslim Aid emergency relief activities includes:

• Provision of food packages, medicines fuel, clothing, shelter and medical care

• Seeds & fertilisers for areas where crops have failed

• Shelter for displaced people

• Establishment of medical clinics in emergency area

• Housing for those who have lost their homes.

• Health education and treatment programmes to prevent child blindness

• Free mobile medical camps and basic surgeries for the poor

• Mother and child health care centres providing treatment and education

• Specialised treatment programmes for life threatening diseases

• Equipment and medicines for hospitals providing treatments to the poor.

• Support for families who are caring for orphans

• Provision of school kits and computers

• Specialised vocational training

• Agricultural and pastral inputs for farmers

• Dairy and poultry farms for needy communities

• Tailoring skills training for widows

• Computer skills for the unemployed

• Carpentry, masonry & business start up skills training

• Rehabilitating traditional water systems

• Re-construction of wells for returning refugees

• Installation of wells, hand pumps & latrine in rural areas

• Education programmes to promote hygiene, sanitation and water conservation.

We, all at Alipore Social Welfare Trust and Alipore Hospital and Research Centre are thankful to all the dedicated Trustees and office bearers of Muslim Aid U.K. for their generous contribution of sponsoring following equipment worth £ 66,591/- till date.

1. Ultra Sound Sonography Scanner Machine: See Photos

Till 30^th November 2006, Total Sonography Scanning performed to 3582 patients, out of which 1236 FREE USG Scanning were performed for poor patients and Total Reliefs given to the FREE and PAID Patients at ALIPORE HOSPITAL in Ultra Sound Sonology Department was worth Indian Rs. 741,600/-.

2. Diesel Powered Generator Set (75 KV): See Photos
Till 30^th November 2006, total hours the diesel powered generator was used are 1718 hrs. Many emergencies, operations and O.P.D.s were looked after efficiently because of this machine. Our patients had achieved better service due to this Diesel Powered Generator Set sponsored by Muslim Aid U.K. Our patient benefited with this prompt start of Generator when there was power failure.

6. Education Relief & Scholarship Project: List of Beneficiary Students  YEAR 2007-08          YEAR 2006-07
ASWT Education Relief & Scholarship Fund Project is a joint venture project with Muslim Aid UK and Alipore Social Welfare Trust. For the Academic Years 2006-07 and 2007-08, Muslim Aid UK has contributed £ 15,000/- each year. This Joint Venture Scholarship Project was later named as THE RAINBOW FAMILY TEAM, SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMME, A MUSLIM AID UK & ALIPORE SOCIAL WELFARE TRUST JOINT VENTURE PROJECT. With this Joint Venture Scholarship Project, we are able to provide Scholarships to eligible poor students for Higher Education in various Educational Fields like Medicine (M.B.B.S.), Dental Surgery (B.D.S.), Pharmacy, Computer Engineering, M. Sc. Bio-Chem., Primary Teacher Course, Professional Pilot, Aeronautical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and other Higher Education Faculties.

Alipore Social Welfare Trust wishes the Trustees, Office-Bearers and Volunteers of Muslim Aid U.K., a best of luck and wish that they keep on doing this humanitarian work in future in much better way and higher scale. May Almighty accept their good work and bestow the best of his Niamats in both the world!... Ameen!

We at Alipore Social Welfare Trust appeal to all at Muslim Aid U.K. to help us in future also.

For more details regarding Muslim Aid U.K., you are invited to visit the official website : http://www.muslimaid.org