Tag: Australia

With 2021 now in full swing, the new year is fast approaching and many parents are excited about sending their kids back to school after a long summer break. But for many kids, returning to school can be quite daunting: new location, new classrooms, new faces, and unfamiliar surroundings… 

If that isn’t anxiety inducing enough, for some children the new school year will be harder than usual after a stop-start school year in 2020, which was riddled with uncertainty. So, how can we make the start of this new year as smooth as possible for children? 

Set up a routine 

We’ve all heard the old adage ‘If you fail to plan, you plan to fail’; sound advice to start the year. While it’s easy to forget about routines during holidays, starting the school term without one can be make or break for kids and parents, particularly in these uncertain times. So, start with establishing a regular routine around mealtimes, homework, sleep, prayers and family time. And, don’t forget to factor in rules around screen time. To avoid mayhem on the first day back, make sure you ease into your new routine by starting it a few days in advance. 

Support your child emotionally 

While preparing physically for the new academic year is important, it is just as important to prepare your child emotionally. Before school starts, try to set time aside to sit down with your child to ask them things like: what they’re looking forward to most during the school year, and what things might be worrying them about heading back to, or starting, school. By giving them an opportunity to voice their expectations and fears, you can help them work through any concerns they might have before school even starts.  

Connect with your school community

A familiar face and a friend to lean on, can make all the difference for children during the school term. So, find ways to encourage your child to be social. You can get in touch with other parents to organise social activities for your child and their classmates e.g. setting up a book club, scheduling group study sessions etc.

Also, make sure you check in regularly with your child’s teacher to keep track of your child’s learning progress and overall wellbeing – that way you can make sure to address any issues as they come up!

Top tips for a successful start to the school year:

• Allocate a quiet space at home where your child can read, learn and study without interruptions
• Encourage your child to have their books, stationary and uniform ready the night before
• Have a chat with your child about their expectations about returning to school
• Limit daily screen time

Islamic Relief Australia has had a close and very productive relationship with the Muslim community in Toowoomba. Unfortunately, they have experienced a number of setbacks, including having their local mosque burnt down, twice.

Thankfully, with strong leadership and a strong community spirit they are overcoming these difficulties. The Muslim community is currently rebuilding their mosque and need your support.

You can support them by donating at:  https://toowoombamosque.com.au/ 

The Grand Mufti of Australia, Professor Dr Ibrahim Abu Muhammad, has announced an exciting new initiative with plans of establishing a state-of-the-art community centre, specifically designed to cater to the unique needs of the Australian Muslim community. Located in Sydney’s west, the multipurpose centre will serve as a leading Islamic research institute reviving Islamic intellectual tradition; a place of worship; and a community hub with world-class community facilities. The aim will be to build a strong foundation for Islamic learning and research locally, foster social cohesion within the community and more broadly, and help build a better tomorrow for generations to come.   

The centre will cater to people from all backgrounds, irrespective of age, gender, ethnicity or belief.  

To find out more, please visit: alnawawicentre.org.au 

In response to the bushfires which ravaged parts of NSW, Queensland and Victoria earlier this year, we recently headed down to Kangaroo Valley to hand over a $15,000 cheque to the Kangaroo Valley Volunteer Rural Fire Brigade to help support their bushfire recovery efforts. We would like to give a warm thanks to our partners at Islamic Relief Germany for their generous donations to support our local response. 

Islamic Relief Australia has appointed Dr Nora Amath as its new Chairperson. Dr Amath is an academic and a humanitarian who has dedicated her career and much of her personal time to human rights advocacy and community work. She will be Islamic Relief Australia’s first female Chairperson and is a member of numerous other charity and government advisory boards.

Over the years, Dr Amath has served as a consultant and cross-cultural trainer for various Australian government agencies and organisations on issues related to Islam, Muslims, multiculturalism, diversity and community development. In 2006, she received the prestigious award of Australian Muslim Woman of the Year; and in 2013, received an Australia Day Community Award. In 2017, she was a finalist in the Australian of the Year Awards. Dr Amath is seen as a role model to many young Muslim women in the community.

Dr Amath knows all too well the plight of refugees; she was born in Vietnam and is part of the persecuted Cham Muslim minority group native to the country. After being forced to flee their home after the Vietnam War, at the age of three, Dr Amath and her parents trekked through the jungles of Cambodia and arrived in Thailand where they were processed as refugees. By the time she was five years old, she had already lived in five different countries. It wasn’t until Dr Amath’s family was granted political asylum in the US that they would be able to settle down and find stability. After completing her secondary education in the US, Dr Amath decided to move to Malaysia to pursue Islamic studies at the Islamic University of Malaysia. It was there that she would meet her husband, a fourth generation Australian, and move to Australia shortly after. They have three children, aged 21, 20 and 17.

Experiencing life as a refugee early on in life, Islamic Relief’s mission is something very close to Dr Amath’s heart.

“I know all too well the feelings of displacement, vulnerability and poverty, the sense of loss experienced by so many refugees around the world. I distinctly know what it is like when the support you are given is not a hand out but a hand up. This is why I am so passionate about my work with Islamic Relief. Guided by the values of sincerity, excellence, compassion, social justice and custodianship, at Islamic Relief we envisage a world where communities are empowered, social obligations are fulfilled and people respond as one to the suffering of others, regardless of one’s race, political affiliation, gender or religious belief.”

“It is an incredible honour to hold the highest ranking position within Islamic Relief Australia, particularly as a female in what has been traditionally a male dominated industry. However, it is important to note that the Chair of Islamic Relief Worldwide is also female so there is precedent within the Islamic Relief family. What this indicates is that there is full support and strong encouragement for women in the organisation to step into these senior roles. As a female, my leadership style is different – in how I may tackle problems and make decisions. That diversity should be embraced and celebrated as it allows for the organisation to reach its full innovative potential.”

As the new Chair of Islamic Relief Australia, Dr Amath will see in Islamic Relief Australia’s pivotal 10th year anniversary, celebrating a decade of transformational change for the world’s most vulnerable people.

“The appointment of Dr Amath as the first female Chair of Islamic Relief Australia is a significant milestone for the organisation. We’re very fortunate to have someone of Dr Amath’s calibre on our Board and leading the charity’s strategic direction over the coming years.  I’m looking forward to working closely with Dr Amath and I have no doubt that she will provide all the support and leadership needed to grow Islamic Relief Australia into one of Australia’s leading charities,” said Walid Ali, Islamic Relief Australia CEO.

Talha ibn Abdullah reported that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

“Certainly, I had witnessed a pact of justice in the house of Abdullah ibn Jud’an that was more beloved to me than a herd of red camels. If I were called to it now in the time of Islam, I would respond.”

An alliance in an unprecedented time
Our faith calls on us to cooperate with one another in good deeds, justice, and mutual benefit for humanity. It is in this spirit that Islamic Relief Australia has formed an alliance with National Zakat Foundation Australia, AusRelief, Muslims Around the World (MATW) and Penny Appeal Australia,  called the Muslim Response Group (MRG).

The MRG is a unique alliance that brings together Australian Muslim humanitarian organisations to coordinate local efforts in responding to the current COVID-19 crisis.

As a collective, the MRG  is delivering critical support to vulnerable people in our local community through financial assistance,  food aid and advocacy initiatives.

MRG Members are committed to coordinating their services and activities to ensure our combined resources (funds, knowledge, human resources) are being used in the best way possible and that duplication and wastage is minimised, if not eliminated.

Services that the MRG will be offering:
The MRG will be coordinating access to seven services:
• Essentials – delivery of essential food packs and staples to vulnerable community members
• Hardship fund – financial assistance for individuals and families
• Funerals – information on funeral procedures and links to funeral director services
• Islamic organisations – financial assistance to small community organisations to pay bills etc.
• Well-being – mental health, drug and alcohol and counselling services
• Government assistance – Links to various Government support packages available for individuals, families and businesses
• Islamic help – pastoral care services

How can I access these services?
These services can be accessed via the dedicated portal established by the Group: mrg.org.au. You can also access these services directly from the member organisation or partner organisations’ websites.

How can I help?
You can assist financially by donating to Islamic Relief Australia. If you are a service provider, delivering services in  one of the seven service areas listed above, you can contact the Group to come on board as a partner organisation. Use the Feedback option on the MRG website.

Together we are stronger
Now more than ever, the need to join hands is clear. We’re humbled by the chance to work together with our brothers and sisters from these participating organisations. We will work together to co-ordinate responses to such crises so we are able to mobilise quickly and while playing to each other’s strengths.

Islamic Relief Victoria held a family fun day event in late-February. The main objective was to raise awareness about our programs and projects and provide the community with an opportunity to bond under the Islamic Relief values and morals. It also aimed to raise awareness about the importance of community support and how it contributes to changing vulnerable people’s lives, here in Australia and overseas.

The event had something for everyone – young, old and in-between –  from clothing stalls, perfume stalls to games and Henna art.  Attendees also enjoyed the delicious food  with food trucks offering a range of snacks, coffee and crêpes.

It was children who had the most fun – bouncing around in the jumping castle,  taking part in a drawing competition, enjoying popcorn and fairy floss, and learning some new skills in a taekwondo session!

Islamic Relief Victoria hopes to host another community event once  we overcome the current coronavirus crisis insha’Allah.

When is it?

This year, Ramadan is expected to begin on the evening of Thursday 23 April. It is expected to end at sunset on Saturday 23 May 2020. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar which is marked by the sighting of the new moon.

During this holy month, Muslims are obligated to fast from before dawn through to sunset every day for 29 or 30 days. Ramadan is the fourth pillar of Islam and is an important time for Muslims to reflect, pray and practice compassion and humility.

A little background on Ramadan

The word ‘Ramadan’ comes from the Arabic word ‘Ramad,’ which means to be intensely heated by the sun.  Scholars have said during the blessed month, the sins of the believers are being burnt.

The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said, “Whoever observes fasts during the month of Ramadan out of sincere faith, and hoping to attain Allah’s rewards, then all his past sins will be forgiven.” 

Following the Sunnah

The Prophet (pbuh) epitomised virtuous character and exemplified the Islamic values of mercy, kindness, tolerance and equality. Muslims try to follow his example – or sunnah – in drawing closer to God. In Ramadan, this includes  making du’a for others, feeding people and giving charity.

Our Ramadan message

O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. [Qur’an 49:13] 

To welcome this holy month, we’re asking you to practice compassion and to celebrate diversity – to come together as a community and learn from and help each other.

Furthermore, charity is held in high regard in Islam, therefore, it is made an obligation for Muslims in the form of Zakat. Zakat is one of the major five pillars of Islam. It is a necessity to give Zakat to those who are wealthy enough.

Be prepared this holy month and calculate your Zakat now.

Sign up now to our disaster preparedness training course!

How you can help

Thanks to the overwhelming response we received from our donors, we have fundraised over $100,000 for the NSW bushfires. We will be working with local partners and authorities to ensure that all bushfire relief funds are well spent and reach those most in need.

For instance, one of our key areas of focus is the Shoalhaven region, which was severely impacted by the catastrophic fires. Our Local Programs Coordinator, Peter Sapsford, met with the Shoalhaven Mayor and the Senior Community Development Manager.

Disaster Recovery

As a result, we can collectively identify areas where there are gaps in unmet recovery needs. Similarly, small-scale agricultural producers in the Kangaroo Valley region have been particularly hard hit by the bushfires.

Additionally, we are working with our partners to assist these small producers to restore their livelihoods and production.  by providing urgently needed fencing materials. This means that the funds will also go towards supporting the Kangaroo Valley Volunteer Rural Fire Brigade.

Furthermore, to help animals affected by the fires or to our bushfire appeal, we urge you to donate to one of the following organisations:

WWF Australia:
https://www.wwf.org.au/get-involved/bushfire-emergency#gs.qp0374

RSPCA New South Wales:
https://www.rspcansw.org.au/bushfire-appeal/

WIRES:
https://www.wires.org.au/donate/emergency-fund

Port Macquarie Koala Hospital: https://www.koalahospital.org.au/adopt-a-koala