Tag: Emergency

As systems fail, displaced doctors operate without pay, families shelter strangers, and aid workers navigate chaos. Ahead of World Humanitarian Day, their #ActForHumanity in Sudan defies despair.

Two years of war have shattered Sudan’s already limited health services, leaving communities to shoulder the crisis. In Gedaref’s Alameen Hospital, an eastern Sudanese facility near the Ethiopian border, overcrowded wards force two patients to share a single bed. A third rests on a couch. Others, with nowhere else to go, receive treatment and vanish back into the streets they walked in from, carrying wounds and illnesses back to makeshift shelters.  

“The responsibility grows heavier every day,” says Dr. Abdalbasit Alameen, the hospital’s director. “People arrive having lost everything: homes, livelihoods, even the certainty of their next meal. Now imagine they also need lifesaving antibiotics we cannot provide.” 

A health system on life support 

When Khartoum’s medical factories were bombed, supply chains snapped. Now, Dr. Alameen’s hospital – serving 200,000+ displaced people - functions at 30% capacity. His team reuses gloves, rations anaesthesia, and faces impossible choices: “Repair the last infant incubator or buy malaria pills for 50 children?” Across conflict-affected areas, many facilities have shut or can no longer function safely, forcing families to travel long distances or go without care.  

As World Humanitarian Day approaches under the banner #ActforHumanity, the stories emerging from Gedaref, a border state absorbing wave after wave of displacement, reveal a painful truth: when institutions collapse, only the compassion of people and the persistence of aid workers keep the system going. Our organisation, alongside other international NGOs, works hand-in-hand with local communities to patch together what remains. 

Filling cracks in a system that is shattered 

From Islamic Relief’s field office in Gedaref, country director Elsadig Elnour witnesses both the desperation and determination. “We are not saviours but partners in a collective effort,” he says. “Our goal is to fill the gaps left by the shattered infrastructure, and ensure essential supplies and support reach those trying to survive in displacement camps and overstretched hospitals.” 

The complexity of Elsadig’s role mirrors the crisis itself: ensuring his staff coordinates deliveries of scarce medical supplies, emergency nutritional support, and logistical aid through fractured routes and volatile zones. “Every shipment we deliver represents days of negotiation, planning, and risk management,” he explains. “But the relief in exhausted doctors’ eyes and the quiet thanks from families remind us why we stay.” 

Communities as first responders 

About 70 kilometres from Gedaref town, in the village of Hamra in Gedaref State, Rabha Saeed has rebuilt a life in displacement.  “When displaced people approach your home, you simply take them in. You share your bread,” says Rabha, herself displaced from Omdurman after burying her sister amid airstrikes. She now shares a cramped home with 7 family members. “We arrived with nothing. No money, no food. But thank God, the community welcomed us.” 

This grassroots compassion defines Gedaref’s response. University students ran Ramadan campaigns collecting clothes, mosquito nets, and sorghum for new arrivals. Locals converted schools into shelters despite overcrowded classrooms and children sleeping on mud floors during the rains. Still, as Rabha notes, solidarity has limits: “If displaced people cannot find work, the burden falls on those who host them.” Rabha says. She is among many who lost government employment during the crisis. “INGOs gave us monthly support. When they left, we were left crying for ourselves.” We need organisations like Islamic Relief that stay back when most leave.  

Stand for humanity 

Elsadig echoes her call for action. “Humanitarian response isn’t just about immediate relief,” he says. “It’s about helping communities stand on their own again. Islamic Relief is committed to staying, but this work needs sustained investment and collective global action.” 

“The international community must act, not tomorrow, now. Our shared humanity demands it.” 

Donate to our Sudan emergency appeal now to help empower Sudan’s communities as they rebuild their own future. 

Displaced from Gaza and now living in another country in the Middle East, Islamic Relief’s Mariam* continues working tirelessly to support vulnerable people back home in Gaza, including her colleagues, who are facing incredible hardship. This World Humanitarian Day, we pay tribute to humanitarian workers doing all they can to support the people of Gaza. 

Mariam carries the weight of 2 wars.  

By day, she documents Gaza’s collapse in stark statistics: 90% of the population displaced, often multiple times; 71,000 children under 5 years old acutely malnourished, and critically, over 100 confirmed deaths from malnutrition so far – deaths that include children under 5. and no hospitals in North Gaza functioning as they either have been destroyed or forced to cease operations.  

By night, she counts personal losses: How many days since she last heard from her brother in northern Gaza, how long it’s been since her husband – also still in Gaza – last ate, how many nights she’s spent lying awake worrying about her sister and family. 

Since Mariam left Gaza 16 months ago, 2 phones are her tether to home. While a work device blinks with constant reports from colleagues, her personal phone holds precious voice notes from her husband. 

“This is my reality now, supporting and monitoring food distributions while wondering if my husband ate today,” says Mariam, who has been working for Islamic Relief for 16 years.  

“I review reports of infants starving to death in northern Gaza, then make breakfast for my own children.” 

When the helpers need help 

Now displaced and still supporting Islamic Relief’s response remotely, Mariam embodies both the extraordinary strength and impossible choices facing Palestinian aid workers.  

“My colleagues who are still in Gaza work under bombs with no safe place to sleep. All of them have been displaced – most more than once – yet they continue their work. I sit here with a roof and running water, supporting their efforts remotely. But we hold our breath every day until we know they are safe. We try to take as much workload off them as possible, even though we are under pressure ourselves, because we know they are working under unimaginable conditions. They are exhausted, traumatised, yet still show up every single day. How can I not do the same?”  

Over 483 aid workers, including 326 UN staff, have been killed in Gaza since October 2023. Mariam recounts an attack on a UN school sheltering displaced families – one of numerous such incidents targeting civilian shelters this year. In July this year, 3 staff members from Human Appeal were killed while doing their job.  

“That could have easily been one of us”, Mariam says. “I was working inside Gaza under the same risks, moving between distribution points and shelters, fully aware that any moment could be my last. The only difference between me and those we lost is chance. 

“This isn’t collateral damage, it is targeted,” Mariam adds. Among those killed were colleagues she once worked closely with, people she considered friends. One was Aseel Khudr, a nurse who lost her life while treating patients at Al-Sahaba Medical Centre. Another was a healthcare worker at an organisation Islamic Relief partners with, killed while fulfilling their humanitarian duty. 

The statistics Mariam monitors tell the story of Gaza’s collapse as a result of Israel’s systematic and deliberate destruction of everything people need for survival. Even after Israel allowed aid into Gaza in July, only 40% of UN-led convoys were completed. The rest were either denied or impeded by Israeli forces or suspended due to insecurity. 2 million people – almost everyone in Gaza – face acute food insecurity. People have been gunned down and bombed while trying to get food, with over 1,239 civilians killed and more than 8,152 wounded while seeking humanitarian assistance since May 2025. 

But numbers alone can’t capture what it means to deliver aid when the rules of war are being completely ignored with impunity. 

The women keeping Gaza alive 

What sustains Mariam is the women of Gaza — the doctors performing surgeries by the light of their phones, the teachers holding lessons in bombed-out buildings, the mothers inventing ways to stretch a cup of flour into 3 meals. She describes colleagues who spend mornings documenting war crimes and afternoons searching for firewood. 

“Before this war, we had washing machines, universities, and cinemas,” Mariam says. “Now, women wash clothes in sewage-contaminated water and teach maths in rubble.”  

Mariam pushes back against the stereotype that Palestinian women are somehow ‘used to’ hardship – that’s simply not true. “People looking from the outside might think we had lived like this all our lives, but in reality, [since October 2023] we have had to reinvent everything just to survive.” 

Mariam shares the story of Fatema, a graduate of Islamic Relief’s Orphan Sponsorship Program, who is now an aid worker herself.  

“I first met her when she was 12, when I was starting my own career. She was bright, writing poetry despite losing both parents,” Mariam says. “Years later, she joined our team.”  

Fatema’s husband and son were killed in an airstrike while she was at work.  

“When I saw her on TV crying, holding the toy she just bought for her son, my heart broke into pieces. Later, I learned she went back to work, with even more determination, because somehow, she didn’t let it break her. For me, she is the true meaning of strength and dignity in the middle of so much pain. Whenever I feel like giving in to exhaustion or despair, I think of her, and she reminds me why we keep going. 

What acting for humanity really requires 

For Mariam, this World Humanitarian Day’s slogan, #ActForHumanity, isn’t just a hashtag, but a daily practice with concrete demands: 

First, stop the weapons fuelling this catastrophe. “No more ‘deep concern’ statements while bombs keep falling. We need enforceable arms embargoes now.” 

Second, pressure Israel to end its blockade and guarantee unfettered aid access. “Every day our convoys are blocked means more children like Fatema’s son are buried in mass graves.” 

Right now, people are starving, drinking polluted water, and dying, not just from bombs but from hunger and preventable diseases. No hashtag can replace trucks filled with food, medicine, and fuel. Nor can it rebuild the homes, schools, and hospitals, reduced to rubble. 

Mariam adds that “acting for humanity also means seeing us as people, not numbers. For Gaza, it means listening to communities, respecting their dignity, and ensuring aid reaches the most vulnerable, in a fair and dignified way. It also means holding those who violate humanitarian law accountable, because silence in the face of this suffering is complicity.” 

And finally, she says, remember the displaced. “Whether in neighbouring countries or elsewhere, many Palestinians outside of Gaza are living without residency rights, school access, and healthcare. Survival shouldn’t be the endpoint of dignity.” And for those forced to flee Gaza, the right to return must never be forgotten.  

On World Humanitarian Day, Mariam hopes her message cuts through the noise: because true solidarity means showing up, not just when it is trending, but when it is terrifying and the world looks away.  

Islamic Relief continues delivering lifesaving aid in Gaza against almost-impossible odds. Support our Palestine Emergency Appeal today. 

*Name has been changed to protect confidentiality 

In just the first half of 2025, your generosity changed millions of lives. Because you’ve helped Islamic Relief respond effectively to eight major emergencies across the globe.

From deadly floods and earthquakes to conflict and forced displacement, your kindness ensured that vulnerable communities received urgent assistance when they needed it most.

Thanks to our Emergency Fund and the commitment of donors like you, we were able to act without delay, delivering life-saving aid to families facing some of the harshest conditions on earth.

8 Emergencies. 8 Countries. One Global Response. 

Between January and June 2025, Islamic Relief responded to critical humanitarian crises in: 

• Mali – Floods 
• Nigeria – Conflict 
• Democratic Republic of Congo – Floods 
• Ethiopia – Earthquake 
• Afghanistan – Forced Repatriations 
• Pakistan – Conflict 
• Myanmar – Earthquake 
• Indonesia – Floods

These emergencies spanned multiple regions, but they all shared one thing in common: communities in urgent need of help. With your support, we were able to reach them swiftly and with care. 

What Your Donations Helped Deliver 

Your contributions made it possible for Islamic Relief teams and partners to provide:

• Life-saving medical supplies 
• Emergency food assistance 
• Shelter and protection for displaced families 
• Support to maintain dignity and safety for the most vulnerable

Whether we were distributing hygiene kits in Myanmar, food packs in Afghanistan, or emergency tents in Ethiopia, your donations were at the heart of every action we took. 

A Coordinated, Timely Emergency Response 

Islamic Relief’s global emergency system ensures that when disaster strikes, we’re ready. In the first six months of 2025: 

• 75% of emergency panel meetings were held within one day of receiving the alert. 
• 37.5% of emergency alerts were raised within just 72 hours of the crisis occurring. 
• £575,000 (approx. $1.1 million AUD) was allocated to these eight emergency responses. 
• 78.3% of these funds were used in countries where Islamic Relief already operates, enabling rapid mobilisation. 
• 21.7% supported efforts in countries without an existing IR presence through trusted, local partners.

This coordination is only possible because of the Emergency Fund. It allows us to act immediately, without waiting for donations to be raised after the disaster has already happened. 

A Closer Look: Impact in the Field 

In Afghanistan, thousands of families faced forced repatriation. There, we provided essential aid, including food parcels, hygiene kits, and warm clothing for children. 

In Myanmar and Ethiopia, earthquakes destroyed homes and infrastructure. Our teams moved quickly to deliver temporary shelters, clean water, and medical supplies to those affected. 

In Mali, DRC, and Indonesia, destructive floods displaced entire communities. Your support enabled us to distribute vital food, clean water, and emergency kits to help families survive and recover. 

And in Pakistan and Nigeria, where conflict continues to uproot lives, your donations helped provide safety, protection, and dignity to those caught in crisis. 

Why the Emergency Fund Matters 

Emergencies strike without warning. When they do, every hour matters. 

Our Emergency Fund is what makes rapid response possible. Rather than waiting to raise funds after a disaster hits, we’re able to respond immediately, getting aid to where it’s needed within days, not weeks. 

Your support of this fund means that families impacted by floods, earthquakes, or conflict don’t have to wait for food, shelter, or medical care. It means relief can reach them immediately when they need it most. 

Looking Ahead: A Call for Continued Support 

The first six months of 2025 were a stark reminder of how quickly lives can be turned upside down. But it was also a testament to what we can achieve together. 

Thanks to you, we were able to help thousands of people in their darkest moments. But the need hasn’t ended. New emergencies continue to emerge, and Islamic Relief must be ready. 

By donating to our Emergency Fund today, you ensure we can respond rapidly to the next crisis, whenever and wherever it occurs. 

Gadarif state in Sudan was once a quiet agricultural region. Now, it is a reluctant refuge for thousands of families fleeing Sudan’s spiralling conflict.  

Among them is mother-of-5 Rayan, whose life has been reduced to a daily struggle for the most basic necessities: food, shelter and safety. 

Her story is a snapshot of the global refugee crisis, one that forces us to confront the human cost of displacement, not as a distant tragedy, but as a relentless reality for millions. 

The night everything changed in Sudan

Rayan’s family once had a home in Khartoum, a modest but stable life. Her husband ran a small business and her children went to school. “It was not luxury,” she recalls, “but it was ours.”  

That changed overnight when fighting reached their neighbourhood last year. With bullets flying and shops ablaze, the family abandoned everything they had known. Joining the endless stream of displaced individuals searching for safety, they drove first to Singa in the Blue Nile region and then on to Gadarif after renewed clashes.  

“We left with nothing,” she says. “No money, no belongings, no papers, just the clothes we were wearing.”  

Today, the family of 7 live crammed into a host family’s compound. Plastic sheeting covers gaps in the walls; a single jerry can stands in place of household furniture.  

Rayan’s husband searches the market each dawn for day labour. On good days, he earns approximately $5.20 AUD loading grain sacks and stacking produce carts. On the many bad days, he returns empty-handed.

The world’s largest displacement crisis  

The speed of displacement in Sudan has been staggering: the United Nations estimates that over 11 million Sudanese are now uprooted, the largest internal displacement crisis on record.  

Yet Sudan is only one fault line in a global pattern. Worldwide, 122.6 million people – three-quarters of them women and children – live in limbo after fleeing conflict, persecution, and disaster. 

Displacement triggers a chain reaction of suffering. Children drop out of school, families sell all they have, and illness spreads where healthcare is scarce.  

In Gadarif, the hot nights lead to increased health risks for displaced families, including young children who are particularly vulnerable to malaria. Rayan’s 2 -year-old daughter has already fallen ill. 

For adolescent girls, the crisis brings an additional layer of anxiety. Sanitary pads are expensive luxuries, and makeshift alternatives raise health risks and keep girls indoors.  

Islamic Relief delivers lifesaving aid in Sudan

Islamic Relief distributed aid to Rayan’s neighbourhood supported by the Humanitarian Emergency Fund (HEF). Each household received a dignity kit, which included 2 mosquito nets, sanitary pads, toothbrushes, soap, blankets and headscarves, plus a cash grant.  

“The mosquito net was a small thing that gave us much peace,” Rayan says. Her youngest now sleeps through the night. The cash covered a month’s rent and also stretched to cooking oil and lentils. “For the first time in many weeks,” she adds, “I bought meat.” 

Islamic Relief colleagues in Sudan emphasise that cash restores choice and dignity. “It allows families to decide what they need most,” explains Adam Yagoub, Islamic Relief Sudan’s communication officer. “Some buy food, some pay medical bills, some save a little for the journey home, when return is possible.” 

A fair chance at survival  

Sudan’s conflict shows no sign of abating; humanitarian corridors remain volatile, and funding gaps widen as new crises compete for attention. Islamic Relief’s latest Sudan appeal is only 42% funded. 

Rayan understands these numbers translate into rationed assistance. “We do not expect comfort,” she says, “just a fair chance.”  

Her wish list is simple: regular food parcels, safe shelter, mosquito spraying across the settlement, and, above all, peace so her children can return to school. 

Donate to our Sudan emergency appeal now to help families like Rayan’s survive with dignity.  

On World Refugee Day, a mother and her children reveal the crushing reality of displacement: where every day is a battle for water, food, and hope.  

The night the bombs came, Neda’a did not have time to gather shoes. She woke her 7 children in the dark, shouting over the explosions. They ran barefoot through streets strewn with broken glass and rubble, the younger ones crying as their feet bled.

Her eldest son, Ahmed, carried his 7-year-old brother Elyas on his back. By dawn, they reached a UN school-turned-shelter. It was the last time Ahmed would see his family. 

The next day, he went to buy shoes for his siblings. He never returned. 

Now, Neda’a sits on the floor of a crowded classroom that has become their shelter, recounting the moment she learned Ahmed was gone. “We lost our backbone,” she says.  

Around her, the walls are cracked from shelling. There is no running water, no privacy, no space to grieve. This is life for Gaza’s displaced. A relentless cycle of survival where death is routine, and the idea of home is reduced to a single question: How do we make it through today? 

Fighting for water  

This World Refugee Day, 123.2 million people are forcibly displaced worldwide – the highest ever recorded. But displacement is not just a statistic. It’s often a sudden, devastating rupture that overturns entire lives, leaving families scrambling to rebuild amidst chaos. 

In Gaza, at least 1.9 million people – about 90% of the population – have been forcibly displaced, many of them multiple times. People have fled to try and escape bombs, or have been ordered to leave by the Israeli military. Families sleep in tents, in the skeletons of bombed-out buildings, in hospital corridors where the smell of antiseptic cannot mask the stench of overcrowding. 

For Neda’a and her children, displacement means waking before sunrise to join the scramble for water. Mousa, her 12-year-old son, describes the daily ritual. It is the long walk to the well, the fights that break out when the water runs low, the weight of the buckets cutting into his hands as he carries them back. “Before the war, we turned on a tap,” he says. “Now we fight for every drop.” 

We have nothing left  

Displacement does not end with losing a home. It seeps into every part of life, twisting the ordinary into the unbearable. 

For Neda’a’s daughters, it means giving up school to scavenge for firewood, their hands hardened from gathering scraps to burn for cooking. The smoke fills their shelter, making the younger children cough. But there is no gas, no electricity, no other way to eat.

For Mousa, it means bearing the burdens of an adult. To haul water, comfort his siblings when the bombs start again, and try to fill the space left by his older brother. 

And for Neda’a, it means waking each morning to the same crushing reality. No money, no safe place, no way to protect her children from the war outside or the despair creeping in. 

“I just want to wake up to news that this is over,” she says. “But even if it ends tomorrow, what then? We have nothing left.” 

Islamic Relief delivers aid in Gaza  

While the horror continues, Palestinians have shown incredible resilience. Islamic Relief’s team and local partners in Gaza work tirelessly to provide lifesaving aid, even when they are themselves bombed, displaced and grieving. Over the past 20 months, we’ve cooked millions of hot meals and distributed hygiene kits and emergency cash. Right now, we’re providing aid such as maternal care for pregnant women and cleaning shelters for displaced people to prevent deadly diseases from spreading.  

But the need is overwhelming. “We’re not just fighting hunger,” says Program Officer Yasmin Al-Ashy. “We’re fighting the slow death of hope.” 

For Neda’a, hope is fragile. She looks at Mousa, now too serious for his age. Ritag, whose hands are rough from gathering wood. Elyas, who is restless every night. She wonders what future awaits them. “I don’t know if they will ever recover from this,” she says. 

They desperately need international governments and world leaders to demand an immediate ceasefire and pressure Israel to end its siege.  

This World Refugee Day, stand with families like Neda’s. Donate to Islamic Relief’s Palestine emergency appeal to provide lifesaving aid and hope to those who have lost everything. And call on your politicians and governments to demand meaningful political action to end the atrocities.  

Islamic Relief health workers in Sudan’s Darfur region are treating a massive increase in malnourished children as families flee horrific attacks on civilians. Survivors have told Islamic Relief shocking accounts of extreme violence and starvation. 

At our clinic in Nertiti, in Central Darfur state, severe malnutrition cases among young children have almost trebled in recent weeks. More families arrive in a desperate state after escaping Zamzam camp in North Darfur, where attacks by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have killed hundreds of civilians and cut off humanitarian aid. Zamzam is one of five locations in Sudan now officially declared as being in a state of famine.

Hawa’s Story

Hawa* brought her malnourished 19-month-old son to our Nertiti clinic – one of 12 that we run across central Darfur – after fleeing Zamzam camp. She says:

“They attacked with drones and soldiers shooting, and military vehicles with weapons. I lost my uncle in a drone attack. We dug a hole to hide in, near the wall of the house. During the attack a gate was left open for women and kids to exit the camp, but young women aged around 20 or older were taken from their families and raped. Many girls are still missing. I decided we needed to leave to protect my sister from abuse.

“On the journey from Zamzam the conditions were harsh with not much food or water. I saw 10 children dead along the road to Tawila, and people abducted at checkpoints along the road. In Tawila I rented a vehicle to reach Nertiti, where the locals welcomed us. One of my children was referred to the Islamic Relief nutrition centre, where the staff and nutrition supplies saved my son’s life. He was thin and losing weight every day, but he’s since put on weight from the nutrition treatment.”

Rising Severe Acute Malnutrition in Darfur

Islamic Relief’s clinic in Nertiti has seen the number of children under 5 years old admitted with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) increase from 11 cases in April to 31 cases in May. Cases of moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) at the clinic have also almost doubled, from 104 in March to 197 in May. Most of the new cases have come from North Darfur and particularly Zamzam camp.  

Islamic Relief’s nutrition centre in Nertiti has saved around 500 lives so far in 2025. 

Mohammed Mohammed Yousif, a nutrition assistant at the clinic, said: 

“We previously had 2 or 3 malnutrition cases admitted per week. But following the violence at Zamzam camp we’ve been admitting 2 or 3 cases a day. We’ve treated more than 500 children so far this year, and we treat all of them free of charge as families have almost nothing left. Most of them have been surviving on less than one meal a day. The war and lack of food supply to North Darfur is the main reason that we’re seeing such high levels of malnutrition.” 

Sudan faces the world’s biggest hunger crisis

More than 2 years of war in Sudan have created the world’s biggest hunger crisis. More than 24 million people – more than half of Sudan’s population – are experiencing high levels of food shortages.

This week, five humanitarian aid workers were killed by a drone strike against their convoy. A convoy that was delivering critical nutritional supplies to famine-affected areas of north Darfur where hundreds of thousands of people are at high risk of malnutrition and starvation. Aid deliveries have frequently been blocked from reaching RSF-held north Darfur.

In Central Darfur, Islamic Relief operates 12 nutrition centres, 10 primary healthcare centres and 2 mobile health clinics, which reach the most remote areas in the mountainous Jabal Marra region. Across Sudan, Islamic Relief has delivered aid to 1.2 million people since the war broke out in April 2023.

*Names changed for their safety 

Gaza is in the grip of starvation as nearly 2 months of Israel’s total closure have left markets empty, children malnourished, and famine conditions spreading.

The humanitarian response is now at a critical breaking point unless supplies are urgently allowed in. 

Israel’s illegal and immoral shutdown of all supply routes into Gaza is a deliberate campaign to starve civilians.

Islamic Relief staff on the ground say the situation is now the worst we have ever seen there. Many children are going whole days without eating. Aid trucks packed with food are cruelly blocked from entering just a few miles away. 

Supplies in Gaza at a Critical Low

Meat, fruit, eggs, and dairy products are almost impossible to find. Likewise, the scarcity of vegetables means that prices are up to 15 times more expensive than before the crisis. These come at a time when few people have jobs or access to cash.

Almost 18 months of Israeli attacks have destroyed Gaza’s ability to feed itself. Most agricultural land, greenhouses, and fishing boats have been destroyed, and most cattle have been killed. This has left all civilians in Gaza reliant on humanitarian aid. But none have been allowed to enter since 2 March.   

A recent survey of 43 aid agencies in Gaza found that 95% have been forced to reduce or suspend activities due to the total closure and the relentless, indiscriminate bombing. Attacks that have killed more than 51,000 people and targeted hospitals and shelters. Our staff hear horrific daily accounts of families burnt to death in their tents and children maimed by the bombing.  

Islamic Relief on the Ground

Islamic Relief staff and partners are doing everything we possibly can to keep aid flowing. But even our own response has been severely impacted.

It is becoming increasingly difficult to keep providing food as supplies run out. Over the past week we have been working with the UN World Food Programme (WFP) to distribute high-energy biscuits, date bars and vegetable oil to more than 7,000 people a day. But it is nowhere near enough and no substitute for nutritious meals.  

 Islamic Relief also continues to provide other life-saving assistance. We are carrying out daily cleaning of more than 60 shelters for displaced families. To help stop the spread of diseases in the overcrowded and desperate conditions.

Hundreds of thousands of people have yet again been forced from their homes by Israeli military orders in recent weeks, herded into ever-shrinking areas. Zones where there is no clean water, no functioning sanitation and no safety.

Israel has now declared almost 70% of Gaza as inaccessible to civilians through a combination of forced displacement orders and military no-go zones. 

People affected by malnutrition and disease are unable to access decent healthcare and treatment. As the Israeli closure also blocks all medical supplies from entering. Fuel is also blocked, forcing generators needed for life-saving operations to shut down.  

There needs to be a permanent ceasefire in Gaza

There must be a renewed and lasting ceasefire. Starving civilians and denying them humanitarian aid is in clear violation of international law, but the world continues to turn a blind eye. The international community’s lack of action makes them complicit in Israel’s use of starvation as a weapon of war. 

Statements of concern are meaningless without genuine action, such as ending arms sales. Governments must put real political and economic pressure on Israel to abide by international law, reopen crossings and allow humanitarian aid and commercial supplies into Gaza without any further delay.

20 years ago, Professor Ede Surya Darmawan was one of the first Islamic Relief staff to respond to disaster. To the enormous earthquake and tsunami that devastated communities around the Indian Ocean.  
Here, Ede, now Chair of Islamic Relief Indonesia’s Board of Trustees and Professor in Public Health Development at Jakarta’s Universitas Indonesia, looks back on that time, following a recent trip to Banda Aceh, the worst-hit area. 

Visiting Banda Aceh 20 Years Later After the Tsunami and Earthquake

It was pitch black when I first set foot in Banda Aceh. This was on 2 January 2005, exactly one week after tsunami hit. The difficulty of the journey – a normally 3-hour trip from Jakarta, which ended up taking almost 24 – hinted at the chaos that had engulfed the city and the wider Aceh province. After it was struck by one of the worst natural disasters in history.

I’d seen the news footage of the aftermath of the massive earthquake and tsunami. But nothing could’ve prepared me for what I saw myself in the following days, weeks, and months. 

When the sun rose the next day, I saw dead bodies everywhere. Islamic Relief’s office had been hastily set up in a partially-built house we’d managed to rent a few days earlier. It was just 200 metres from the area where victims’ bodies were being laid out for identification.

We went about our business, trying to support survivors however we could. All while surrounded by the harshest possible reminder of the loss this disaster had left behind.  

I’d responded to disasters before. They are an inevitable part of life in Indonesia. We have earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods, landslides and, as we now know, tsunamis. As a young boy I grew up in the shadow of Galunggung Volcano, which had deadly eruptions in the 1800s and 1980s.  

But I’d never seen anything like what happened in Aceh in 2004. No one had. The affected area looked as though it had been hit by a nuclear weapon.  

News of the Disaster Trickles Out of Aceh 

In 2004, Islamic Relief’s work in Indonesia was very small in scale compared to today. We had Ramadan and Qurban food distributions. As well as projects providing bags and books to schoolchildren.

But we didn’t work in Aceh at all. In fact, at that time, Aceh was a conflict zone. Where people from other parts of the country, as well as foreigners, were not allowed to enter. 

Partly because of this, it took a while for information about the disaster to reach us in Jakarta. The earthquake happened at around 8am on December 26, but it was the afternoon before we heard about it. Around 2am the next morning, I got a call from Islamic Relief headquarters, which had more complete information. They said the disaster had been very large and that we’d need to quickly prepare to respond. 

It was very challenging to get information from the ground in those first few days. Although we had no official links with Aceh, we had some local contacts there. But almost all of them had been affected by the disaster.

To find out what was going on, and how we could help, we sent our Programme Officer to Aceh immediately. 

Starting from Scratch 

Islamic Relief’s very early response involved providing food, water and first aid treatment – whatever we could – to try and address the massive needs of the affected people.  

When I arrived, a week after the disaster, my first job was to set up a bank account. This ensured that the huge number of donations Islamic Relief was receiving could reach Aceh.

Then I began connecting with government and local authorities, other non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and United Nations bodies to see how we could work together to help those in need. There was so much collaboration between international, national and local groups, it seemed like every hour there was another meeting. 

With banking resolved, there were still so many obstacles. The city had very nearly been wiped off the map. The electricity and water supplies had been damaged, so many roads and bridges were impassable. We had to buy supplies from the surrounding districts, particularly Medan, the capital of the neighbouring province. But it had been hit by a flood and supplies that should’ve taken 1-2 days to arrive ended up taking a week. 

Recruiting people was another massive challenge. Almost everyone in Aceh was affected, so we had to recruit people from all over Indonesia, ensuring they had the skills we needed and were ready to travel to the disaster zone. The last question of every interview was: “If you accept this job today, tomorrow morning you will have to leave for Aceh. Are you ready or not?” If they said yes, we sent them and checked in 2 weeks later. If they were coping, they could stay. If not, they had to go home. 

Uniting to Recover from the Tsunami and Earthquake

What people needed most in the early days was housing. Finding enough tents for temporary shelters was a big challenge. But, because there was a large military presence in Aceh from the conflict, we had support from the military and access to their supply of tents.  

After those first overwhelming days and weeks, our response moved into addressing other needs in the affected communities.

We began running cash-for-work program, providing payment and meals to affected people who would in turn clear destroyed homes and roads. This was not only to give those who’d lost their livelihoods a way of earning some income, but also a means of beginning to address some of the psychological impacts of the disaster. By keeping people occupied, we hoped to distract them from feelings of hopelessness.  

Slowly, things began to improve, and Aceh today is a completely different place. Before the tsunami, the region was completely alienated because of the conflict and after the disaster, it was completely devastated.  

But so many people from all over the world – including from Islamic Relief – came to Aceh and we realised that we’re all the same and we must rebuild and overcome the impact of the tsunami together. Less than a year later, a peace treaty was signed and Indonesians tried to move forward together as one nation. This was the positive impact of the tsunami. 

Returning to Aceh after the Tsunami and Earthquake

In August this year, I went back to Aceh and took Islamic Relief colleagues to the house that had once been our office.

As we drove around the city, I pointed out where bodies had been. The mass graves that became their final resting place. The spot where the carcass of a dead cow had lain untouched for a month because everyone was so busy tending to survivors.  

It’s odd, the things that have stuck with me after all this time.  

It wasn’t my first time coming back to Aceh since the disaster. I’ve been before to see the programs Islamic Relief still runs in this province. But this time was particularly moving because the focus was on how Islamic Relief responded to the disaster and the legacy of our impact.

I had the chance to hear stories from survivors. The orphaned children who’d grown up to become teachers. The business owners and sources of inspiration in their communities as well as the government. The health officials who also told us their own personal stories while speaking about their areas of expertise.

I even got to hear the impressions of one colleague who was among the first people I recruited and sent to Aceh back in January 2005. He’s never left and is still there today delivering Islamic Relief’s programs. 

A New Horizon 

Many organisations grew up because of the tsunami and Islamic Relief is no different. It changed so much about our understanding of relief work and the possibilities that can come from organisations collaborating and helping one other.

At the time, it felt like a new horizon had opened up before us. We’d seen how humanity could work together to overcome many problems, including the disaster. 

Now, Indonesia has laws and national bodies governing disaster responses, whether it’s a natural disaster or something like the COVID-19 pandemic. We’ve learned how essential preparation and collaboration at the national, provincial, and district levels are. Disasters can happen at any time, and we need to be prepared for them.  

Doing what you can, whether it’s making a donation, or sharing your skills and knowledge to help others, brings us closer together as humans. Not only humanitarians, but everyone, can benefit from working together for the greater good.  

20 years on from the earthquake and tsunami, Islamic Relief is sharing the stories of survivors, staff and our steadfast support of affected communities in the decades that followed the disaster. Please support Islamic Relief to continue supporting communities through disasters.

This month marks 20 years since an enormous earthquake and tsunami devastated communities around the Indian Ocean. Here, Haroon Kash, now Head of Program Funding and Partnership Development at Islamic Relief, reflects on arriving in Aceh. When he did so 1 week after the disaster to join the response. 

20 years ago, I learned what a tsunami was. And that experience ensured I would never forget the impact a tsunami. How it could have on the lives of so many people, including my own. 

The Tsunami Caused Miles and Miles of destruction 

Upon arriving at the impacted areas, I had my first realisation. The massive amount of destruction the tsunami had caused. It’s hard to describe the miles and miles of devastation. The debris, mud, sludge, and remnants of buildings that stretched around us. 

We were a few miles inland from the coast, which showed just how far the tsunami had travelled. But everywhere we looked there was nothing but destruction, and of course, that smell. 

We started our humanitarian response immediately, providing food and other essentials. We’d managed to secure products from local markets that were somehow still functioning. Even though many businesses were closed, either due to destruction or the fact that the owners were missing and/or presumed dead. 

Travelling throughout the area, that smell never disappeared, nor could I ever get used to it. 

Missing Posters Plaster the City 

Every day I would see a group of local volunteers heading out to search for bodies among heaps of rubble. They dug them out and ensured that they were given a proper, and where possible dignified, burial. 

Every day I would see people going up and down the streets on their mopeds. They asked around for news of their missing loved ones, while others constantly rummaged through the debris of what were once their homes, trying to salvage anything they could. 

Posters of missing family members were plastered throughout the area. On lampposts, on fences, on the windows of buildings — literally thousands and thousands of them everywhere you went. 

Seeing one missing poster is upsetting. But imagine seeing thousands of them every day for weeks, with desperate family members huddling around in the hope that someone, somewhere has some news of their loved ones. Hoping that they might recognise each other and that their reunion might offer hope to others. 

Living in Fear after the Tsunami and Earthquake

Aftershocks were common after the quake and with each one, you would see mass hysteria break out. Some people ran to open spaces, while many others would speed off on mopeds searching for higher ground. Having only experienced minor earthquakes before myself, the intensity of the aftershocks there were enough to provoke unimaginable fear within me over what the big earthquake must have felt like. Compounding that fear was the fact that any of the aftershocks could trigger another tsunami. 

Much of my experience during the 5 weeks I was in Aceh was shaped by being surrounded by so much despair. But I was immensely grateful for what I learned from being exposed to that disaster. The experience helped me to value everything I had. It also gave me a sense of the force that a natural disaster can possess. It presented me with assurances that my work was having a major impact on the lives of many of the communities that had suffered so much as a result of the disaster. 

I met families that had lost virtually everything — loved ones, possessions, homes, and livelihoods. Yet still they had hope for the future. A future in which Islamic Relief continued to play an important part for the next 2 decades. 

I left Banda Aceh in 2005 with hope and fear. Hope of seeing improvements in the lives of so many rightsholders and a lasting fear of the power of nature. 

20 years on from the earthquake and tsunami, Islamic Relief is sharing the stories of survivors, staff and our steadfast support of affected communities in the decades that followed the disaster. Help Islamic Relief to continue supporting communities through disasters.

Ahead of the 20^th anniversary of the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami and earthquake, humanitarians met in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, in August to discuss the state of country’s humanitarian sector. 

For Candra Kirana, Islamic Relief Indonesia’s Deputy CEO and Head of Operations, reflecting on the 2004 disaster has both professional and personal significance. 

In August 2024, I joined fellow humanitarians, academics, and representatives from government and international organisations in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. It was for a conference marking both World Humanitarian Day and the anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami that devastated the city and wider region 20 years ago. 

Attending events like this is a deeply emotional experience for me, because I am a survivor of the tsunami myself.  

After the disaster, I felt called to work in the humanitarian sector. And I have been dedicated to doing so ever since. I chose to attend this event at the conference in particular because its focus on equal partnerships and empowering local civil society organisations resonated deeply with me. 

Engaging in discussions about a disaster I experienced brought back vivid memories of loss and resilience, but it also allowed me to reflect on how far Indonesia’s humanitarian sector has come since 2004.  

Localisation in the ‘disaster laboratory’ 

Indonesia has been described as a ‘disaster laboratory’. The sheer number and variety of disasters we are vulnerable to presents huge risks. But it also provides the opportunity to develop and test disaster prevention, management and response techniques.  

Localisation in humanitarian aid means funding and giving decision-making power to organisations based in the countries affected by emergencies. It is vital because it empowers local actors who possess unique insights and understanding of their communities.  

Local organisations often have established trust with disaster-affected populations, allowing them to communicate and respond to specific needs more effectively. They are deeply familiar with local cultures, customs and languages, and this familiarity enhances their ability to provide relevant and timely assistance when a disaster happens. 

Local actors are typically more agile and adaptable than international organisations. They can mobilise quickly in emergencies, leveraging existing networks and resources to deliver aid more efficiently. While their proximity to affected communities allows them to identify emerging needs and gaps in services quickly, ensuring that responses are tailored to the local context. 

Local knowledge saves lives 

There is one very notable example from the 2004 disaster that shows just how powerful harnessing local expertise can be. ‘Nandong Smong’ is a traditional practice in Simeulue, an island 150km off the coast of Sumatra, where Aceh is located. 

In 1907 Simeuele was devastated by a major tsunami. Survivors told the story to their descendants in a practice that has continued to the present day, instructing listeners to evacuate to higher ground if they see the tide recede following an earthquake.  

Nandong Smong has led to community awareness of tsunami risks, enabling locals to recognise the signs of an impending tsunami based on these historical experiences and environmental cues. In 2004, many residents heeded this local wisdom, leading to successful evacuations and ultimately saving lives. Only 7 of the island’s more than 70,000 people lost their lives, compared to well over 100,000 elsewhere in Aceh. 

By prioritising local capacities and solutions like Nandong Smong, humanitarian efforts can become more sustainable and effective in the face of future challenges. 

Dedicated to making a difference 

The conference in August led to an agreement to establish several important localisation tools, including the National Reference Group (NRG), the Indonesian Localisation Lab, the Indonesian Humanitarian Pooled Resources, and the Anthology of Local Civil Society Organisation Movements in Indonesia.  

These initiatives play a crucial role in enhancing local ownership of humanitarian action. It improves coordination and strengthens the effectiveness of humanitarian and development efforts across the country. 

Spending time with other humanitarian workers who share a commitment to improving disaster response felt empowering. It’s inspiring to see how our collective experiences can shape more effective strategies in disaster management and response.  

But, at the same time, it can feel overwhelming to confront the realities that many in our country still endure. Especially as climate change leads to increasingly frequent and intense disasters. 

The conference reinforced my dedication to making a difference. Sharing my own story and hearing from others helps create a sense of solidarity. As well as purpose in our work as we prepare to address the future challenges that lie ahead. 

More than just a commemorative event 

The event concluded with the adoption of the Banda Aceh Declaration. This emphasises a commitment to strengthening Indonesia’s humanitarian system. By adopting an inclusive and sustainable localisation approach.  

This declaration recognises the vital role of local civil society organisations. Where it promotes a humanitarian response that is more relevant, effective, and aligned with humanitarian principles.  

Overall, the Indonesia 2024 Localisation Conference was more than just a commemorative event. It marked an important moment to redefine and enhance future humanitarian responses.  

As someone who works for Islamic Relief and a survivor of the tsunami, I felt this conference was a crucial step toward a more just and effective approach to humanitarian aid. I look forward to being part of this journey and the progress we can make over the next 20 years. 

20 years on from the earthquake and tsunami, Islamic Relief is sharing the stories of survivors – including Candra – staff and our steadfast support of affected communities in the decades that followed the disaster.