Islamic Relief staff in Gaza are warning that there is nowhere safe as civilians and aid workers continue to come under attack. Time is running out to get aid in to save lives and a ceasefire is urgently needed. Around 1 million people are now displaced within Gaza, with many fleeing their homes…
Read moreFour major earthquakes within one week have had a devastating toll on the mental health of people in western Afghanistan, Islamic Relief says, with the charity treating people who are so shocked they can barely speak. The earthquakes, of a magnitude between 4.7 and 6.3, have hit the Herat region since 7…
Read morePeople fleeing to southern Gaza after the Israeli order to leave the north are facing increasingly desperate conditions in overcrowded shelters without access to food or safe water. Tens of thousands of people have fled south since Israel ordered civilians to leave northern Gaza yesterday. Many fear that fleeing south is still not…
Read moreThe Israeli government’s order for 1.1 million people to leave northern Gaza is a shocking development that will put more lives at risk and will have devastating humanitarian consequences, Islamic Relief says. People in Gaza must not be forced to relocate and the order should be rescinded. Civilians in Gaza are terrified about…
Read moreIslamic Relief strongly condemns the appalling violence against civilians in Israel and Gaza in recent days, and is calling for an immediate ceasefire. With the humanitarian crisis spiralling out of control, it is vital that aid is allowed to reach all civilians in need. More than 2,600 people have been killed and thousands…
Read moreAid agency Islamic Relief has launched an appeal to help those affected by the devastating earthquake which hit 24 miles northwest of the city of Herat, Afghanistan on the morning of Saturday 7 October. The death toll from the 6.3 earthquake in western Afghanistan could be up to 2,000 as many people are…
Read moreA new Islamic Relief study on the impact of the war in Sudan’s Darfur region shows how rising hunger, poverty and violence against women and children has become the daily reality. Since the war erupted in April, 93% of people surveyed by Islamic Relief have lost income and struggle to get food and…
Read more14 international NGOs call for immediate funding, access, and protection for civilians and aid workers The Inter-Agency Working Group for the East and Central Africa region is deeply concerned about the escalating humanitarian crisis in Sudan and the region, and the slow pace of global response. We call on the international community to…
Read moreAt the halfway point for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), many of the key goals are way off track and some are even going backwards, Islamic Relief is warning. As global leaders meet at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York this week, Islamic Relief calls on them to take…
Read moreIslamic Relief has joined 98 organisations – including Yemeni civil society, international NGOs and UN agencies – for a joint statement on the ongoing but largely ignored crisis in Yemen. Already exhausted by more than eight years of war, over 21.6 million people, 75 percent of the Yemeni population, are grappling with humanitarian…
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Adnan joined Islamic Relief in 2004 as a regional fundraiser in the UK. He worked in multiple roles over 10 years at Islamic Relief UK, including setting up the first digital team and leading the growth of digital fundraising and engagement. Adnan also led numerous fundraising and marketing campaigns, which played a significant part in the growth of Islamic Relief UK.
Having moved to Islamic Relief Worldwide in 2014, Adnan has held different roles that have helped grow Islamic Relief’s global digital footprint into new geographic territories, supporting Islamic Relief members with their digital and marketing growth as well as developing new products and initiatives for the Islamic Relief family.
Adnan graduated in Industrial Design and Technology from Loughborough University. He has since completed an Advanced Diploma in Business Administration from Durham University and a Diploma in Digital Marketing from the Institute of Data and Marketing.
Nadeem Azhar
Nadeem joined Islamic Relief Worldwide in September 2022. He has worked in the charitable sector for over a decade.
He studied Modern History and Politics at Manchester University, and at the University of Law in London before qualifying as a solicitor in 2011.
Nadeem is an experienced corporate, commercial and governance lawyer, having worked with various faith-based and grant making charities as well those in health and education settings. He was a partner at a law firm in London before moving in-house where he focused on setting up and restructuring charities and social enterprises.
Most recently, Nadeem was Lead Counsel at Mind, a leading mental health charity, where he co-authored a new federation agreement, revamped legal processes, and played a major role in developing its strategic and fundraising partnerships.
Nadeem has been a charity trustee for the Seafarers Charity, as well as many grant-making bodies and theatre companies.
Adnan Hafiz
Adnan joined Islamic Relief in 2004 as a regional fundraiser in the UK. He worked in multiple roles over 10 years at Islamic Relief UK, including setting up the first digital team and leading the growth of digital fundraising and engagement. Adnan also led numerous fundraising and marketing campaigns, which played a significant part in the growth of Islamic Relief UK.
Having moved to Islamic Relief Worldwide in 2014, Adnan has held different roles that have helped grow Islamic Relief’s global digital footprint into new geographic territories, supporting Islamic Relief members with their digital and marketing growth as well as developing new products and initiatives for the Islamic Relief family.
Adnan graduated in Industrial Design and Technology from Loughborough University. He has since completed an Advanced Diploma in Business Administration from Durham University and a Diploma in Digital Marketing from the Institute of Data and Marketing.
Martin Cottingham joined Islamic Relief in 2012 as IRUK Media Relations Manager, and was appointed Head of Communications in 2015 before taking up his current position as Director of External Relations and Advocacy for Islamic Relief Worldwide.
Martin has helped Islamic Relief to increase its mainstream media profile and expand its campaigning work, producing hard-hitting advocacy reports on floods in Pakistan (2011) famine in Somalia (2012) disaster risk reduction (2013) and aid to Afghanistan (2014). He has over 20 years’ experience working in media, communications and marketing roles for international development and environmental charities.
Martin graduated from the University of London with a degree in English and Drama (1982-85) then trained as a journalist with a postgraduate diploma at City University (1986-87). He has previously worked for Christian Aid as Editor of Christian Aid News and Media Relations Manager (1988-97) for Oxfam as Regional Campaigns Manager (1997-2000) and at the Soil Association as Marketing Director (2001-2006), as well as working for a wide range of organisations as a freelance writer, researcher and communications consultant.
Waseem Ahmad joined the Islamic Relief family over 20 years ago, serving as Programme Officer in the Balochistan province of south-western Pakistan before becoming Head of Programmes in Pakistan. Waseem then moved to Oxfam and Tearfund before returning to Islamic Relief to establish our mission in Malawi. Later serving as Head of Programme Funding and Partnerships, Waseem led the response to major crises across the globe, including the East Africa drought, Pakistan earthquake and the Indian Ocean Tsunami.
Waseem then served for nearly 6 years as our Director of International Programmes, during which time the charity secured and retained the coveted Core Humanitarian Standard certification in recognition of the quality of our programming. He was appointed CEO of Islamic Relief in May 2021.
With a special interest in community mobilisation and infrastructure, Waseem received an MSc in Project Planning and Management from the University of Bradford, as well as an MSc in Economics from Arid Agriculture University in Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
Waseem has also worked for Lepra Health in Action and is a member of the International Civil Society Centre’s Board of Trustees. The father-of-3 enjoys walking and playing football, and is a keen birdwatcher.
