Thanks to your donations, our teams around the world are able to help save and transform the lives of orphans and vulnerable children. In rural parts of Mali, we’re helping children into education, in Yemen children living in conflict, and in Bosnia our teams are supporting children into higher education–and these are just some of the incredible ways your donations are transforming lives. Right now, we’re helping over 85,000 orphans worldwide, providing food, shelter, health care and education to children in need. And this is all thanks to you
Around the globe, Islamic Relief aims to combat the main issues faced by children across the globe. With your donations to our orphans fund, we provide child-friendly safe spaces, provide essential healthcare, water and food aid, as well as a quality education.
We also empower communities, provide family livelihood support, and develop long-term solutions to poverty and critical issues such as human trafficking (child labour) and child marriage.
In Gaza, poverty and trauma prevent some from going to school, whilst soaring youth employment leaves many young people unable to earn a reliable living. Islamic Relief is by their side, improving access to high-quality education and nurturing livelihoods. Islamic
In Yemen, 12 million children are considered vulnerable, and malnutrition is rife-leading to severe health complications, and in some cases, death. Islamic Relief is working to help combat the issue. Working in communities and health facilities, we provide life-saving preventative care and treatment to children under five, as well as essential food aid.
In Syria, Almost six million children have been born since the crisis in Syria began, according to the United Nations (UN). They have been denied a happy, safe and secure childhood. Instead, fear, displacement and hardship have been their constant companions. Islamic Relief has been working to support children throughout the crisis with projects focused on psycho-social support and education. Our aim is to help ensure that children are protected and able to enjoy their childhood in safety.
In Bangladesh, we are working to improve children’s access to education. Part of our work involves providing bicycles to girls. This makes it safer and easier for girls living in poor, rural areas, to get to school and encourages them to continue their education. The same project also provided 4,000 children with education materials including school bags, umbrellas and stationery.
This is just a snapshot of our life-changing development work for vulnerable children worldwide.
Living under blockade, hope is essential to the people of Gaza. Hamsa’s home floods in the winter and is too hot to stay inside during the summer. Thanks to Islamic Relief, not only is Hamsa provided for, but she is now receiving an education in the hope that one day, she can help rebuild her country.
“I try not to miss a single day of school. I have a big hope that education can change Gaza for the better.” – Hamsa
Alhamdulillah, Hamsa loves her studies, especially technology which is her favourite subject. You can give hope to a child like Hamsa.
Many orphans across the world are in desperate need of nutritious food, clean water, healthcare, education, as well as an adequate place to live and play.
These are all essential for children to have a healthy, safe and happy childhood. However, for the 1 in 5 children living in poverty across the world, these basic necessities are out of reach.
The help which orphans need the most varies depending on their specific circumstances. Many orphan children sadly lack multiple or all of these necessities.
Food and clean water are the most essential and basic needs and without these, children are at risk of malnutrition and other health issues, as well as water-borne diseases.
For the 1 in 4 children living in conflict zones, many are also in desperate need of safety and psychosocial support.
With your donations to our orphans fund, we provide child-friendly safe spaces, essential healthcare, water and food aid, as well as a quality education.
Prophet Muhammad (SAW) emphasised the status of orphans, and the importance of fulfilling their needs.
Children are a gift from Allah, and a trust, or Amanah – to be cared for and nurtured in the best possible way.
With your continued support, Islamic Relief has helped 85,595 orphans across 27 countries. We’re not only transforming futures; we’re saving lives.
Your charity can help save a life and support orphans and children in need today.
The Qur’an emphasises the importance and reward of caring for orphans, as well as fulfilling their rights, and protecting their dignity.
This is stated in the following Ayah’s of the Holy Qur’an:
“They ask you, [O Muhammad], what they should spend [in charity]. Say, “Whatever you spend of good is [to be] for parents and relatives and orphans and the needy and the traveller. And whatever you do of good – indeed, Allah is Knowing of it.”
Qur’an | 2:215
“No! But you do not honour the orphan…
Qur’an | 89:17 (in which Allah rebukes the Quraysh for dishonouring orphans).
“Have you seen the one who denies the Recompense [the religion]? For that is the one who drives away the orphan.”
Qur’an | 107:1-2
Particular attention is made to the importance of giving orphans their rightful property and possessions.
Indeed, those who devour the property of orphans unjustly are only consuming into their bellies fire. And they will be burned in a blaze (i.e. Hellfire)” [4:10].
“And give to the orphans their properties and do not substitute the defective [of your own] for the good [of theirs]. And do not consume their properties into your own. Indeed, that is ever a great sin” [4:2].
The verses above indicate the high importance Allah has placed on us in taking care of orphans and that spending on them is one of the greatest forms of good deeds.
Be a lifeline for orphans today. Donate Now.
An orphan sponsorship an effective way of giving that sets up a connection between a donor and a vulnerable orphan. The donor will receive an annual update on how their support is assisting the sponsored child and their family
No, it is not. The child you sponsor will have a family of their own, but sponsors play an important role in the eyes of the child and their family by providing funding so that their basic needs are met.
According to Islamic tradition, an orphan is usually a child who has no father. The child will remain an orphan until the age of maturity/understanding.
Due to Islamic Relief’s humanitarian mandate and based on our extensive experience with the communities with which we work, we include children who have a father whose whereabouts has been unknown for two years or more, or one year for refugees and internally displaced people.
In line with the UN Convention for the Rights of the Child (CRC) of which nearly all countries are signatories, Islamic Relief has extended this classification to define a child as any human being under the age of 18. However, it is still possible to continue to sponsor a child beyond the age of 18 in order to support the education of an existing orphan.
We understand that some non-orphan families within the same communities may be worse off than orphan families, but we are unable to include them in the OSP at the moment. They may, however, be included in other Islamic Relief programmes, – such as livelihoods or healthcare or education projects – which can be supported through a one-off or regular donation. Donors can also contribute to a General Orphans Fund (LINK TO FUND PAGE) if they would like their donation to go towards other children that are not necessarily orphans.
You can sponsor a child in 26 countries across Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Eastern Europe. These countries are:
Afghanistan
Albania
Bangladesh
Bosnia
Chechnya
Ethiopia
India
Indonesia
Iraq
Jordan (mainly Palestinian refugees living in camps)
Kenya
Kosovo
Lebanon (mainly Palestinian and Syrian refugees living in camps)
Malawi
Mali
Niger
Pakistan
Palestine (Gaza & West Bank)
Somalia
South Africa
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Syria
Tunisia
Turkiye (Syrian refugees in Turkiye)
Yemen
The sponsorship programme is for the most disadvantaged families in a target area. We must identify first those orphans who are living in a family with the lowest income. Limited resources mean that we must priortise when selecting beneficiaries. We use an open and transparent process to do so.
Selection for the Orphan Sponsorship Programme means choosing beneficiaries eligible for the programme based on agreed criteria, usually after a target area or community has been identified. The standard scoring criteria covers the following points:
– Income – Prioritise those with the least income. Income relates to any money coming into the household (i.e. salaries, pension, other sponsorship money, money from relatives etc)
– Size of family and age of children, as well as disability. Prioritise families with a high dependency ratio (i.e. # dependents vs # breadwinners) and families with children and caregivers who are persons with disabilities
– Housing conditions – Prioritise those living in the poorest conditions, especially those with families who do not own their home
– Health – Prioritise children with the poorest health status, including those who are malnourished
– Double orphans are scored more highly than single
– Families living in hazardous conditions (near wastewater drainage, unhygienic areas etc)
– Unemployed mothers are prioritised over working mothers
No, you cannot choose the gender, age or location of your child. We wanted to ensure that orphans of all ages/gender/backgrounds would have the same opportunities of becoming sponsored and felt that removing the element of choice would be the best way to do this.
It is possible to sponsor more than one child, but it is not possible to sponsor a school because not all of the children in the class or school may be eligible for sponsorship. However, if you do wish to support a class, school or project, we can review this on a case-by-case basis.
We believe that the Orphan Sponsorship Programme model is cost effective and have no evidence to suggest that the many-to-many model is more cost effective. However, we are always looking at ways to improve our sponsorship programme. We are looking at the strengths of the current Orphan Sponsorship Programme and complementing it with proven livelihood components. It’s important that the majority of the people we support are empowered to become self-sufficient. We are currently undergoing a feasibility study to explore the 2 to 1 (shared sponsorship) model.
Based on our own experience and independent reports by respected agencies, such as UNICEF, we find this dependency does not happen in the overwhelming majority of cases. Many families use the sponsorship funds to invest in their livelihoods, such as buying livestock, or setting up small scale businesses.
We look to cover the most basic needs of the family, in terms of nutrition, health and education. The cash transfer empowers the family to utilise the funds for their immediate needs. Based on our experience, sponsorship funds are life-changing for families, offering support and opportunities that they would otherwise not receive.
Once your sponsorship begins, you will receive a Welcome Pack that includes a profile of the child/family including a photo.
This is usually 3 months after you create your contract. We aim to send you a report on your sponsored orphan every year – this annual progress report is written by the field officers who are responsible for visiting the orphans and contain information about the child and the progress that they are making at school etc.
Inflation and the dramatic increase in the cost of living over the past few years has caused a major impact on people in many parts of the world. This has had a substantial effect on orphan families and their ability to cover even essential needs. To accommodate a higher cost of living globally while remaining true to our values of excellence and sincerity, Islamic Relief has to increase pricing and to ultimately make a greater impact for orphan families.
In addition to the increased cost of living, we consult regularly with our frontline orphans teams; these case workers are in regular contact with sponsored orphan families and the need for a price increase was a primary concern.
Our previous prices are no longer enough to sustain the orphans we support. They are struggling now more than ever to afford the essentials. For the sponsorship to truly support the child with their basic necessities, such as food, health, and education — the amount being provided to the family needs to increase. This helps to better account for their unmet needs, ensuring your sponsored orphans can attain quality food, continue their education and afford rent.
Based on needs assessments conducted on the ground across regions and thorough research conducted by our programmes team, the new price was determined to be sufficient to give orphan families the supplemental income required to cover essential needs while remaining affordable to our donors.
To our knowledge, Islamic Relief is perhaps the only charity to offer a true one-to-one orphan sponsorship program, where the donation continuously goes to the same orphan. This allows for the life of the same orphan to be continuously transformed long term, which means that the change isn’t short term but they are able to truly rise above their circumstances, gain the opportunities they deserve, and build a better life for themselves and their families.
It is a common practice of some charities to direct orphan sponsorship funds to support groups of orphans as a whole through communal programming. This allows for lower prices that help supplement the needs of orphans and provide uplifting programming, but do not offer the opportunity for transformative change for individuals.
The three-tier system was first rolled out over 20 years ago, and was based on the cost of living at the time. Over the years, it became clear that there was a preference to sponsor orphans in the lower tier, leaving many orphans in the higher tier unsponsored. To correct this, we have introduced a fixed rate for orphan sponsorships across all available country options.
Furthermore, the cost of living has increased across the globe, and therefore, the costs that were relevant at the time of inception are no longer applicable. More and more, what we have seen is that orphans across all regions will benefit from the increased support. Developing a unified price handle allows us to support the most needy orphans, and uplift them with a value that can truly cover their basic necessities, and more.
The amount directly received by the orphan is typically 80% but can be impacted by fluctuating exchange rates.
The operational expenses entail the extensive field office work Islamic Relief conducts to ensure best practices are in place for your sponsored orphan. Orphans are monitored through both regular home visits conducted by our social workers, and group gatherings, to ensure that they are receiving the full benefits of sponsorship. We are able to use monitoring gatherings for awareness sessions on the sponsorship process, how to maintain good health, the importance of education, and various other topics.
Yes, please contact our team at orphansponsorships@irworldwide.org to arrange this.
You can send letters and photographs to your orphan by sending them to: orphansponsorship@irworldwide.org. We will check the letters are suitable, remove contact details and forward to the relevant field office. Responses depend on your sponsored child. In some cases, the child or guardian may respond straight away; others may take several months to respond or may choose not to respond at all.
We also recommend that you keep your sentences relatively short and simple. Please bear in mind that only a few sponsored children speak English, so your messages will need to be translated into their local language by our field staff. Children like to know more about you, your family and friends, where you live, what the country is like, what pets you have, what animals are in the country, what sports you like – anything that makes the connection more personal.
It is possible to do this, but there are strict parameters: the guardian needs to give their consent; then the child and their guardian need to come to the local Islamic Relief office – and the donor must cover the transport costs of getting them to the office. The call must be made to the office; it can last a maximum of one hour; and it can only take place once a year.
It may be possible to organise supervised visits after gaining agreement from the local Islamic Relief office, the child, and their guardian. Please note that visits cannot be made directly to the orphan’s home in line with our Child Protection Policy, so the meeting is likely to be held in the local Islamic Relief office. You may only visit your sponsored child and their guardian once a year.
You would be responsible for your own travel arrangements at your own expense and risk. You would also need to pay for the travel, accommodation, and food costs of the child and guardian if they had to travel a long distance and stay overnight in the location of the Islamic Relief office.
It is a common practice of some charities to direct orphan sponsorship funds to support groups of orphans as a whole through communal programming. This allows for lower prices that help supplement the needs of orphans and provide uplifting programming, but do not offer the opportunity for transformative change for individuals.
If a child wants to send the sponsor any correspondence, this is sent to us electronically via the field office. We then forward it on, but the child is not obliged to do this. There may also be comments from the orphan directed to the sponsor in the annual progress report. We are working to make improvements to what we can offer to sponsors.
Yes, you may wish to increase the amount of funds your Orphan receives, especially during celebrations like Eid. This can be a continuous extra cash gift if you would like to set up an additional monthly contract, or it can also be a one-off extra cash gift. All you need to do is email us at orphansponsorships@irworldwide.org to arrange this.
We will always treat your personal information with the utmost care and will keep it private (read our privacy policy). You can opt out at any time by contacting us via email at IslamicReliefWorldwide@irworldwide.org or by clicking the unsubscribe button on one of the emails you receive from us.
Zia Salik was appointed Interim Director of Islamic Relief UK in 2025, and brings with him over 18 years of third sector experience. He has held several leadership roles within Islamic Relief UK, including National Events Coordinator, National Community Fundraising Manager, Head of Fundraising, and Deputy Director. Zia has led national fundraising strategies, managed large-scale campaigns and events, and contributed significantly to volunteer development, donor engagement and public outreach.
As Interim Director, Zia oversees multiple teams and contributes to strategic planning, operational leadership and organisational growth. He is recognised for his expertise in major donor management, public speaking, media engagement and community fundraising. Zia has been instrumental in building strong community networks and delivering impactful campaigns.
Before joining Islamic Relief, Zia served as Programmes Manager at Humber All Nations Alliance, where he led organisational growth, project delivery and funding proposals.
Zia is a seasoned leader committed to social justice, who brings a collaborative, mission-driven approach to his work, helping to amplify voices and maximise impact in the charity sector.
Nadeem has a wealth of experience from the charity, statutory and private sectors. He is the Managing Director of HAD (a division of IRW) which is a centre of excellence seeking to empower the humanitarian sector and maximise its effectiveness and from October 2025 will serve as our interim CEO.
Before joining Islamic Relief, for nearly a decade at the General Medical Council — a globally recognised professional regulator — Nadeem managed strategic relationships with Chief Medical Officers and senior leaders. Prior to that, he served as the UK Director of Islamic Help, engaging closely with many international non-governmental organisations and playing a key role in fundraising and media activities.
In 2000, Nadeem was admitted as a solicitor. He spent nearly 8 years as a Partner at a law firm specialising in employment, regulatory and charity law. He has published papers, including in the Modern Law Review, and chapters in books.
Nadeem is deeply committed to strengthening civil society organisations and the charity sector, and throughout his career has focused on improving foundations for future generations and building strong networks. Nadeem has particular expertise working in matters of Learning and Development, especially personal and professional development, combining Islamic principles with modern techniques and interventions. He is also especially interested in psychological perspectives and cognitive distortions. He has designed and delivered training to thousands of people for nearly 3 decades.
As well as individual development and growth, Nadeem has spent 20 years working with organisations to manage and lead people to improve outcomes and efficiencies. He is a Consultant Coach, qualified at ILM Level 5 in Effective Coaching and Mentoring and ILM Level 7 in Executive and Senior Leadership Coaching. He was Chair of the Independent Advisory Group for the Professional Standards Department of West Midlands Police for 4 years, where he was awarded recognition for his ‘Outstanding Work.’
Saqeb Mueen
Asha joined Islamic Relief in 2025 with the aim of working with colleagues to create an environment where everyone feels valued, empowered, and motivated to contribute meaningfully to our shared mission.
Asha has more than 20 years of experience in HR leadership across a range of industries, holding roles at Thomson Reuters, BMW, Movado Group and others. She is passionate about building strong, resilient teams and fostering positive workplace cultures where individuals are empowered to thrive, contribute and do their best work.
Asha holds a BA in Management, Economics and Law, as well as a BA in Business Studies. She is an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development.
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.
Salaheddin joined Islamic Relief UK in 2006 and over the next 7 years held multiple roles, including Community Fundraiser and Campaigns Manager, before joining Islamic Relief Worldwide in 2013.
Since then, Salaheddin has been instrumental in the launch and growth of new Islamic Relief member offices in Ireland, Spain, Norway and Finland, as well as providing essential support and guidance to existing members, including Italy, where he served as CEO for 3 years.
In 2023, Salaheddin became Deputy Director of Global Family Development and in this role has continued to play a crucial part in steering Islamic Relief’s growth and expansion. He has also led global fundraising and media engagement for major emergencies including the Türkiye-Syria earthquake and Libya floods. Salaheddin became the Interim Director of Global Family Development in 2025.
Salaheddin holds a master’s degree in International Development and is actively involved in several community-led initiatives. He is currently the Vice President of the International Union of Muslim Scouts and Deputy Chair of the UK Muslim Scouts Fellowship as well as Chair of the South Birmingham Muslim Community Association.
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 24 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.