PROJECTS
YOU DECIDE!
In Charity Week, we work together so instead of funding just one project, the unity of the thousands of participants around the world allows for us to fund a range of projects.
This year we have our $1million+ pledge for Gaza, emergency aid for Sudan, education projects, as well as empowering children and communes across the world.
The choice of what projects will be funded is in the hands of all of you who raise funds for Orphans and Children in Need. Have a read below to find out more about the projects proposed for this year and fill out the form at the bottom of the page to have your say!
To find out more about the impact of the projects since the inception of Charity Week, check out the Projects UnWRAPPED page by clicking here!
EDUCATION
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HUNGER & MALNUTRITION
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EMERGENCY
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Education Projects
Children can often struggle to access basic education due to numerous reasons, from finances, distance, perceptions & responsibilities. Girls are often disproportionately affected.
Any solution to uplift the education of children needs to be tailored to their needs.
The project sets out to improve the educational status of girls and boys in the provinces of Balkh, Kandahar, Nangarhar in Afghanistan, by increasing access to primary education and spreading awareness of the importance of education.
Community-Based Education (CBE) provides direct access to quality education for children who do not have access to formal schools. CBE is the only education modality in Afghanistan that has successfully provided educational services to more girls than boys to counteract the gender disparity in education. Afghanistan’s education sector has been growing exponentially and CBE is a major part of this success story. CBE is formally recognized and adopted by the Ministry of Education as a tool to reach rural, remote, and underserved populations.
- Children in no formal education will be enrolled and provided education through schools and community based education (CBE).
- This project will support the process of identifying locations for CBE centers, set them up including all the required resources and equipment, as well as train and deploy teachers to the CBE centers or schools.
- A management team will also be set up from each CBE, to ensure longer term leadership and engage with local parents, elders and CBE management about the importance of education and children’s rights.
This project also supports Khoog Koor School (Sweet Home School) where 370 orphaned students study from primary to the end of secondary education. The ongoing support for this school was lost, and this project will provide funding for the school to continue for a further year until 2024 with the years 2022 and 2023 being supported with funds raised during CW2021.
- Any vulnerable children starting will receive quality teaching during the one year of secondary level of education to be well prepared to continue school at the high school level. They will also receive learning materials including school uniforms, school bags, shoes, and stationery.
- The project will also provide teacher salaries and support the running costs of the school in Jalalabad.
The project aims to contribute to the fulfillment of basic rights and core needs for vulnerable communities in Blantyre District. Vulnerable adolescent girls, including orphans, cannot regularly attend school as their families cannot afford the sanitary dignity kits.
- Alongside other interventions, this project will provide sanitation dignity kits to adolescent girls.
The arrival of refugees’ community in Sabah started in 1972, which came as refugee for asylum seeking. Sabah, located in East Malaysia or Borneo Island is recorded as the poorest state in Malaysia according to the Malaysian officials. 3 local schools are currently in very poor condition and lacking in many terms including facilities and infrastructure. Besides, electricity and water systems are also very limited and sometimes none in these selected locations.
- This project focuses on refurbishment of infrastructure at 3 Alternative School for stateless community in Sabah.
- In this project, we aim to assist in improving the water, sanitation and hygiene system in these schools as an effort to promote healthy lifestyle and hygienic environment amongst the stateless/undocumented community in Sabah.
In the last 5 years the number of Rohingya refugees has increased in Malaysia. Among the challenges as a refugee in Malaysia, one is their restricted access to education. Schools
provided by the government often only serve the locals, and refugees cannot afford to pay expensive education fee at international schools. Many also struggle with travelling further distances due to lack of personal transport. Thus, the only option is bringing education to them.
- Islamic Relief Malaysia has taken a big step by initiating an Alternative Learning Centre for refugees, particularly Rohingyas in Taman Kajang Utama, namely Refugees Intellectual Skills & Excellence (RISE).
- This project will support these efforts by providing educational materials and training to teachers to deliver the Cambridge syllabus, as well as covering running costs of the school and for activities for the students.
Women and children in Mali are disproportionately affected by ongoing protracted crises and escalating humanitarian needs, and as one of the most vulnerable social demographics, harmful practices and violence against women and children, particularly girls, are driven largely by harmful traditional and cultural beliefs and practices. This project is working in various regions within Mali.
- Interventions seek to raise community awareness on the dangers posed by Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), Gender Based Violence and Child Abuse in the intervention communities.
- A faith-based approach will be used, where religious leaders will educate communities quoting scriptures. It has been noted that Faith leaders are trusted and valued and that their messages are well received by the communities.
- Alongside this, the project will support women and girls, including those who previously pracriced FGM and have now stopped, to strengthen their economic and social status through supporting income generating activities.
Rakhine state is highly susceptible to frequent cyclones and disasters. The Rohingya people are a stranded community whose movement is frequently restricted, denied or access to basic needs and services are extremely controlled.
- This project will construct a cyclone shelter which will also operate as a school. When needed, the shelter will be a point of refuge and communities will be educated on how to access it and use it during a cyclone.
- Outside of this, the shelter will be a school, fully equipped with all learning materials and equipment.
- There will also be water and sanitation facilities, including showering/bathing points, improving the safe and private access to bathing facilities for women & girls.
- One shelter allows for schooling for 600 children (morning & day shifts)
- 50 showering / bathing points, improving access to 1250 women & girls.
Note: This project has been dedicated as a Sadaqah Jariyyah for our beloved brother and team member Bilal Mohammed, who was dedicated to both education, and giving back to his community, and served as his uni MSA Treasurer and the CW Texas Finance Rep. He passed away earlier this year, may Allah grant him the highest ranks of Jannah. Ameen.
Children in the Saga Gorou village currently are taught in classrooms built from straw, which is exposed to all the weather conditions and also requires annual repairs and rebuilding from parents, leading to missed classes. There is also a lack of water and sanitation facilities, alongside not enough adequate seating (children sitting on the floor, or bringing their own chair in) and teaching supplies. Despite this there is a willing organisation to run the school long-term, but require the support for a concrete built school with the necessary facilities.
- This project will construct 4 classrooms and an office
- Construct water & sanitation facilities
- Provide all the necessary furniture and equipment
- Provide resources for teachers
- Setup and conduct training sessions for school management committee
Lack of access to adequate water supply, insufficient toilet and proper handwashing facilities, and non-practice of hygiene behaviour in schools remain key contributors to hygiene and sanitation challenges. Toilets, handwashing facilities and drinking water points are still evidently inadequate in Gaza schools, according to Ministry of Education and international Water, Sanitation & Health guidelines according to UNICEF. The ratios for student-to-toilet and student-to-handwashing facility are still very high. On average, one toilet caters for 71 students in Gaza and one hand-washing facility caters for 130 in Gaza. The student-to-water point ratio was one water point catering for 158 students.
- This project aims to improve the Water, Sanitation & Health services at 6 public schools in Gaza Strip, to enhance the access of most vulnerable students to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene in an inclusive and effective learning environment
- The project includes awareness raising activities to promote the importance of good hygiene and cleaning practises
More than 50% of primary school aged children in Somalia are out of education. This is further heightened with a disproportionate impact among girls, extreme poor & rural children.
- This project aims to improve the access to education opportunities, by strengthening governance structures and school safety
- Developing flexible classes, remedial support and intensive basic education
All of which provide viable alternatives for students who have other responsibilities which limit their ability to access traditional education.
Children can find themself in unfortunate circumstances where the primary breadwinner suddenly passes away, leaving them and any relatives in need, in the midst of their education and livelihood.
- This project aims to support Orphans to provide the funds to continue and complete their education and cover any needed livelihood costs.
Schools with poor access to safe drinking water and sanitation facilities can lead to students becoming sick from water-borne infections and other ailments. The Thandokwethu School has no permanent ablution facilities.
- This project alongside improving the general physical environment of the school, will work on installing proper hand wash, ablution and toilet facilities for the school and conducting awareness sessions in the schools and its surrounding areas to empower teachers and students alike community wide.
- This will increase access to safer and cleaner ablution facilities that will in turn make the students’ learning experience a more pleasurable one.
Sri Lanka has been experiencing multiple disasters both are of manmade and natural which lasted for more than four decades. Communal violence that takes place once in a year on an average for the last 4-5 years’ time and natural (Tsunami, frequent floods and drought), in addition to the Covid-19 outbreak continue to have significant impacts on the most vulnerable.
- This project aims to build a catch up education mechanism to address the gap found in the education sector and to encourage students to continue their education.
- One aspect will be to provide bicycles to students who walk long distances to schools to ensure access to education.
Many children are out of education, even at a primary school level. Recently the government of Zanzibar made a commitment to the zero out of school initiative.
- This project works to identify and enroll children into education.
- Whilst also working on improving school infrastructure and supporting teaching staff.
Hunger & Malnutrition Projects
Children who are poorly nourished suffer up to 160 days of illness each year
Child malnutrition hurts cognitive function and contributes to poverty by impeding people’s ability to lead productive lives
One in every two children under-five is facing acute malnutrition and will be at risk of death without timely response. According to latest IPC figures 20 million people are projected to be facing acute food insecurity by the end of 2021, and over one million children risk dying from severe acute malnutrition. A large proportion of children remain without access to nutrition services.
- This project sets out to complement treatment services offered by public health facilities with preventative services to ensure that children and women are able to break the cycle of malnutrition.
- The project will provide 3,600 child and mother nutrition screenings, as well as treatment to 6,800 mothers and children suffering from mild acute malnutrition. We will also provide 6,800 pregnant women with maternal healthcare to support the status of their nutrition. Treatment and provision of medicines will be provided for day-to-day health concerns and diseases for both mothers and children which will secondarily improve the nutritional wellbeing of both.
- Preventative work within the community involves a robust screening and referral system, to identify severe acute malnutrition and refer to the appropriate care, as well as supporting the treatment of children under 5 years of age and pregnant and lactating women. Promoting Infant and Young Child Feeding practices will also help prevent cases where possible.
- Providing a wide range of micronutrient support to children at risk, including Vitamin A, Iron as well as Micronutrient powder and oral rehydration salt.
- Lastly this project aims to ensure children with severe acute malnutrition attend the required hospital appointments by providing cash incentives to compensate mothers and caretakers for the cost of transport to attend in-patient treatment at provincial hospitals.
The project addresses the ongoing humanitarian crisis caused by drought in Baidoa and Bardheere districts.
- Households will receive emergency food packs as well as non food items to help with sanitation.
- Work will also start to build & repair water piping & distribute aquatabs/water purification tablets.
Emergency Projects
Islamic Relief are on the ground working to support thousands of people. As this is an emergency situation we cannot guarantee that all beneficiaries will be children, but will benefit families and the most affected communities
Any emergencies at the time of Charity Week maybe considered too
The combined effect of four failed rainy seasons has pushed parts of Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia to the brink, killing livestock, forcing people to leave their homes and increasing levels of child malnutrition. It is estimated that one person is dying every 48 seconds from hunger in East Africa.
- This project will provide people with life-saving food and non-food parcels, containing flour, oil, pulses, rice, sugar, and salt.
- Work will also seek to improve water supplies by repairing old or damaged boreholes and drilling new ones, repairing traditional community water storage pools, and trucking in clean water where there is no other option.
- Health workers will also be trained on how to treat severely malnourished children, and supporting nutrition clinics.
As this is an emergency situation we cannot guarantee that all beneficiaries will be children, but will benefit families and the most affected communities.
Heavy monsoon rains have led to rivers bursting their banks, cutting off around 2 million people in northeast Bangladesh. Many families are stranded with homes, vital infrastructure and livelihoods destroyed. According to the government of Pakistan, a third of the country – equivalent to an area the size of the UK – is underwater. Huge areas of agricultural land have been affected, with crops swept away and three quarters of a million livestock killed, which will mean many people going hungry in the longer term. There is also a high risk from water-borne diseases spreading in affected areas.
Islamic Relief is on the ground, and has been distributing food packs, tents, kitchen sets, hygiene kits and cash grants to those affected, and will continue to support those in need.
- This project will provide much needed support to those affected by the floods, according to their needs.
The crisis in Syria began in March 2011, unleashing a previously unimaginable escalation of hardship which to date has continued unabated. The ongoing crisis has inflicted terrible suffering upon millions of people. 14.6 million of Syria’s total population of 17 million people need humanitarian support. Islamic Relief teams are on the ground delivering life-saving aid. In the midst of this, healthcare services and facilities have been majorly affected, with 25 confirmed attacks on healthcare facilities.
- This project aims to support the healthcare of the children by providing the children hospitals and ICU in Syria, drugs, disposables, doctors stipends and equipment.
- Supporting mobile clinics which will visit schools for medical checkup and treatment.
What you did for Palestine – CW2023
Back to school: Re-enrolling children to school in the Philippines
Back to school: Re-enrolling children to school in the Philippines Read More »
Educating children in Iraq
Nigeria: Widening access to education
From the streets to schools: Relieving Pakistan’s street children
From the streets to schools: Relieving Pakistan’s street children Read More »
Rebuilding communities in Bosnia
Eradicating disease in Pakistan
“It changed our lives for the better…” A father’s story
“It changed our lives for the better…” A father’s story Read More »
Breaking barriers: Educating children with disabilities in Palestine
Breaking barriers: Educating children with disabilities in Palestine Read More »
Empowering mothers towards economic independence in Sri Lanka
Empowering mothers towards economic independence in Sri Lanka Read More »
A mother’s plea: Medical aid for severely malnourished children in Yemen
A mother’s plea: Medical aid for severely malnourished children in Yemen Read More »
Empowering Palestinian cancer patients with education
Empowering Palestinian cancer patients with education Read More »
Emergency Essentials: Upgrading the main paediatric unit in East Jerusalem
Emergency Essentials: Upgrading the main paediatric unit in East Jerusalem Read More »
Leadership Legacies – Practical Wisdom
Leadership Legacies – Servant Leadership
Leadership Legacies – Holistic Justice
Leadership Legacies – Decisiveness
Leadership Legacies – Courage
Leadership Legacies – Vision
Leadership Legacies – Competence
EMERGENCY
As emergencies occur, the support involves an evolving process of assessing the situation and need, whilst helping in the most effective way possible. We are fortunate to have Islamic Relief who have a wealth of expertise and experience in this area.
As Charity Week, we understand the importance of supporting such emergency projects, so aim to include such projects alongside other projects that aim to be sustainable and have a longer lasting impact.
To see the impact of your support in Gaza last year, click here!
However it is to be noted, that with an emergency situation we cannot guarantee that all beneficiaries will be children, but will benefit families and the most affected communities.
Nearly a year of crisis in Palestine has led to widespread displacement, and as per United Nations approximately 85% of the Gaza Strip's population left vulnerable and lacking access to essential resources like food, water, and medicine.
Last year through Charity week we were able to provide emegency relief to Palestine and this year we pledge a further $1million+ to support the ongoing relief.
This project aims to address these urgent needs by:
- Providing hot meals and clean water
- Offering psychosocial support and recreational activities for children
- Establishing Water, Sanitation & Hygiene facilities
The aim is to meet the basic needs of the Palestinian people and sustain their well-being until the situation improves.
Sudan is confronting the world's most severe hunger crisis, with starvation quickly spreading throughout the country. The humanitarian response is critically underfunded, while access to some of the hardest-hit areas remains blocked by both bureaucratic delays and ongoing violence from the conflicting parties.
Vulnerable women, girls, and children, who are often the first to suffer in such crises, face heightened risks of disease due to inadequate sanitation facilities.
- This project aims to address the critical needs of vulnerable populations by improving hygiene and sanitation to reduce disease risks.
- Additionally, it will enhance access to safe water for 1,660 households in North Kordofan, providing essential relief to around 10,000 displaced individuals. The installation of two boreholes will ensure access to potable water, offering both immediate support and long-term resilience for those affected by the crisis.
Around 3 million people have been affected by flooding due to heavy monsoon rains in the southeastern districts of Bangladesh. Many are stranded and in need of evacuation to shelters. Islamic Relief teams are on the ground, present and responding.
- This project focuses on delivering emergency relief and providing lifesaving assistance.
Devastating airstrikes in Lebanon have resulted in hundreds of deaths and widespread displacement. Over 1,000 lives have been lost, with more than 6,300 people injured, including many children and civilians. Islamic Relief teams are actively responding on the ground, delivering critical assistance, including food packages, hygiene kits, blankets, mattresses, and essential medical supplies to hospitals.
EDUCATION
58 million children of primary school age do not attend school, with the majority of them coming from marginalised groups
Quality learning requires a safe, friendly environment, qualified and motivated teachers. A lack of trained teachers, inadequate learning materials, makeshift classes and poor sanitation facilities make learning difficult for many children. Others come to school too hungry, sick or exhausted from work or household tasks to benefit from their lessons.
The consequences: There are an estimated 617 million children and adolescents around the world are unable to reach minimum proficiency levels in reading and mathematics, even though two thirds of them are in school.
The Kilifi and Tana River counties of Kenya are characterised by high poverty, with poor access to education being a significant challenge.
The overall literacy rate is 34% with many school-age children remaining at home.
This project addresses the education gap by enhancing access through an improved learning environment.
- This involves contributing to the improvement of infrastructure and education equipment of two primary schools, including classrooms, sanitation blocks and a library.
- It also includes the renovation of four primary schools.
The education of students is crucial in shaping a knowledgeable generation. This project is dedicated to enhancing the educational environment for vulnerable students in two rural schools in Sarawak: SK Nanga Kesit and SK Nanga Menyebat (Malaysia). These schools face significant challenges due to inadequate facilities, limited financial resources, and a lack of essential learning equipment.
- The goal is to create a conducive learning environment by refurbishing existing structures, providing necessary digital tools like Smart TVs and electronic tablets, and constructing new libraries.
- This initiative will directly benefit 145 students, with an indirect impact on 1,000 individuals, including family members and the local community.
Through this project, we aim to empower these students, many from low-income and marginalized communities, by equipping them with the resources needed to excel academically and personally. Our commitment to sustainable development and quality education ensures that these efforts contribute to a brighter future for the students and their communities.
Rwanda, with its high population density and significant youth demographic, has made notable progress in primary education, achieving near-universal enrollment. However, gaps remain for out-of-school children and dropouts. To address these issues, multiple charities and partners are uniting together, to launch a comprehensive initiative to ensure that no child misses out on primary education.
The wider project aims to enroll 177,119 out-of-school children, including 17,712 with disabilities, and assist 15,240 additional individuals over five years.
Charity Week is supporting this larger initiative along with other partners.
- The approach includes making education more accessible by removing financial barriers and enhancing teacher skills, while improving school environments and community engagement.
- The project will focus on marginalised groups such as children from low-income families, those affected by gender norms, children with disabilities, and refugees.
The Osizweni community project is a holistic project aimed at empowering communities, by providing support to mothers and guardians on core issues that are prevalent in the local community. They offer primary education to 429 learners. Currently, the hygiene facilities at the Centre are deteriorating and insufficient for the growing population.
- This project aims to contribute to the construction of new toilet facilities for all 429 learners and 41 staff members, in order to meet the required standards set by the Department of Education and to ensure there are adequate and hygienic facilities.
- This will be achieved by constructing 20 new toilets and one unisex disabled toilet.
In Sri Lanka, educational difficulties are compounded by disparities in access and resources, particularly in rural areas, leading to significant challenges in achieving equitable learning opportunities. High illiteracy rates persist among marginalised communities, exacerbated by economic hardships and limited educational infrastructure. This project is designed to enhance educational access and support for students affected by the ongoing economic crisis.
- The initiative will provide 800 bicycles to students facing transportation challenges, including 50 specialised bicycles for students with disabilities.
This project aims to create a more supportive and accessible learning environment for all.
In 2023, Kahramanmaraş, a region in Southern Türkiye, experienced two consecutive major earthquakes, resulting in widespread damage to the region and affecting 16 million people. In particular, the destruction of schools disrupted the flow of education for 30,000 children.
- This project aims to respond to the educational needs of earthquake survivors by contributing to the construction of two new schools (one primary school and one preschool) in Kahramanmaraş.
- These two schools will contribute to ensuring access to education and creating safe learning environments for 954 students.
EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES
Our vision of unity extends beyond fundraising, to the implementation of our projects too. The community can be the heart of a locality, and by investing in them directly, can lead to the upliftment of orphans and children in need that they support.
These projects look beyond the direct support of the children, and focus on providing the community better access to essential services, and the opportunity to improve their livelihoods and lift themselves out of poverty, permanently.
Orphaned families in Albania are living in substandard housing conditions. Many homes are at risk of further damage due to factors such as poor insulation, inadequate roofing, damaged doors and windows, and possible earthquakes which are expected occurences in the active seismic zone of Albania. In particular, during winter months, families grapple with extreme cold due to uninsulated or damaged homes.
- This project aims to address this need by purchasing or constructing 13 shelter homes, benefiting 13 Orphan families, providing them will protection from harsh winter conditions and giving them functional living spaces.
Iraq has been grappling with serious long-term challenges including conflict, displacement, economic instability, and social upheaval. One particular challenge is faced by orphan families, who struggle with economic instability due to the loss of their breadwinners, limited employment opportunities and disrupted livelihoods due to these ongoing challenges. This economic insecurity means their ability to meet basic needs such as food, shelter, and healthcare is significantly reduced.
- This project aims to address these challenges by providing support to orphan families to initiate new businesses, such as tailoring, agriculture and handcraft production.
- It will also support orphan families in scaling up their existing businesses.
- Finally, this project will also deliver foundational business management sessions tailored for orphan guardians.
Through these measures, the project aims to see an increase in monthly household income of participating families, and ultimately to improve support provided to caregivers of orphan families.
After years of violence and crisis in Syria, the worst earthquake in a century struck, compounding the ongoing tragedy. The survivors now face extensive damage to homes, buildings, and water systems.
This project aims to support Syrian refugees and Jordanian host communities by addressing their shelter, protection, and education needs. It will focus on vulnerable groups, including women-headed households, survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, people with disabilities, the elderly, and unaccompanied children.
Key activities include:
- Conducting awareness sessions on gender-based violence and child protection for 3,000 refugees and host community members.
- Offering group resilience-building activities and psychosocial support to 1,000 conflict-affected individuals.
- Providing remedial classes, education kits, and cash allowances to students through a mobile education bus.
The project is designed to alleviate the suffering of those affected by the Syria crisis and improve their overall well-being.
The Mindanao conflicts in the Philippines have left devastating effects on some of its regions. In some of the poorest regions, at least 60% of the population live below the poverty threshold.
In 2020, Charity Week funded a project that supported the educational needs of 200 children in the region.
- This year, we will be extending that support to continue improving access to education for the affected children, as well as supporting 250 female entrepreneurs to develop a sustainable livelihood in order to provide for their families.
Communities in the Sool, Sanaag, and Togdheer regions of Somaliland are struggling under the weight of drought, conflict, and climate change. In villages like Oog and Erigavo, displaced families have been forced to abandon their livestock and farms, leaving them without the means to survive. In Ceelxume, crop failures and reduced agricultural output have left farmers desperate.
This project aims to provide urgent relief and rebuild livelihoods by:
- Supporting 200 farming households with drought-tolerant seeds, tractor hours, and essential agricultural inputs.
- Livestock will be restocked, and treatment campaigns will be conducted to ensure animal health.
- Training will also be provided to equip these communities with the skills needed to overcome these challenges and secure their future.
EMPOWERING CHILDREN
Children are the most vulnerable, and can be affected greatly by circumstances which are out of their control.
Alongside the other projects for CW2024, these support orphans directly or the most vulnerable children in our communities needing the highest level of care.
Children can find themselves in unfortunate circumstances where the primary breadwinner suddenly passes away, leaving them and any relatives in need, in the midst of their education and livelihood.
- This project aims to continue the ongoing support of orphans to provide either through regular sponsorship payments or funds to continue and complete their education and cover any needed livelihood costs.
Children can be born with or aflicted by rare and serious conditions, which often are life changing for both the child and their family. This requires the specialist expertise of paediatricians alongside specialist equipment too.
- This project aims to support the implementation of a new childrens' cancer center in one of the world's leading cancer hospitals.
PROJECTS SURVEY
Fill in the form below to choose your projects for CW2024!