Islamic Relief

Islamic Relief Worldwide is an international non-governmental organization founded in the United Kingdom in 1984. It has international headquarters in Birmingham and a network of national offices, affiliated partners, registered branches and country offices spread over more than 40 countries. The charity typically assists more than 10 million people each year through emergency response, and development programmes in areas including education, health and livelihood support. It also advocates on behalf of those in need, focusing particularly in its campaigns on climate change, the rights of women and girls, and supporting refugees and displaced people. Islamic Relief has been registered with the Charity Commission of England and Wales since 1989 and is an independent, non-political non-governmental organisation. In 2024, Islamic Relief's income was £275.6 million. Islamic Relief was founded in 1984 by Dr Hany El-Banna and fellow students from the University of Birmingham. From its first donation of 20p, the charity raised £100,000 to help those affected by the famine in Sudan. Since then, Islamic Relief has grown into an international humanitarian organisation with an annual income of hundreds of millions and a presence in more than 40 countries across Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and North America. In 1993, Islamic Relief worked with UK-based newspaper The Independent on an appeal to raise funds for relief efforts during the Bosnian War.