Muslim Aid restabilises IDP livelihoods

by Omar RAJARATHNAM

Muslim Aid has spent over half a billion Rupees since it set up operations in the country in 2005 and is now focusing on restabilising the livelihoods of Internally Displaced People (IDP) and others affected by natural disasters in the North and the East through Islamic Micro Finance (IMF) services, said Country Director of Muslim Aid Faizer Khan. He was addressing a media briefing on Tuesday.

"We are in need of funds to help cope with the needs of those in the flood-hit areas in the country which is at risk of facing a food crisis soon unless we act fast", he said.

In keeping with the Sharia law, the IMF does not charge an interest on their loans. This mitigates the debt burden and helps those affected resume their normal livelihoods faster and the money which could have been allocated to pay interest can be used on other investments.

"We also have mentor programs that help children clarify any grey areas pertaining to any general issues they face in their daily life which has been very successful as children need someone to talk to and iron out issues that they do not understand, especially since they have been deprived of leading a normal life for a very long time due to terrorism that ended in 2009" a representative of Muslim Aid told the Sunday Observer.

"The relief operations immediately after a natural disaster will focus on providing food, shelter and clothing but reintegrating them into their former lifestyles is a huge task and that is why we have been looking for donors to help us continue operations", Khan said.

"The farming land affected by the recent floods is extremely high and the gravity of it is already being felt in many areas where we are conducting resettlement operations.

Despite this we cannot pay less attention on those living in IDP camps who are being gradually resettled with the help of the Government and other relief agencies in the country," said Khan.