Every year, our IDRF team implements projects across several continents to support people most in need during times of crisis while also helping them build towards a more sustainable future. Throughout this summary report is the impact of your donations, and how our national and global programs focus on addressing today’s challenges while also investing in communities to thrive tomorrow. Together, we can build a brighter future that is more sustainable and equitable for everyone.
With your continued support, 2021 marked another year of exponential growth here at the International Development and Relief Foundation.
Through the help of our donors and partners, we were able to support 1,141,594 people worldwide through 108 projects in 27 countries with a focus on education, clean water and sanitation, food security, healthcare services, and economic development. We continue to strive to address the UN sustainable development goals through our programming.
This year, we also continued our focus on improving access to quality education and increased well-being to ensure the development of independent, self-reliant, and equitable communities internationally and domestically. We expanded our clean water and sanitation services to promote sustainable solutions such as solar water wells to foster healthy communities. We addressed food and nutrition security concerns by procuring food vouchers, food packages, and increased nutrition education for families. Our health care services were ramped up to meet Covid-19 specific needs, such as the supply of essential respiratory machines. Long-term community growth and capacity building were addressed through business and job training support.
The pillars of our programming are sustainability, localization, and focusing on the needs of women and girls through gender-sensitive initiatives. We ensure environmentally friendly practices by holding our field teams accountable and working through a framework that is not only cost-efficient but also sustainable. We utilize local partners to leverage their capacities, employ contextual knowledge, and ensure diversity and equity in program design and implementation.
With your help, we look forward to serving more people in the future and amplifying our impact here at IDRF. With your help, we look forward to serving more people in the future and amplifying our impact here at IDRF. Thank you for the critical role you play in enabling us to deliver these vital programs and continuing to assist the most vulnerable.
Yasmeena Mohamed
Co-Chair
Reza Rizvi
Co-Chair
Mahmood Qasim
CEO
Thank you from our Board of Directors!
Muhammad Munshi, Vice Chair
Marzia Habib Hassan, Vice Chair
Mukhtar Rahemtulla, Treasurer
Winston Kassem, Chair of Global Monitoring
Nurhan Aycan, General Secretary
Zeib Jeeva, Past Chair
Hibaq Mohamed, Board Member
Muzna Ahmad, Board Member
Fatima Laher, Board Member
Jawaid Mirza, Board Member
Seema Rizvi, YPC Liaison
Muhammad Munshi, Vice Chair
Marzia Habib Hassan, Vice Chair
Mukhtar Rahemtulla, Treasurer
Winston Kassem, Chair of Global Monitoring
Nurhan Aycan, General Secretary
Zeib Jeeva, Past Chair
Hibaq Mohamed, Board Member
Muzna Ahmad, Board Member
Fatima Laher, Board Member
Jawaid Mirza, Board Member
Seema Rizvi, YPC Liaison
Together, we’re establishing sustainable solutions that empower people and create brighter futures for generations to come. We are people helping people.
108
Projects Worldwide
27
Active Countries
313,754
people received health care services
437,172
people received food assistance through food parcels and vouchers
350,974
Received clean water, hygiene and sanitation services
37,157
Education is the key to independence and self-reliance
2,537
people received support to start business and receiving training
1,141,594
Total people received support
IDRF believes that the best way to approach community development is to partner with local experts, international NGOs, grassroots organizations, and to leverage our community’s resources to not only ensure maximum impact but a ripple effect of sustainability. Our projects are initiated by our local partners who understand the challenges and opportunities that exist where they live and work. This approach reflects in our core and guiding values to make IDRF a people helping people organization.
By late May, some 27 million people were infected and over 300,000 had died from COVID-19. The crisis resulted in shortages of oxygen, ventilation equipment, and medication.
In response, IDRF supported 13 hospitals by providing dozens of ventilators, oxygen concentrators, and essential respiratory machines (BiPAP), serving 14,950 COVID-19 patients. IDRF also supported UNICEF’s vaccine program.
13
hospitals supplied with COVID-19 equipment
14,950
COVID-19 patients treated
Yemen
Nearly 18 million people require medical assistance in Yemen. Our program trains nurses to be specialized Respiratory therapists certified by Yemen’s Ministry of Health.
We trained 33 nurses, thereby increasing the number of nurses in Yemen by 300%. Given the success of this program we are aiming to train another 90 nurses in the year ahead.
Turkey
Our health project in Turkey provides Syrian refugees with sexual and reproductive health training. We also work with local partners to help increase the knowledge of new parents in newborn care.
Over the course of a year, we provided food and hygiene materials to 900 Syrian Refugee families. Additionally 550 people were supported with health-related educational workshops and training sessions.
900
Syrian refugee families received food and hygiene packages
550
people supported with health training
Over the coming years, we will continue to enhance our healthcare programs by:
Locally train and recruit healthcare professionals in all of our programming regions.
Promote the importance of reproductive health rights for women and girls.
Build the capacity of our local teams in risk assessment while also investing in medical equipment and supplies.
Canada
Women Learning to Code & Take Leadership
In its fourth year, IDRF’s ‘Women Learning to Code & Take Leadership’ project provides scholarships for women to learn coding and build websites and apps. By training women who may not otherwise have access or opportunity, this program reduces gender and diversity gaps in the technology industry.
Graduates leave with a 100% employment rate working as Full Stack Developers, Alumni then return to teach and mentor current students as role models and leaders in their new fields.
100%
employment rate working as Full Stack Developers
Get Job Ready
With a rapidly evolving economy, Canadian youth continue to face challenges in finding employment. Our Get Job Ready program trains youth ages 19-29 to successfully navigate the Canadian job market by strengthening their soft skills.
60%
of participants secured their first job interview
52%
of participants found jobs
Palestine
Technical and Vocational Skills Training for Women
Ongoing sanctions and economic restrictions in Palestine severely limit economic growth, and therefore employment opportunities. In an effort to supplement family incomes and generate wider economic access, we provide training programs for women to develop skills in business management, food preparation, sewing, and creating hygiene products. 150 women have started their own businesses and are earning an income to support their families.
150
women started their own businesses
Farmer’s Livelihood Project
Palestine’s agricultural sector faces continued losses of land and water sources, with fruit production, crops, and livestock pasture under heavy stress. IDRF has committed to a long-term sustainability project that has already rehabilitated 38 acres of land. By restoring land productivity, providing training and equipment, farmers have greater income, more self-reliance, and can better contribute to community food needs and the local economy.
Over the coming years, IDRF’s economic development programs will:
Implement more economic development and social service programs in Canada and abroad.
Expand IDRF’s livestock support programs for farmers and pastoralists.
Continue to invest in gender inclusive skills training to increase employment.
Palestine
In Gaza, due to the stress of ongoing conflict, children’s access to safe, quality education is never easy. As a commitment to their well-being, we are building an education center in Gaza. It will merge traditional and Montessori teaching methods. The center will promote education for young children in the community. along with much-needed psychosocial support, arts, digital literacy and fresh daily meals.
Pakistan
In Pakistan, IDRF supports a school providing 129 deaf children with educational support, and 39 teachers with specialized training.
The learning environment of these students is enhanced by vocational skills training and capacity building for their families.
129
deaf students supported with educational opportunities
39
teachers supported with specialized training
Canada
Licensed to Learn
Licensed to Learn (L2L) is a peer-tutoring and mentorship program that supports thousands of youth across Canada in schools and community agencies. Highly motivated students are trained to tutor and mentor their peers during one-on-one sessions.
Now in the GTA, Calgary and Vancouver, L2L has a reputation for its excellent training, tutoring, and mentorship. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the program swiftly shifted online to ensure students could still access the academic and personal support they needed. This year L2L supported 2,810 students nationwide.
2,810
L2L students supported
Over the coming years, IDRF’s education programs will:
Launch and implement education programs in emergency contexts in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia.
Invest in addressing indirect stressors that limit access to education.
Better train educational staff and invest in infrastructural improvement of schools for safer and better learning environments.
Yemen
In Yemen, an estimated 20 million people need water, sanitation, and hygiene resources. Households are affected by preventable waterborne diseases. COVID-19’s arrival further limited people’s access to clean water.
55
water wells built
132,000+
people now have access to clean water
Niger
Approximately 44% of the population in Niger has no access to a source of clean drinking water.
Through our water wells program, IDRF has built and rehabilitated 20 water wells across 20 villages and now over 23,000 people now have access to a source of clean drinking water.
20
water wells built
23,000
people now have access to clean water
Palestine
In Gaza, widespread water shortages and acute needs for hygiene and sanitation facilities affect approximately 1.9 million people.
Through IDRF’s Water Trucking Program, 28 schools across Gaza were provided access to clean drinking water. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and the conflict in Gaza in May 2021, our team delivered clean drinking water to 53,844 Palestinians to their homes.
28
schools now have access to clean water
53,844
Palestinian children received clean drinking water
Over the coming years our WASH programs will:
Build and rehabilitate water infrastructure to improve clean water access in regions facing water scarcity.
Distribute locally sourced and environmentally conscious hygiene and sanitation products.
Create quality WASH education workshops and seminars to promote best practices to combat diseases and infection.
Yemen
Across Yemen, it is estimated that two-thirds of the population (20 million) are food insecure, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, political conflict, and economic instability.
This year, IDRF supported 44,660 internally displaced people with enough food to last them one month.
44,660
internally displaced people supported
Syria
As the Syrian crisis reaches the ten-year mark, the humanitarian situation remains dire. Millions have been displaced from their homes, while those who remain, struggle to access sufficient food to sustain their lives. Conflict, mass internal displacement and forced migration under economic collapse exacerbate hunger. IDRF’s food project helped thousands of families, supporting 14,732 Syrians
this year.
14,732
people provided with food parcels
Somalia
Across Somalia, drought and conflict has displaced millions of people. It is estimated that by the end of 2021, 3.5 million people will have faced a high level of food insecurity, with malnourishment affecting 1.2 million children under the age of five.
In response, we provided food packages to 28,690 people affected by conflict and drought.
28,690
people provided with food parcels
Over the coming years we will enhance our food security programs to:
Provide food parcels with locally procured food items.
Provide skills training for farmers to diversify food crops and develop sustainable practices.
Provide vulnerable Canadians with access to food assistance in both rural and urban regions.
Learn what our beneficaries have to say
Aisha Saleh Abdullah BaDahya
A nurse working in the ICU of a hospital dedicated to tackling COVID-19 cases in Mukalla, Yemen.
Aisha Saleh Abdullah BaDahya is a 25 year old nurse working in the ICU of a hospital dedicated to tackling COVID-19 cases in Mukalla, Yemen.
As a nurse, Aisha had grown frustrated and felt helpless in the face of a medical crisis that swept across Yemen due to the pandemic.
Aisha states, “I faced several challenges before starting this training. I was constantly frustrated working at the hospital, dealing every day with patients that I cannot help”.
IDRF’s Respiratory Therapy Training for Nurses aimed to address the critical lack of capacity and shortages by training thirty-three nurse/health practitioners in respiratory therapy training (RT).
13
Female Graduates
20
Male Graduates
All program graduates are certified by Yemen’s Ministry of Health and are recruited as Certified Respiratory Therapists by local health institutions and clinics around Yemen.
Training for her Future
Mona is a 52-year-old farmer. Her husband suffers from chronic illness that prevents him from working.
She has six children and two of her children have disabilities. Mona had two acres of agricultural land that she used to grow and sell crops from to earn an income for her family’s needs.
Due to the ongoing siege on Gaza her land was destroyed and Mona lost her only source of income. They became dependent on humanitarian aid for her children’s medical needs, and Mona occasionally worked as an agriculture worker for other famers, earning minimal amounts.
How the farmer’s livelihood program has helped Mona
Mona’s land was rehabilitated.
Her crops all grew successfully.
She was provided radish, potato, and parsley seedlings.
The income she earns helps to cover her family’s essential needs.
Driven by our Mission. Inspired for the future.
It takes a team of dedicated collaborators, working toward a meaningful goal, to effect change. We are grateful for the ongoing generosity of our donors, and the support of gift-in-kind partners for their commitment to the world’s most vulnerable.
