General

What is IDRF’s mission?

IDRF is a Canadian charitable organization, dedicated to empowering the disadvantaged people of the world through emergency relief and participatory development programs based on the Islamic principles of human dignity, self-reliance, and social justice.

Simply put, we are people helping people.

Where does IDRF work?

As a humanitarian organization, IDRF is ready to respond to any crisis in the world where we can provide valuable assistance and support.

To date, IDRF has worked in over 40 countries, located across South and Southeast Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe and the Americas.

Who implements IDRF’s projects overseas?

IDRF is proud to work with many excellent local and international partners around the world. These partnerships improve the quality of the programs that we provide, ensuring that projects are relevant to the community and bring about sustainable local change. 

Each partner is carefully researched by our team, and partnership decisions are made by committee consensus following strict guidelines. IDRF utilizes project and partner review and audit processes which are routinely reviewed for compliance with current law and international best practice.

These systems allow IDRF to retain direction and control over the activities of our partner organizations and to operate with transparency and clarity throughout the lifetime of the project, in complete compliance with CRA requirements.

How does IDRF monitor impact?

IDRF has dedicated staff who liaise continually with partners to ensure that projects meet rigorous standards. IDRF staff perform detailed background audits on all potential partners before launching projects.

Ongoing financial reporting and evaluations are critical to our work, and IDRF routinely conducts assessments of projects in the field, ensuring funds are used efficiently and effectively.

IDRF’s Board of Directors and relevant sub-committees provide oversight, direction, and accountability to our staff’s efforts.

IIDRF is honoured to have been recognized for our exceptional standards in accountability, transparency, and efficiency, and remains committed to upholding these high standards in all of our work.

When and by whom was IDRF founded?

IDRF was founded by a small group of concerned Canadian Muslims who wished to make a significant contribution towards those less fortunate than themselves living in countries around the world. Dr. Fuad Sahin, the late Muin Muinuddin and Ebrahim Sayed started IDRF operations in September 1984 and registered IDRF as a Canadian charitable organization in 1985.

(IDRF Charitable Registration # 132543005RR0001) 

What is the focus of IDRF’s humanitarian and development work?

IDRF assists communities affected by disaster and poverty to respond, recovery, rebuild, and become resilient to future disaster.

Using a program model rooted in collaborative partnerships, IDRF supports locally identified solutions and innovations to global development needs. IDRF’s work spans multiple sectors, including:

  1. Emergency Response & Disaster Prevention
  2. Water, Sanitation & Hygiene
  3. Economic Development
  4. Food & Nutrition
  5. Education
  6. Health

How does IDRF respond to an emergency?

IDRF is prepared to respond to humanitarian disaster when the need strikes.

During a crisis, IDRF staff consult with local experts, international partners, and cluster leads to identify the most pressing needs and to determine a prudent course of action.

Our model is adaptive, and ensures that whatever approach we take is one that meets the most urgent needs in these areas and avoids duplication.

IDRF adheres to the Sphere Project’s Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Disaster Response and evaluates programming against these standards. IDRF also adheres to the Code of Conduct for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in Disaster Relief.

Does IDRF only fund projects for Muslim communities?

No. IDRF is a diverse organization and helps people and communities around the world regardless of colour, creed, ethnicity or religion.

Our work is founded upon the Islamic principles of human dignity, self-reliance and social justice, and as such, we seek to link communities across Canada with effective development projects being implemented by local partners in countries around the world. 

While many IDRF-supported projects are located in Muslim communities or in countries with large Muslim populations, IDRF also works in partnership with non-Muslim partner organizations and in countries with Muslim minority populations.

What is most important to IDRF is that the projects represent the most effective development response to a particular situation and that the projects meet the needs of the most disadvantaged members of the society.