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Islamic Relief South Africa supports, educates and advocates for the protection of vulnerable and marginalised people in South Africa, including orphans, vulnerable children, refugees and asylum seekers, and works closely with community and religious leaders, social services, and other organisations to ensure holistic support and provision.
We also work to improve the opportunities and sustainability of livelihoods among vulnerable and marginalised adult groups, by providing microfinancing, mentorship, entrepreneurship, skills development, vocational training and other educational programming that empowers individuals to establish and grow their businesses, and achieve lasting economic independence.
IRSA’s Integrated Development Programme (IDP) aims to upskill and empower women and youth who are disproportionately impacted by the lack of meaningful work opportunities in South Africa, to start and sustain their own businesses – with special focus on women’s participation in the agricultural sector.
The programme aims to empower a total of 200 women and 400 youth across KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape with professional skills, entrepreneurship and small business development support and mentorship, and agricultural training, to help them create sustainable livelihoods and contribute to the development and growth of their communities.
Because IRSA is committed to breaking the cycle of poverty for as many families as possible, many of the women participating in the IDP are guardians to orphans and vulnerable children from our Orphans Sponsorship Programme. We believe that by empowering women and youth with the necessary skills, and by supporting them to access clear pathways out of poverty and towards self-reliance, families and communities will thrive and sustainable transformation will be realised.
Fabric of success: IRSA-backed small business awarded sewing tender
Islamic Relief is deeply committed to ensuring the wellbeing, protection and fulfillment of children’s rights across the world. We believe that every child deserves a positive start in life. By supporting orphaned children affected by war, bereavement, poverty and ill-health, we offer them a chance at a brighter future.
To date, our Orphan Sponsorship Programme (OSP) has given more than 200,000 orphans and vulnerable children in 26 countries access to quality education and healthcare, nutritious food, safe environments and psychological support. We also invest in their long-term wellbeing, by enabling caregivers and local communities to work towards sustainable solutions to poverty and inequality.
In South Africa, our OSP – which is recognised as one of the best in its field – currently sponsors 1,150 orphans and vulnerable children, ensuring that they are cared for in safe and healthy environments.
Eighteen women in Pietermaritzburg – who are guardians to orphans and vulnerable children supported by IRSA’s Orphan Sponsorship Programme – were selected to participate in IRSA’s Copesville Alternative Livelihoods for Women initiative.
Through sustainable approaches to agriculture, this holistic project supports participants to grow their own food, which they can use to nourish their families and generate income.
Participants are also supported to ensure that their farming approaches are resilient to climate variability; are provided with essential resources for continuous production – including good quality locally-sourced seeds, water storage tanks and equipment; and have access to networking events and markets where they can promote and sell their produce.
The second phase of IRSA’s Assistance, Protection, Education and Self-reliance for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (APESRA) project was run in partnership with the United Nations Refugee Agency between November 2022 and April 2024. By facilitating access to education, skills development, language and vocational training, and community services, this project supported 124 refugees and asylum seekers’ self-reliance in the Western Cape.
The El Hudaa Early Childhood Development Centre, situated in the agricultural town of Zuurbekom, in Gauteng, is a haven of safety and nurture for children from six months to 12 years old. In 2024, IRSA partnered with the Centre, constructing a wall to better safeguard children while on the property, and assisted with processes to register the Centre with the Department of Social Development.
Muslims are required to pay 2.5% of their wealth to charity. Islamic Relief South Africa serves as a channel through which this Zakat can be donated and redirected towards initiatives that uplift and strengthen under-resourced communities. Our Grant Application Process (GAP) helps disperse Zakat and unrestricted funds to families and communities in financial distress.
Find out how Islamic Relief South Africa empowers individuals, women, youth and refugees to build lasting economic independence and break the cycle of poverty.
Islamic Relief South Africa works to improve the opportunities and long-term sustainability of livelihoods among vulnerable and marginalised groups. Rather than providing ongoing handouts, our approach focuses on empowering people to achieve lasting economic independence through:
We believe that when people have the tools, skills and resources to support themselves, entire families and communities are transformed.
The Integrated Development Programme (IDP) is one of Islamic Relief South Africa's flagship livelihoods initiatives. It is designed to upskill and empower women and youth who are disproportionately affected by unemployment and economic exclusion in South Africa.
The programme targets 200 women and 400 youth across KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape, providing them with professional skills training, entrepreneurship and small business development support, mentorship, and agricultural training. The goal is to help participants create sustainable incomes, contribute to their communities, and achieve long-term self-reliance.
One recent example of the programme's impact: an IDP-backed business won a tender to sew 200 school uniforms for a local school, demonstrating exactly the kind of sustainable economic participation the programme is designed to create.
Islamic Relief South Africa's livelihoods programmes have supported nearly 3,000 people through vocational training, microfinancing, mentorship, and entrepreneurship support in our most recent reporting period. Each person supported represents not just an individual, but a family and a community that benefits from their increased economic stability.
Yes. Through the Assistance, Protection, Education and Self-reliance for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (APESRA) project, run in partnership with the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), Islamic Relief South Africa facilitates access to education, skills development, language and vocational training, and community services for refugees and asylum seekers in South Africa.
The most recent phase of this project, which ran over an 18-month period, supported 124 refugees and asylum seekers in the Western Cape to achieve greater self-reliance. This work reflects our commitment to serving all vulnerable people, regardless of their nationality or legal status.
Islamic Relief South Africa takes an integrated approach to breaking the cycle of poverty. Many of the women participating in the Integrated Development Programme are guardians of children supported through our Orphan Sponsorship Programme.
By empowering these caregivers with the skills and resources to generate a sustainable income, we ensure that the entire family benefits. Children are more likely to stay in school, eat nutritious meals, and access healthcare when their caregivers have stable livelihoods. This interconnected approach is what makes our work truly transformative.
Yes. Women are at the centre of our livelihoods programming. We recognise that women in South Africa face compounding barriers to economic participation, including caregiving responsibilities, gender-based discrimination, and limited access to capital. Our programmes are designed to address these barriers directly.
The IDP has a specific focus on women's participation in the agricultural sector, providing training, tools and market linkages to help women build sustainable agricultural enterprises. We also provide mentorship and peer support networks to help women navigate the challenges of starting and growing a business.
You can support our livelihoods programmes by making a donation online at donate.islamic-relief.org.za, by calling our toll-free number 0800 111 898, or via EFT. You can specify that your donation should go towards livelihoods and economic empowerment programmes.
Businesses and organisations can also partner with us to fund specific programme components such as vocational training cohorts, small business grants, or agricultural starter kits. Please contact us at info@islamic-relief.org.za to discuss partnership options.
Yes. Islamic Relief South Africa holds Section 18A status, which means qualifying donations are tax deductible. A Section 18A certificate will be issued upon request. Please contact us at info@islamic-relief.org.za or call 0800 111 898.
No. Islamic Relief South Africa serves all people in need, regardless of race, religion, gender, political affiliation or belief. Our work is guided by Islamic values of compassion, justice and accountability, but our assistance is extended to every person who needs it. We allocate resources based on need alone, and we never expect anything in return from those we serve.