Islamic Relief Malaysia announces Floating Jetty Project in Sabah funded through Charity Week Malaysia 2025

BANGI, 15 November 2025 – Islamic Relief Malaysia (IR Malaysia) today held the Finale of Charity Week Malaysia 2025 to celebrate the achievements of volunteers and participating institutions throughout this year’s Charity Week campaign.

The event was graced by Dato’ Sri Syed Saleh Syed Abdul Rahman, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of IR Malaysia, along with fellow Board members Datuk Nur Iskandar A. Samad and Professor Dato’ Ir. Ts. Dr. Hj. Othman A. Karim. Also present were Siti Fadilah Mohd Hood, Chief Executive Officer of IR Malaysia, senior management representatives, and the Charity Week Malaysia delegation led by its Director, Nur Athirah Sharim, together with the Charity Week Malaysia 2025 Shura Team.

Charity Week: A Global Movement Uniting the Ummah

Charity Week is a global, volunteer-driven campaign built on a shared vision of uniting the Ummah through charitable action.

Launched in 2003 at a university in London, the initiative has since grown into an international movement involving participants from around the world.

This year, Charity Week mobilised volunteers from nine countries—Malaysia, Qatar, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, South Africa, Pakistan, and Ireland—to support orphans and vulnerable children in need.

In Malaysia, 17 institutions participated in Charity Week 2025, organising creative fundraising activities such as charity sales, charity hiking, fun walks, fun runs, sports-based charity events, Paddle for Hope, and various community initiatives involving families, friends, groups, and local organisations from 20 to 26 October 2025.

Funds Supporting Orphans and Children in Need

Funds raised through Charity Week are channelled into projects benefiting orphans and vulnerable children in the areas of education, health, protection, and welfare.

In 2024, Charity Week Malaysia funds were used to provide Teaching and Learning (PdPC) equipment for SK Nanga Kesit, Lubok Antu, Sarawak, including portable speakers and stands, microphones, Android TVs, Smart TVs, white screens, and projector stands.

In his speech, Dato’ Sri Syed Saleh announced, “This year’s Charity Week Malaysia contribution will be allocated to developing a floating jetty at SK Logongon, Nabawan, Sabah, to ensure safer daily journeys for 96 students, 15 teachers and approximately 600 villagers on their way to school.

“We earn a living by what we receive, but we build a life by what we give, that is a far greater and more extraordinary impact. I believe the seven days we spent together during Charity Week truly reflect this wisdom.”

He also expressed appreciation to all volunteers, institutions, partners, and communities who contributed to the success of this year’s campaign.

In addition to local projects, part of the Charity Week Malaysia funds will also support IR Malaysia’s Palestine Appeal to assist communities in Gaza.

Participating institutions and groups in Charity Week Malaysia 2025 included DBE BAK Kolej Vokasional Beaufort, Kelab Harmoni UKM, Incredible Hearts, Kelab Penyayang UiTM Shah Alam, Kelab Penyayang USIM, Masjid Al Falah Shah Alam, MPP & BAI Kolej Vokasional Beaufort, Pizzan Pizza, Politeknik Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah, ICEPS, Sea Gypsies T20, Darwish Clan, Sumo Wonder, Sukarelawan Zakat UiTM Melaka (SUZA), Uni Charity Society, Family Hauk, and MY Shura.

Charity Week Malaysia 2025 Awards

The ceremony also featured certificate presentations, tokens of appreciation, and four main awards:

The Fresh Impact Award: Kolej Vokasional Beaufort, Sabah
Inspiring Future Award: Kelab Penyayang USIM
The Most Hyped Award: Politeknik Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah
Best Display of Unity Award: Sukarelawan Zakat UiTM Melaka (SUZA)

Thanks to the dedication and hard work of volunteers, a total of RM14,054.72 was successfully raised this year.

A Volunteer’s Journey in Charity Week

National Director of Charity Week Malaysia, Nur Athirah Sharim, shared her inspiring journey:

“I started as a Charity Week participant in 2023. With just what we had, my four friends and I sold ‘keropok roda’ at RM1 per pack to our classmates every day, and within a week, we raised more than RM400.

“In 2024, I was entrusted with the role of Institution Support, and this year I have been given the responsibility of leading Charity Week Malaysia as Director.

“Alhamdulillah, I see more people recognising Charity Week and more new institutions joining. I hope that next year, this movement will grow even bigger and inspire society to care and help those in need.”

Five Years of Charity Week Malaysia

Charity Week Malaysia 2025 marks the fifth year of its implementation since it was introduced in Malaysia in 2021. With the support of volunteers, educational institutions, community partners, and the public, the campaign continues to serve as a platform that unites the Ummah through compassion, unity, and collective action.

Islamic Relief Malaysia extends its deepest appreciation to all who contributed to the success of this campaign. May this noble effort continue to lead to lasting goodness.

Philippines typhoon survivors running out of food as authorities work to avert hunger, Islamic Relief warns

As severe weather disasters increase, leaders at COP30 must take action

Typhoon-hit communities in the Philippines face severe food shortages in the coming days and weeks with authorities and aid agencies working to avert widespread hunger, Islamic Relief’s emergency response team is warning.

Typhoon Fung-wong has forced over 1.1 million people from their homes and devastated agriculture, and Islamic Relief’s emergency team in Aurora province says most families have lost their main sources of income and food. Islamic Relief aid workers estimate that over 96% of banana crops in the areas they have reached have been destroyed and fishermen cannot go out to sea.

Ronald Cabalquinto, part of Islamic Relief’s emergency response team, says:

“The devastation we’re seeing is beyond previous typhoons. The water reached the height of a two-storey building and many houses near the coast have been totally washed away. There is debris everywhere. The death toll is not high, but hundreds of thousands of displaced people are now dependent on aid and only have food for two or three days. Many people have been taken in by relatives, friends and neighbours but we have also seen families at the side of the road under tarpaulins with nowhere to go.”

Sabilyo, 57, a fisherman in Aurora province, told Islamic Relief: “My family’s only source of income, our boat, was split in half by the storm’s fierce winds and waves. I don’t know where to start. My house is washed out, and my boat is gone. I just hope someone can help us start again.”

Aid agencies and the Philippines government have distributed food packs to displaced families, but they will run out in the next few days and more aid is urgently needed.

The typhoon struck on the eve of the COP30 climate change summit taking place in Brazil and Islamic Relief says the climate crisis is increasing the severity and frequency of natural disasters, hitting the poorest communities hardest. The Philippines suffered record numbers of typhoons and storms last year.

Ronald Cabalquinto says: “In the Philippines typhoons are part of island life. But these storms have been hitting more of the islands and provinces at once and causing greater destruction than they used to. It is vital that world leaders at COP30 fulfil commitments to bring emissions and global warming to a contained level.”

Investing in early warnings and helping communities adapt to the changing climate can help save lives. In Aurora province the initial death toll from Typhoon Fung-wong was zero, thanks largely to a government warning to evacuate.

Program U-YES beri impak positif, tingkat taraf hidup dan semangat keusahawanan komuniti PPR Desa Rejang

KUALA LUMPUR, 30 Oktober 2025 – Islamic Relief Malaysia (IR Malaysia) dengan kerjasama Takaful IKHLAS General Berhad dan IKHLAS Barakah House telah mengadakan Majlis Penutup Program Unlock Your Entrepreneurship Skills (U-YES) bertempat di Hotel Olympic Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur bagi meraikan kejayaan peserta-peserta Program U-YES setelah menjalani program selama setahun.

Program U-YES merupakan salah satu inisiatif kehidupan mampan yang dilaksanakan bagi meningkatkan taraf hidup serta kesejahteraan komuniti melalui pemerkasaan ekonomi dan pengukuhan hubungan sosial dalam kalangan peserta.

Program yang mendapat tajaan Takaful IKHLAS melalui dana IKHLAS Barakah House (IBH) berjumlah RM271,500 ini dilaksanakan bermula dari Ogos 2024 hingga September 2025 melibatkan penyertaan 10 orang usahawan dari PPR Desa Rejang, Setapak.

Majlis penutup telah disempurnakan oleh Asri Suratman, Ketua Pegawai Operasi Perniagaan Takaful IKHLAS General Berhad, yang dalam ucapannya berkata, “Program kali ini merupakan kesinambungan kerjasama antara Islamic Relief Malaysia dan Takaful IKHLAS selepas program Gift of Hope di Pulau Pinang.

“Saya ucapkan tahniah kepada semua peserta yang berjaya meningkatkan pendapatan serta memajukan perniagaan melalui Program U-YES ini.

“Nilai-nilai murni yang ditunjukkan oleh Rasulullah SAW dalam berniaga seperti jujur, amanah dan ikhlas harus kita teladani dan tanamkan dalam diri sebagai usahawan Muslim sejati.

“Saya ingin menekankan bahawa kejayaan seorang usahawan tidak hanya diukur melalui jumlah keuntungan semata-mata tetapi sejauh mana perniagaan itu memberi keuntungan kepada masyarakat di sekitar kita.”

Sementara itu, Dato’ Sri Syed Saleh Syed Abdul Rahman, Pengerusi Lembaga Pemegang Amanah IR Malaysia berkata kejayaan program ini membuktikan bahawa pendekatan latihan dan bimbingan menyeluruh mampu membawa perubahan sebenar dalam kehidupan peserta.

“Sepanjang pelaksanaan Program U-YES, kami menyaksikan banyak perubahan positif yang membanggakan. Semua peserta menunjukkan peningkatan pendapatan, dengan separuh daripadanya berjaya menambah lebih 50% pendapatan, dan tiga peserta menggandakan keuntungan mereka.

“Lebih penting lagi, mereka kini lebih yakin, berdikari dan profesional dalam mengurus perniagaan menggunakan platform digital serta pengurusan kewangan yang lebih teratur.”

Beliau turut mengiktiraf peranan penting Takaful IKHLAS, IKHLAS Barakah House dan My Fortitude Synergy yang menjadi tulang belakang kejayaan pelaksanaan program ini melalui bimbingan, latihan serta sokongan menyeluruh kepada peserta.

Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif My Fortitude Synergy, Lily Sabrina Md Saber, turut menzahirkan rasa bangga terhadap perubahan yang dicapai peserta setelah menjalani latihan selama setahun yang dikendalikannya bersama pasukan.

Dalam ucapannya, “Banyak pengorbanan yang peserta lakukan demi merubah kehidupan. Saya amat berbangga melihat dan mendengar perubahan mereka. Semoga anda semua terus maju dan menjadi usahawan berintegriti yang memberi manfaat kepada masyarakat dan negara.”

Antara peserta yang diraikan ialah Hairatul Asmah, pengusaha makanan di Wangsa Maju, yang berkongsi kisah kejayaan beliau.

“Program ini sangat membantu menaikkan taraf pendapatan kami sekeluarga. Jika sebelum ini pendapatan harian sekitar RM12 hingga RM30, kini boleh mencecah RM3,000 sehari apabila kami berniaga di acara hujung minggu.”

Melalui pendekatan latihan teknikal dan bimbingan praktikal, Program U-YES bukan sahaja meningkatkan pengetahuan dan kemahiran peserta, malah menyokong Matlamat Pembangunan Mampan (SDG) 1: Tiada Kemiskinan, SDG 5: Kesaksamaan Jantina, dan SDG 17: Perkongsian Untuk Matlamat.

IR Malaysia akan terus memperkukuh usaha memperkasakan komuniti melalui pelbagai inisiatif kehidupan mampan bagi membantu masyarakat keluar daripada kitaran kemiskinan.

Turut hadir memeriahkan majlis ialah Wan Jemizan W Deraman, Pengerusi IKHLAS Barakah House, Noorazimah Tahir, Naib Presiden dan Ketua Komunikasi Korporat Kumpulan, MNRB Holdings Berhad dan Siti Fadilah Mohd Hood, Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif IR Malaysia.

Powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake strikes Davao Oriental, triggers widespread panic and damage

DAVAO ORIENTAL, 10 October 2025 — A powerful magnitude 7.4 tectonic earthquake struck offshore Davao Oriental at 9:43 a.m. (PHT) on Friday, sending thousands of residents fleeing from schools, malls, offices, and homes. The quake, initially recorded as magnitude 7.6, had its epicenter in Manay, Davao Oriental, at a depth of 58 kilometers. Shaking was felt across Mindanao and as far as Indonesia and Palau. The incident comes just weeks after a 6.9-magnitude quake in Cebu killed 74 people and displaced thousands.

Authorities reported widespread panic as the ground shook violently. Video footage from markets in Davao showed people screaming and taking cover, while patients were evacuated from hospitals for safety. The Davao City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) confirmed that 347 individuals fainted or sustained minor injuries, while several students were hospitalized due to dizziness and panic. Reports also confirmed at least three fatalities, one in Davao City, two in Davao Oriental and a man killed in a landslide, with others possibly trapped or injured.

More than 266 aftershocks, including strong 5.9-, 5.8-, and 5.6-magnitude tremors, have been recorded since the main quake. Infrastructure damage has been reported across Davao Oriental and nearby provinces, including cracked bridges, roads, schools, and workplaces. Landslides were also observed in Davao de Oro, and debris blocked major roads from Caraga to Mati City. Davao City and neighboring provinces suspended work and classes to allow rapid damage assessments.

Islamic Relief Philippines is closely monitoring the situation in Davao Oriental and surrounding areas. Given the broad geographic spread of the shaking from Davao Oriental to parts of Eastern Visayas, secondary displacement, service interruptions, and strain on local protection systems may follow, especially in communities with limited humanitarian support.

Over a month after Afghanistan earthquake, 90% of families still have no proper shelter as freezing winter approaches

Over a month since deadly earthquakes devastated villages in eastern Afghanistan, thousands of survivors are still homeless and sleeping out in the open without proper shelter as the bitterly cold winter approaches, Islamic Relief is warning.

Latest assessments show that 90% of survivors in rural Kunar province are still without proper shelter, leaving them extremely vulnerable as temperatures plummet. Harsh winters in the mountainous region bring heavy snow and ice and temperatures as low as minus-20 degrees Celsius (-4 °F).

The deadly earthquake, which struck just before midnight on 31 August, killed more than 2,200 people and destroyed over 6,300 homes. But not enough aid has yet arrived, and the response is critically short of funds.

Earthquake survivor Wahidullah Ehsas is one of many still sleeping outside in Dewagal valley in Kunar province. He told Islamic Relief:

“My family and I are living in very difficult conditions. Since our house was damaged, we are staying outside under temporary shelters with limited food, water, and blankets. The nights are cold, aftershocks continue, and our children and elderly are suffering the most. While some households have received emergency tents, a significant number of people remain without proper shelter.

“We fear for our survival in the coming winter because, due to the continuous earthquakes, our homes are no longer safe or suitable to live in. The weather is getting colder and the nights are already chilly. In the coming months, the temperature will drop further, especially in these mountainous areas, making it very hard for families staying outside without proper shelter, blankets, or heating.”

Ibrahim Alhomadi, head of programmes at Islamic Relief Afghanistan, said:

“As winter approaches, survivors are at extreme risk of hypothermia and illness if they can’t get shelter soon. Families survived the earthquake but now risk dying from the cold winter.

“It’s appalling that thousands of people are still without proper shelter almost a month after the earthquake, but the humanitarian response is critically underfunded. Global attention fades away after a few days but the needs remain huge as these families have lost everything – their homes, relatives, livelihoods, and around 95% of them lost their food stocks. The situation for earthquake-affected families is increasingly dire. Many survivors are still living in temporary shelters, such as tents and tarpaulins, which offer minimal protection against the harsh winter conditions.

“We’ve given some families emergency tents, but this is not sustainable for winter – we need to get them into proper shelters as soon as possible.”

Three quarters of the way through the year, the 2025 UN-led Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan for Afghanistan is still less than 30% funded, and the UN has appealed for an additional $139 million to support earthquake survivors.

Immediately after the earthquake Islamic Relief deployed an emergency health team and ambulance to help survivors. The charity has also distributed more than 200 tents, 950 hygiene kits, and installed latrines

Notes

*The data was collected by OCHA as part of an interagency needs assessment.

Pakistan faces rising hunger threat as floods decimate food production, Islamic Relief warns

A hunger crisis is looming in Pakistan as recent floods have decimated food production in Punjab province, a main breadbasket region which produces around 50% of the country’s staple crops of rice, Maize, sugar cane and cotton. Islamic Relief is warning the destruction is likely to threaten at least two crop cycles, leading to severe shortages and pushing food prices out of reach for the poorest families.

The monsoon floods, which began in June, have so far affected over 4.5 million people and killed around 1,000 people across the country. In Punjab province alone, at least 1.8 million acres of agricultural land have been flooded, affecting up to 70% of the province.

Many farmers in Punjab have lost all their crops, grain stocks and livestock, which were there only source of income. Islamic Relief aid workers report that some farmers with surviving livestock are still staying in homes that are damaged or flooded with stagnant water, because they do not want to leave their precious cattle unattended as they are all they have left.

Raza Narejo, acting country director of Islamic Relief Pakistan, said:

“Punjab province is the most important food-producing region in Pakistan, but 70% of it has been flooded and crops and livelihoods have been washed away. It will have an impact across Pakistan and national food shortages are now looming.

“Many people here depend on agriculture, but now they have almost nothing. They are now completely dependent on government and humanitarian support. They urgently need food, water and sanitation services, and when they can return to their homes they will need seeds, fertiliser and further support to re-establish their crops on their land once more.”

Abdul Rehman, 55, from Muradabad in Punjab province escaped the floods last month with his family of five. He told Islamic Relief:

“The floods came at night and we had to run away in a hurry. We couldn’t grab anything to take with us because we were in fear. In the morning everything was destroyed. One side of our home has fallen away, and it is completely damaged. We had two goats and two sheep but they all drowned.

“Now I have to look for other work. I have to rebuild the broken parts of my home, and for that I need to earn well, but since the floods I have been unable to find any income and my livestock are gone.”

Islamic Relief is working in flood-affected areas to deliver food, water and sanitation, and help farmers reestablish their livelihoods by providing them with seeds for planting next season and other agricultural support. Beyond agriculture, Islamic Relief has so far reached over 140,000 people in Pakistan in the aftermath of these monsoon floods with food, water, tents, and hygiene supplies.

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