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Islamic Development Bank and Qatar Charity Forge Strategic Partnership to Scale Support for Displaced Populations through GIFR

The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), in its capacity as Trustee of the Global Islamic Fund for Refugees (GIFR), today announced the signing of a strategic Donor Contribution Agreement with Qatar Charity. The agreement was signed by Dr. Rami Ahmad, Vice President Operations at IsDB, and Mr. Nawaf Abdulla AlHammadi, Deputy CEO for Programmes and Communications at Qatar Charity. This collaboration marks a significant advancement for GIFR in the delivery of sustainable, endowment (Waqf) based humanitarian aid, establishing a robust framework designed to provide support to forcibly displaced population including refugees, internally displaced persons, and vulnerable host communities across IsDB member countries. Reinforcing a shared commitment to humanitarian progress, this strategic partnership directly confronts the escalating global crisis of forced displacement by harmonizing immediate relief with long-term systemic recovery. By synergizing Qatar Charity’s extensive, on-the-ground operational expertise with the GIFR’s innovative endowment model, the partnership breaks the traditional cycle of grant-based aid dependency. Through this new partnership, GIFR will continue to foster sustainable resilience and empower forcibly displaced populations with the necessary measures to achieve dignified lives and prospects of self-sufficiency. Through this landmark agreement, Qatar Charity is contributing US$10 million as waqf, significantly augmenting the GIFR’s reach and amplifying its socio-economic impact in the regions that need it most. This collaboration is made possible by the unique architecture of the GIFR itself. Launched in 2022 as a pioneering initiative between IsDB Concessional Fund (ICF) and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), GIFR leverages Islamic finance principles to preserve its endowment principal, creating an enduring, reliable revenue stream. By moving beyond traditional short-term funding, this model allows the IsDB and partners like Qatar Charity to channel sustained investments into the education, healthcare, and livelihood programs that transform lives. “This partnership with Qatar Charity represents a new chapter in our mission to empowering communities affected by forced displacement,” said Mr. Mohammad Jamal Alsaati, Officer-in-Charge, Director of Special and Trust Funds Department at IsDB. “With the IsDB Concessional Fund (ICF) serving as a founding partner, we are anchoring our efforts through GIFR as a sustainable, endowment-based model, to chart a course that navigates away from fragility and into a future of sustained resilience and enduring prosperity.” Commenting on this occasion, Mr. Nawaf Abdulla AlHammadi, Deputy CEO for Programmes and Communications at Qatar Charity, said: “The signing of this agreement builds on Qatar Charity’s continuous efforts and its accumulated field experience of nearly four decades in supporting refugees and displaced populations worldwide. It reflects our commitment to advancing innovative, Sharia-compliant humanitarian financing models that support sustainability and help break the cycle of dependency on grant-based aid. We seek to achieve this by balancing urgent response with long-term solutions through investments in education, healthcare, and community empowerment, while ensuring that funding reaches beneficiaries directly. We believe that effective humanitarian work is grounded in strong partnerships with key international institutions, particularly IsDB and UNHCR.' As the GIFR Co-Founder, Dr. Khaled Khalifa, Senior Adviser to the High Commissioner on Islamic Philanthropy and UNHCR Representative to the GCC, commented, “Today’s global humanitarian context is facing unprecedented pressure, marked by rising needs and widening funding shortfalls, driven by instability, protracted conflicts, and economic uncertainty. In this context, the Global Islamic Fund for Refugees represents a transformative step forward in securing sustainable financing, offering an approach aligned with the scale and complexity of today’s challenges.” He added, “We commend Qatar Charity for its generous contribution and steadfast commitment. Together with the Islamic Development Bank, this partnership under the GIFR demonstrates how innovative financing and strategic collaboration can unlock new resources and empower forcibly displaced communities and their hosts to rebuild their futures.” While Mr. Ahmed Mohsen, UNHCR Representative to the State of Qatar, complemented by advising that, “This partnership is a powerful example of how innovative collaborations can help bridge critical funding gaps and strengthen response to today’s growing humanitarian challenges. At a time of increasing displacement and acute funding shortages, initiatives like the Global Islamic Fund for Refugees offer a sustainable path forward, moving beyond short-term assistance and paving the way for long-term resilience and self-reliance.' He added, 'This is made possible by leveraging forward-looking financing models and working jointly with Qatar Charity and the Islamic Development Bank, to ensure sustained support and deliver meaningful, lasting impact for forcibly displaced people and their host communities in the member countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.” With GIFR already acting as a lifeline in critical hotspots, anchoring life-sustaining projects for Sudanese refugees across Chad, Egypt, and Libya, with additional projects approved for Bangladesh, Mali, Nigeria and Sudan, this partnership arrives at a critical juncture. Given that IsDB member countries host around half the world’s forcibly displaced populations, this collaboration with Qatar Charity serves as a powerful catalyst for collective action. This new contribution joins a growing consortium of key donors, including King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSRelief), Islamic Relief USA (IRUSA), and Secours Islamique France (SIF), who have all played a vital role in advancing the GIFR’s mission.

18/06/2026

Qatar Charity Expands Global Efforts to Support Refugees
Qatar Charity (QC) continues to prioritize raising awareness of refugee issues and mobilizing support through integrated humanitarian campaigns, field interventions, and international partnerships, with the aim of meeting basic needs and helping refugees restore stability and live with dignity. This comes as part of marking World Refugee Day 2026, observed on 20 June, which highlights the suffering of millions of refugees worldwide and emphasizes that protecting the most vulnerable is a shared responsibility. Humanitarian Campaigns Millions of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) benefit from Qatar Charity’s various campaigns, including seasonal and specialized initiatives. Through campaigns such as Ramadan, winter, and Udhiyah (Qurbani) initiatives, support is directed to the countries most affected by displacement, particularly Palestine (including the Gaza Strip), Syria, Sudan, Yemen, and Somalia. The organization has also launched dedicated campaigns to support those affected by displacement, alongside initiatives to address drought in several African countries, helping to ease suffering and strengthen resilience. In mid-June 2026, Qatar Charity launched a campaign titled “Every Refugee Tent Holds a Story” in conjunction with World Refugee Day, aiming to mobilize support through integrated interventions that include food, water, sanitation, shelter, healthcare, education, and livelihood support. The campaign targets refugees from crisis-affected countries, including Afghanistan, Sudan, Somalia, Yemen, Myanmar, Syria, and Palestine, across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Scale of interventions Figures reflect the scale of Qatar Charity’s work. In 2025, it implemented humanitarian projects worth QAR 645 million, benefiting more than 10 million people, mainly in countries affected by displacement. Qatar Charity has maintained a strategic partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) since 2012, contributing over USD 60 million over the past decade to support its programmes in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, helping more than 2.1 million forcibly displaced people. High-Impact Projects Qatar Charity’s efforts extend beyond emergency relief to long-term, high-impact projects. These include the Zaatari Health Centre in Jordan, which serves tens of thousands of Syrian refugees in the camp, and Al-Amal City in northern Syria, which comprises 1,400 housing units with integrated facilities and accommodates around 8,800 people. The organization has also rehabilitated approximately 1,800 homes in rural Hama and the Al‑Ghab Plain. In 2026, Qatar Charity also provided emergency shelter for Sudanese refugees in Chad through 600 tents, benefiting 4,200 people, as part of its rapid response to displacement crises. The organization further contributed to rebuilding 326 homes for Rohingya refugees following fires in Cox’s Bazar camp in Bangladesh, in addition to delivering hundreds of other housing units. New Partnerships As part of strengthening partnerships, Qatar Charity is expected to sign a USD 10 million agreement on 17 June with the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), in its capacity as Trustee of the Global Islamic Fund for Refugees (GIFR), to support sustainable financing and advance long-term solutions. Qatar Charity continues to enhance its humanitarian work by linking relief with development to improve refugees’ living conditions and help them rebuild their future with dignity.
17/06/2026 More details  
Qatar Charity Delivers Emergency Relief to Yemeni Refugees in Djibouti
Qatar Charity (QC), with the support of benevolent donors, has carried out an urgent relief intervention to assist Yemeni refugees in the Republic of Djibouti. The project involved the distribution of essential food packages to approximately 1,300 people, aiming to alleviate harsh living conditions and help vulnerable families meet their basic food needs. This intervention comes as part of Qatar Charity’s recently launched humanitarian campaign, “Every Refugee Tent Holds a Story,” which aims to shed light on the harsh realities faced by displaced populations worldwide, amplify their hopes for a better future, and deliver integrated relief and development aid to the most vulnerable communities. The distribution was strategically timed ahead of World Refugee Day, observed annually on June 20. Growing Challenges The initiative takes place amid growing challenges faced by thousands of Yemeni refugees in Djibouti, who fled the protracted conflict in their homeland. Many struggle to secure sufficient food due to limited employment opportunities, high living costs, and a structural dependency on humanitarian aid —making such interventions vital at this stage. The distributed food baskets contained essential supplies sufficient to meet the needs of beneficiary families in the coming period and provide a minimum level of food security. Beneficiaries reported that the assistance came at a critical time, helping ease part of their daily burdens. Humanitarian Commitment Commenting on the initiative, Ms. Ghada Eezedin Ahmed, Country Director of Qatar Charity’s Djibouti Branch, affirmed that this intervention reflects Qatar Charity’s humanitarian mission to stand by refugees and the most vulnerable families. She emphasized the organization’s commitment to continuing both relief and development programs aimed at improving living conditions for fragile communities. She also commended effective cooperation with the National Office of Assistance to Refugees and Disaster Victims (ONARS) and relevant government authorities, noting that such coordination ensured the smooth and well-organized implementation of the distribution process. Easing Burdens For his part, Mr. Houssein Mohamed Chardi, Deputy Director of ONARS, praised Qatar Charity’s efforts, stressing that this assistance represents significant support for refugee families and contributes to meeting their essential needs and enhancing their living stability. Several beneficiaries expressed their appreciation for the initiative, reflecting its direct positive impact. One beneficiary, Ali Mohammed Ali, said that the assistance eased a major burden on his family amid difficult conditions and helped them secure essential food items. Another beneficiary, Nadia Hashem, noted that the food basket provided basic items she had been unable to afford.
16/06/2026 More details  
Qatar Charity Launches Campaign to Support Vulnerable Refugees Worldwide
Qatar Charity (QC) has launched a major humanitarian campaign titled “Every Refugee Tent Holds a Story” to mark World Refugee Day, which is observed annually on June 20. The initiative aims to shed light on the harsh realities faced by displaced populations worldwide, amplify their hopes for a better future, and deliver integrated relief and development aid to the most vulnerable communities. Aligning with global efforts to protect displaced people, the campaign focuses on safeguarding refugee rights and easing their daily hardships. By securing vital food, water, shelter, and medical care, the initiative works to restore basic living standards. Through this targeted push, Qatar Charity is mobilizing both public and institutional support to ensure refugee families can rebuild their lives in safety, stability, and dignity. Target Countries With the support of donors, the campaign targets refugees from several countries, including Afghanistan, Sudan, Somalia, Yemen, Myanmar (Rohingya refugees), Syria, and Palestine. These populations are hosted across several countries such as Pakistan, Ethiopia, Chad, Egypt, Kenya, Djibouti, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Jordan, Türkiye, and Lebanon. Areas of Intervention The campaign focuses on a wide range of humanitarian interventions. These include the provision of food, clean water, and sanitation services, as well as shelter support and non-food items. It also covers healthcare services, access to education for children, and programmes that strengthen refugees’ resilience and ability to cope with displacement conditions. These efforts aim to improve living conditions and help restore stability in their daily lives. Call for Support Commenting on the campaign, Mr. Abdulaziz Jassim Hejji, Executive Director of Communications and Community Impact at Qatar Charity, urged donors and the public to support the cause. He noted that the suffering of refugees is a daily reality for families who have lost everything, adding that every donation brings hope and warmth back to camps exhausted by waiting. He also reminded the community of the core values of mercy and solidarity, citing the Hadith of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) that the most beloved people to Allah are those who are most beneficial to others. Refugee aid is a major part of Qatar Charity's interventions. In 2025, the organization spent QAR 645 million on relief projects, helping 10 million people globally. The largest portion of this aid went to urgent humanitarian situations in Palestine (including Gaza), Syria, and Sudan. How to Donate Donors can contribute to the campaign through multiple convenient channels. Options include using Qatar Charity’s website or mobile app, calling the hotline at 44290000, or requesting a 'Home Collector' through the application. Donations are also accepted in person at Qatar Charity branches and collection booths inside local shopping malls.
15/06/2026 More details  

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