This week, B.C. Dodge and R. Mordant Mahon talk to IRUSA staff member Fareeha Amir about her trip to deliver water in Flint, Michigan, on this episode of “What a Relief!” — IRUSA’s official podcast.
When the water coming out of your faucet has poisoned your family, the thing you need most in the world is water you can trust.
That’s what IRUSA staff and volunteers have been delivering in Flint, Michigan — 36,000 bottles of it per week.
This week on “What a Relief!” Carl Dodge and Mordant Mahon take you to the streets of Flint, where you can hear the sounds and voices behind the scenes of a large-scale emergency water distribution.
IRUSA is working with the Red Cross, local Muslim organizations, and groups inspired by other faiths to hand out water to anyone who wants it, without question.
“That’s what I love about IRUSA and the people I’m meeting through this organization,” Mordant says. “It’s not just Muslims, it’s not just Christians, it’s not just Jewish people, it’s all kinds of people, helping all kinds of people.”
Voices on the ground include IRUSA CEO Anwar Khan:
“It’s a Friday evening and we have over 20 volunteers who are helping unload the water behind me in a human chain.”
IRUSA Programs Manager Minkailu Jallo:
“We’ve got 10 trucks and 10 routes that we’re going to be going on through the day, so here we go!”
A volunteer at the food bank:
“One of the main reasons why we’re doing this is because this is a part of our religion. Giving sadaqah in any way, shape or form is a form of dhikr, it’s a way of remembering Allah SWT.”
And another volunteer named Victoria who had never heard of IRUSA before she joined the volunteer effort:
“It’s a basic human right … we’re all still the same people under the same sun and we all need to band together for this cause.”
Find out what Victoria thought of Islamic Relief USA after her day delivering water.
Find out what people receiving the water had to say.
And find out why B.C. Dodge didn’t go to Flint.
“What a Relief!” is the official podcast of Islamic Relief USA. Co-hosted by social media specialist B.C. Dodge, and Mordant Mahon, IRUSA’s “What a Relief!” puts a human face on what’s going on in the world and how you can enact positive change in it. New episodes every week!