NEW YORK, NY – Islamic Relief USA (IRUSA), a nonprofit humanitarian and advocacy organization, announced at the Clinton Global Initiative on Wednesday September 24, that it will commit $50 million to a wide-ranging set of programs and projects in Syria, focusing on health care, food security, education, and economic opportunity.
The programs and services are geared toward assisting returning refugees and internally displaced individuals, mostly households that are led by women with children.
“Islamic Relief USA has long worked on issues and subjects impacting the Syrian people. With the current government in place, they have an enormous opportunity to build a promising, stable, and functioning society that will deliver essential services in a dignified manner. But they can’t do it alone,” said Ahmed Shehata, Chief Executive Officer of IRUSA. “While there have been laudable campaigns over the years by various entities to provide humanitarian assistance, they have been chronically underfunded, preventing effective solutions from being implemented. Without essential infrastructure to support the people returning to Syria after so many years of military escalation and instability, they risk missing out on opportunities to live a better life. Our commitment to Syria underscores the need to fill in an ever widening gap.”
The commitment was announced today at the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) 2025 Annual Meeting. Founded by President Bill Clinton in 2005, the Clinton Global Initiative is a community of doers representing a broad cross section of society and dedicated to the idea that we can accomplish more together than we can apart. Through CGI’s unique model, more than 10,000 organizations have launched more than 4,000 Commitments to Action — new, specific, and measurable projects and programs – that are making a difference in the lives of more than 500 million people in 180 countries.
IRUSA’s commitment will help resettle returning refugees and reintegrate internally displaced people, particularly women-led households with children. lt will strengthen local infrastructure (schools, hospitals, shelter) and provide access to essential services (healthcare, education, rental assistance). This will be done through food vouchers, mobile clinics, providing adequate medical supplies at health-care facilities, and microfinance programs to help individuals with economic empowerment opportunities.
The project is anticipated to start in 2025 and last through 2030. These programs aim to help approximately 2 million Syrians over a five-year period.
Despite several attempts by the world community to raise awareness, the needs of the Syrian people remain immense. Over the last several years, the United Nations reported that over one million homes and 7,000 schools were damaged or destroyed. An estimated 2.5 million children are unable to attend school, and another 1 million are in danger of withdrawing, according to UNICEF.
Health providers are also struggling. The Brookings Institution reported that 7 percent of hospitals were not operating.
To help implement these wide-ranging programs, IRUSA will work with several trusted partners in the region. They include the Syrian Emergency Task Force, Project CURE, Mercy Without Limits, Syrian Ministry of Health, and UNHCR.
MEDIA CONTACT
Syed M. Hassan
(571) 421-7032
Islamic Relief USA, based in Alexandria, Va., is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) humanitarian organization. Its mission is to provide relief and development in a dignified manner regardless of gender, race, or religion, and works to empower individuals in their communities and give them a voice in the world. Its programs benefit millions of people each year in more than 40 countries around the world, including in the United States. Islamic Relief USA meets all of the Standards for Charity Accountability of the BBB Wise Giving Alliance, a national charity monitoring group affiliated with the Better Business Bureau system. Islamic Relief USA is on the U.S. government’s Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) charity list, and it is also a signatory to the code of conduct of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
The Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Founded by President Bill Clinton in 2005, the Clinton Global Initiative is a community of doers representing a broad cross section of society and dedicated to the idea that we can accomplish more together than we can apart. Through CGI’s unique model, more than 10,000 organizations have launched more than 4,000 Commitments to Action — new, specific, and measurable projects and programs – that are making a difference in the lives of more than 500 million people in 180 countries.