It’s well known that climate change is impacting some of the most vulnerable countries in the world. The effects include destruction of infrastructure and dwellings.

Islamic Relief USA, along with its partner offices, have seen the aftermath first hand in various countries, with people having lost their homes.

Among the most notable is Pakistan. There, the recent monsoon season caused heavy rain, extreme flooding, accelerated snowmelt, and landslides that damaged much of the country. The provinces most impacted were Punjab, Sindh, and Balochistan. More than 300 people died across the country, including 155 children, and hundreds more were injured.

Islamic Relief USA stepped in to help nearly 3,000 people by providing shelter, in the form of 200-plus tents. In addition, the organization provided other forms of lifesaving assistance like food packs, hygiene kits, and even kitchen sets.

In the African nation of Mali, above average rainfall has caused heavy flooding that also damaged numerous homes and public areas, impacting nearly 69,000 people across 17 regions.

And, last year, in Morocco, Islamic Relief USA committed over $2 million toward earthquake relief efforts, part of which went toward the procurement of tents.

These are just some of the examples in which Islamic Relief’s offices around the world have been trying to alleviate suffering — and immediate shelter needs — for those who have been engulfed/impacted by catastrophic weather events.

But climate change is not the only factor driving/forcing people out of their homes. As we have been seeing for a year now, brutal escalations, ineffective or counterproductive public policies and government mismanagement, along with ineffective statecraft are other top contenders.

Granted, major weather events and acts of nature will happen and human suffering and displacement are inevitable. That being said, it remains the world community’s duty to look out for all of us. We have become an increasingly interconnected world, and when one nation sneezes, at least one is bound to catch a cold.

In Lebanon, nearly 1,300 internally displaced people have been staying in 15 collective shelters. Some have taken abode in school buildings. This was the result of the escalation that’s been taking place there.

Here in America, people are losing their homes because rents are rising faster than they can afford it. Much of this problem stems from an imbalance in supply and demand. As a result, tent encampments have become commonplace in many metropolitan areas.

As we mark World Habitat Day, we all need to make sure that everyone has a right to a safe home. People must not lose their homes through no fault of their own. We need to invest in resiliency to prevent homes from collapsing to extreme weather, as well as provide responsible incentives to create more housing to control skyrocketing prices

Join IRUSA in our efforts by donating now.