Former President Nelson Mandela said, “What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.”
The Al-Imdaad Foundation, as a proudly South African non-profit humanitarian aid organisation, has taken this to heart.

Founded in 2003 in the town of Estcourt in northern KwaZulu-Natal, the Al-Imdaad Foundation has gone on to respond to humanitarian needs in over 70 countries. It is dedicated to providing humanitarian services in crisis and non-crisis situations to the most needy orphans, widows and destitute, irrespective of race, religion, culture, creed or geographical boundary. As a proudly South African organisation that sees every mission as an opportunity to display the national flag, the Al-Imdaad Foundation has ensured South Africa is represented in the international community of humanitarian aid workers.

One of the early missions of the Al-Imdaad Foundation was in response to the 2004 tsunami in Indonesia. This included joint activities with the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) and
the office of then President Mr Thabo Mbeki. This mission also paved the way for the establishment of an Indonesian office that continues to serve needy Indonesians to this day. In similar ways the organisation
has grown and developed by keeping humanitarian boots on the ground in key areas where it has operated. This has resulted in the establishment of international offices in Australia, Bangladesh, Chile, Jordan, Kenya, Indonesia and the UK.

Whilst expanding its global outreach, the foundation always remembers the old adage that says, “Charity begins at home”. Locally, it has built strong partnerships with disaster management authorities in South Africa and regularly participates in disaster response activities. With provincial offices in the Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Northern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, it is well placed to respond in many areas. In addition to disaster relief, the foundation has also become a trusted partner to the Department of Social Development and Government poverty eradication programmes.

The foundation’s local projects including the MAKE BREAKFAST POSSIBLE school breakfast initiative and SLICE-4-LIFE sandwich distribution programmes at public hospitals, which benefits thousands daily.
The seasonal Operation Winter Warmth blanket drive sees tens of thousands of blankets distributed each year. And with the recent drought in South Africa, the Al-Imdaad Foundation has been very active establishing 35 boreholes thus far in affected regions such as KwaZulu-Natal’s uMkhanyakude and Zululand
Districts. Established with Jojo tanks, pumps and filtration mechanisms, these boreholes are a source of great relief for drought stricken communities.

The list of Al-Imdaad Foundation local projects includes early childhood development centres established in four provinces to help rural children make the most of this critical phase. At tertiary level, student bursaries
have ensured that hundreds are able to qualify in a wide range of disciplines. In seeking to serve the community, the foundation recognised the need to partner with optometrists to conduct free cataract surgeries in an initiative known as Vision-4-Life.

Empowerment and skill development initiatives are also important to the foundation’s activities. For example, the development of an organic community garden near the Al-Imdaad Foundation Headquarters in Estcourt, has helped local community members to relearn the forgotten knowledge of food production. The garden is into its fourth year and has become an environment of empowerment and skill generation for those involved.

Recently the efforts of the foundation in South Africa were recognised when the head of the foundation’s local projects, Mr Abed Karrim, received the Minara Chamber of Commerce Community Builder Award for
2016. The Community Builder Award was an encouragement for Mr Karrim and the foundation to continue in their efforts in disaster relief, poverty eradication and social development. 

For more information on the Al-Imdaad Foundation or to support its projects please visit www.alimdaad.com or call 0861 786 243