DUBAI: UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency has announced the introduction of its ability to receive Sadaqah Jariyah through the Refugee Zakat Fund, as part of its ongoing efforts to secure much-needed support for refugees.Through Sadaqah Jariyah – voluntary charity contributions Muslims make at their discretion – UNHCR aims to improve living conditions for Rohingya Refugees in Bangladesh through its Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programme.
There are currently over 900,000 Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar, more than 740,000 of these being people who have fled from violence in Myanmar since August 2017. Today, more than 460,000 Rohingya refugees struggle to safely and easily access adequate water, sanitation and hygiene facilities, endangering their health and overall well-being.
Commenting on the importance of Sadaqah Jariyah for refugees, Houssam Chahin, UNHCR’s Head of Private Sector Partnerships in the MENA region said: “Contributing Sadaqah Jariyah to Rohingya refugees and their families will secure critical assistance such as water, sanitation and hygiene. The introduction of a Sadaqah Jariyah donations through the Refugee Zakat Fund before Eid Al Adha expands donation possibilities for Muslims around the world to reach and assist a greater number of refugee families with the click of a button.”
According to UNHCR estimates, a Sadaqah Jariyah contribution of $365 per family ($85 per person) to the WASH programme in Bangladesh would substantially improve refugees’ living conditions, and access to safe water (potable and non-potable) at the rate of 20 liters per person per day. Additionally, UNHCR’s assessments indicate that an additional 5,700 functional bathing spaces are needed to reach the emergency standard of maximum of 20 people per facility.
UNHCR’s WASH programme ensures the continuous delivery of water and sanitation services to thousands of refugee men, women and children both inside and outside camps. Sadaqah Jariyah contributions made through UNHCR’s website – zakat.unhcr.org – will be utilized to improve and replace emergency WASH facilities, including the construction and rehabilitation of water facilities, deep tube wells, and piped and solar powered water supply networks. The Refugee Zakat Fund is a trusted, efficient and Sharia-compliant route enabling individuals and institutions to fulfill obligations through easy web-based payments regardless of location. In addition to Zakat giving, the Fund will now allow donors who wish to contribute their Sadaqah Jariyah for refugees to do so on a monthly or one-time basis.
