Chechnya

Unemployment is extremely high, with some estimates placing it as high as 85%. Many families still don’t have permanent homes, having lost them during the conflict, unable to afford to rebuild them. They live in governmental Temporary Accommodation Centres, lacking basic food, medication, water and sanitation. Winters are harsh and freezing and, to make matters worse, they are in constant fear of activating one of the estimated 500,000 landmines buried throughout Chechnya.

Islamic Relief in Chechnya

We began work in response to the conflict in 1995, providing food, clean water, shelter and medical care to refugees. We support orphans through our sponsorship programme, and work with the World Food Programme to provide hot meals for children in school, ensuring they are health enough to benefit from their education.

We also focus on long-term development, such as reconstruction of homes and infrastructure, and livelihoods programmes. With unemployment so high, families just need a chance to start their own small business or get training to find a job themselves, allowing them to support their families.

Recent project: Livestock for livelihoods

In Chechnya, thousands of women were left widowed by the horrific war, struggling to support their orphaned children. There is little opportunity for employment, so Islamic Relief is giving these women a chance…by giving them a cow! Each family will receive a pregnant calf, which will provide milk and dairy products – these will not only be eaten by the family, but also sold at the market to earn an income. Best of all, when the cows give birth, the new calf will be given to another family in need, helping them to start earning a living too!