Charity opens doors to wider community

THE International Islamic Relief Organisation of Southern African, IIROSA, based in Morningside, a charity organisation which helps alleviate suffering of distressed and needy, has opened its doors to the local community and organisations.

The Morningside base is the organisation's only office in Southern Africa, led by regional director, Sheikh Walid R El Saadi, and caters to the vulnerable and impoverished in 11 SADC countries, including South Africa.

Sheikh El Saadi was born in Lebanon, studied and worked in Saudi Arabia before making Durban his home 25 years ago. He gave up his life as a businessman to serve mankind in various charitable organisations before being asked to run IIROSA.

“Our organisation in non-profit, non-political and non-sexist. We aim to serve humanity with our immediate relief programmes providing humanitarian aid and emergency relief to victims of natural or man-made disasters in our region. We want to serve our communities especially with our community development programmes that pay special attention to the vulnerable in society such as widows, orphans, individuals of special needs, sick persons, needy families, prisoners' families, divorced women, victims of disasters and calamities, drug addicts, elderly individuals, minors and poor students.

While IIROSA does not often appeal for funds as they are mostly funded from business and their Saudi Arabia head office, they do wish the local community would support them. “We would like the local community to become Friends of IIROSA and get involved in our projects as volunteers. It's not only financial assistance that organisations need, but giving of one's time is very important. We invite the community to visit our offices and get to know about us and the work we do. We would also like to build bridges with other local humanitarian NGO's sharing our vision who can partner with us for future projects,” added Sheikh El Saadi.