Gift of the Givers

Gift of the Givers Foundation is a South African Non-governmental organization started by Dr. Imtiaz Sooliman in 1992.[1] It is the largest disaster relief group of African origin.[2] Gift of the Givers has worked in many countries around the world, including Bosnia, Pakistan, Somalia, Haiti and Zimbabwe.[2] During the aftermath of the 2010 Haiti earthquake the organisation sent four rescue teams and aid materials to the country.[3] They were at one point in 2011 the only international aid group providing food aid to Somalia,[4] airlifting 180 tons and shipping 2000 tons of aid.[2]

Sooliman started the charity after a Turkish Sufi master, Mohammed Saffer Effendi, instructed him to set up an organisation of that name to do humanitarian work[5]

Honours and accolades

Sooliman has been awarded many honours for the work the organisation has done. Most notable is the Order of the Baobab in 2010.[6]

Notable Efforts

South African medics and volunteers have been assisting people during the civil war in Syria.[7][8] Unrest in the area has been the cause of South Africans fleeing and being injured, some to the point of death.[7][8]

Victims of flooding in the Karonga region of Malawi have been given aid in the form of food. The Gift of the Givers organization was the first non-governmental organization to offer help to the region.[9]

References

  1. ↑ Lubna Nadvi (2008). "South African Muslims and Political Engagement in a Globalising Context". South African Historical Journal. 60: 624. doi:10.1080/02582470802635703. Retrieved 28 August 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 Nkepile Mabuse; Teo Kermeliotis (13 October 2011). "The Africans giving aid to the world". CNN. Retrieved 2 March 2012.
  3. ↑ Daniël J van Hoving; Wayne P Smith; Efraim B Kramer; Shaheem de Vries; Fathima Docrat; Lee A Wallis (2010). "Haiti: the South African perspective". South African Medical Journal. Cape Town. 100 (8). ISSN 0256-9574.
  4. ↑ Andrew, Miranda (August 10, 2011). "Only one aid group in Somalia". Independent Online. Retrieved 28 August 2011.
  5. ↑ Interview cited in Desai, Ashwin (2009). Responding to the May 2008 Xenophobic attacks: A case study of The Gift of the Givers. University of Johannesburg, Centre for Sociological Research. p. 5.
  6. ↑ "Local heroes". The Witness. 2010-04-28. Retrieved 2012-06-19.
  7. 1 2 http://ewn.co.za/2013/04/20/Gunfire-at-Syria-hospital-causes-SA-medics-to-flee
  8. 1 2 http://www.timeslive.co.za/thetimes/2013/04/30/sa-volunteer-in-syria-killed-in-car-accident
  9. ↑ http://www.nyasatimes.com/2013/04/24/gift-of-the-givers-foundation-reaches-out-to-karonga-flood-victims/


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