Dear Lifesaver by Islamic Relief UK

In this episode, Sara and Nabilah are speaking with C40 Climate Campaigner Muna Suleiman.When you hear the term 'climate crisis', what comes to mind?Is it visions of a dystopian, post-apocalyptic world? Or is it separating your plastics at home?And who does it impact?It's a term that's polarised communities and dominated the political landscape in recent years, and sadly, for very many, it's a reality that has devastated their homes and livelihoods.When it comes to the climate crisis, the future can look bleak and overwhelming, but climate campaigner Muna Suleiman is here to share her understanding of what the climate crisis actually is, what action can look like and how that changes our future.Muna sheds light on why the climate crisis is a humanitarian crisis, why individual action is the ultimate act of worship, the role of NGOs and the connection between race and the climate crisis, here in the UK and across the world.

In this episode, Nabilah and Sara are speaking with the Director of Islamic Relief UK, Tufail Hussain.Losing one's self in the hustle and bustle of modern life and day-to-day hardships is an all too common occurrence for many of us, who, at the end of our day, may struggle to figure out why we're doing anything at all...Tufail Hussain shares with us what his 16 years' experience in the humanitarian and development sector and a perfect storm of successes and poignant hardships have done to help him cultivate a sense of purpose. We find out how faith, hardship, your chosen career and what you treasure most in life, can help anchor you in your day-to-day and why that's an essential part of living purposefully.

In this episode, Nabilah and Sara are speaking with Co-Founder and COO of Launchgood, Amany Killawi.To date, the crowdfunding platform has received global acclaim for supporting Muslims across the world in their giving efforts. Launchgood has been a means for people to raise over 180 million for 20,000 projects across 120 countries.We spoke to Amany about how to create the intersection between your craft, good design the need for innovation and excellence in the Muslim community and ultimately how to create lasting impact.

In this episode, Sara and Nabilah are speaking with Aaliya Ahmed.With a breadth of experience in the third sector, previously as Islamic Relief UK’s Global Programmes Coordinator, and currently at the Guardian Foundation focusing on climate crisis related issues, Aaliya is here to share her wealth of insight about the intricacies of the aid sector.She’s helping us answer some simple but weighty questions we have about why the aid sector even exists, the role of big charities, the poverty origin story and its future.

In this episode, Nabilah and Sara are speaking with Director of MYH, Maaria Mahmoud and Helpline Manager, Hadil Noor.As MYH celebrates its 20th anniversary,we look on the journey of mental health in the Muslim community and beyond.The charity has remained a cornerstone for those seeking solace for their mental health and wellbeing struggles for decades,and in this episode, we’re unpacking why more people are seeking help from the Muslim community, the role of faith in mental healthand why safe spaces save lives.We’d like to make our listeners aware that this episode contains conversations touching on the topic of mental health and suicide.

In this episode, Sara and Nabilah are speaking with author of, ‘Ours to Explore: Privilege, Power, and the Paradox of Voluntourism’, Pippa Biddle.In 2014, an essay titled ‘The Problem With Little White Girls, Boys and Voluntourism’ went viral.In it, the author shared their experiences previously engaging with voluntourism, and revealing the detrimental impact it was having on vulnerable communities across the world.That essay belonged to Pippa, and now, some years later, she’s the author of a recently released book on the subject in detail. We’re speaking to Pippa to help us unpack what happens when the tourism industry meets international development, its dangers to your local and global community, and how to more meaningfully engage with volunteer work.

In this episode, Nabilah and Sara are speaking with founder of 'Charity Week', Dr. Wajid Akhter. Raised in the Arabian peninsula and now residing in Essex, UK as a GP, Dr. Wajid is currently Vice-President of the British Islamic Medical Association and International Director of FIMA Lifesavers. Among his many achievements, he’s also the founder of Charity Week, a global initiative uniting students together to raise incredible amounts for those in need in the space of days.As the holy month of Dhul Hijjah is upon us, we’re speaking to Dr. Wajid on the subject of sacrifice, from his perspective as a major fundraiser and as a Muslim. We get his opinion on interpreting the key message of Hajj in everyday life.

Join Nabilah and Sara every fortnight as they speak to guests and experts in their fields about the story of humanitarian aid, as it was, has been, and may be, and importantly, how faith factors into all of this.