Kosova
Recovering from War
Years of inter-ethnic violence left Kosova in shambles, with millions in need of international assistance. Nearly 1 million people fled Kosova when war broke out in 1996, creating Europe's worst refugee crisis since World War II.
After the war, thousands of Kosovars returned to find their homes looted and burned to the ground. Many schools were destroyed and thousands of landmines were planted all over the province.
Islamic Relief not only provided emergency shelters for thousands of refugees, but also provided Islamic microfinance loans to Kosavars seeking to rebuild their homes and rejuvenate their livelihoods.
Helping develop Kosova’s next generation, Islamic Relief also reconstructed countless schools and provided educational seminars and vocational training. Thousands of Kosovars have benefitted from Islamic Relief’s programs, but many more are still in desperate need of support.
Please donate generously to help support Islamic Relief’s work in places like Kosova.
Diaspora & Poverty
Following the war, Kosova’s ailing economy has been highly dependent on expatriates living abroad.
With 40 percent of Kosova’s labor force unemployed, according to the most current estimates of the US Central Intelligence Agency Factbook, the outward migration and the suffering of thousands of Kosovars has only worsened.
Islamic Relief’s office in Kosova hopes to alleviate the woes of the people through projects like:
- Infrastructure development
- School rehabilitation
- Orphan sponsorship
- Small business loans
- Medicine distribution
- Psychosocial counseling for orphans, women and children
- Seasonal Ramadan and Udhiyah/Qurbani food distributions
Islamic Relief in Kosova
Islamic Relief has played a major role in the postwar reconstruction and rehabilitation effort in Kosova since 1999.
Responding to a widespread humanitarian crisis, Islamic Relief founded an office in the capitol city of Pristina over a decade ago. Since establishing the office, Islamic Relief has expanded the services it offers Kosovars and opened more offices.
Islamic Relief works with the most vulnerable sections of Kosova’s population, spearheading projects like:
- Emergency shelter construction
- School rehabilitation
- Micro-enterprise development
- Psychosocial programs for women and children
- Mine awareness project contracted by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
Working with local organizations to ensure cultural sensitivity and optimal use of donor money, Islamic Relief is one of the leading aid agencies working in Kosova today.