In August 2001, Islamic Relief’s President Dr Hany El Banna travelled to China to conduct a feasibility study, and to assess the humanitarian situation. Accompanied by Moustafa Osman, Programme Manager for South East Asia, Dr Hany witnessed the desperate need for humanitarian intervention.

Despite remarkable economic progress over the last twenty years, 120 million people in China still live in abject poverty on an income of less than $1 per day. Severe food shortages, especially in rural areas, are still a major concern.

The IR team also identified problems faced by children in accessing education. Rising school fees have been the major factor in an increased dropout rate. Other factors affecting students included the labour needs of families –particularly affecting girls - and also the distance from home to school.

“The conditions of the schools were really awful - mud-walled classrooms which are very hot in summer and very cold in winter. Some schools did not have sanitation facilities for the children,” observed Moustafa Osman.

Access to healthcare is also an area for concern. Effective access is prevented by the distance to the nearest medical facilities, the poor quality of local health care, and high costs. Moustafa Osman described a typical rural clinic, “The clinic is run by a man from his house. He prescribes and distributes medicines even though he has no medical qualifications, and he also performs minor operations. This clinic serves 800 people, as the nearest hospital is 17km away by donkey cart.”

Devastating floods hit the country earlier this year, and around 6000 people were left homeless. They are currently living through the winter months in tents without electricity or adequate sanitary facilities. Islamic Relief was able to respond quickly, and has allocated $150,000 for relief efforts. Reconstruction work on new homes began in July 2002.

The IR delegation recommended intervention in China on many levels. The short term priorities were food distribution, and assistance after disasters. Longer-term needs included improvements in water and sanitation, and micro-credit schemes to help people start up businesses. Operating with local partners, the IR programme will focus on Gansu, Xingjiang, and Ningxia provinces.

The emergency flood relief work has provided IR with a strong platform on which to base future projects in the country. With the support of generous donors, IR should prove as effective in delivering aid in China, as it has in other areas of the world.