Education is the most powerful tool a child can be given. It is the foundation of self-reliance, the gateway to opportunity, and one of the most effective means of breaking the cycle of poverty. Yet for hundreds of millions of children around the world, access to quality education remains out of reach, not because of a lack of intelligence or ambition, but because of poverty, conflict, displacement, and inequality.
Islamic Relief South Africa, working alongside Islamic Relief Worldwide, is committed to ensuring that every child has access to a quality education. We build and rehabilitate schools, train teachers, supply school equipment, run mobile classroom programmes, and support children with special educational needs. We believe that when you educate a child, you change not only their life but the lives of everyone around them, for generations to come.
Read! In the Name of your Lord Who has created. Created man from a clinging substance. Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous. Who has taught by the pen. Taught man that which he knew not.
Surah Al-Alaq, 96:1-5
The Scale of the Education Crisis
The global education crisis is one of the most urgent challenges facing humanity. Conflict, poverty, and displacement have pushed millions of children out of classrooms, and for those who do attend school, the quality of education they receive is often far below what they need to build a stable future. The figures below, sourced from Islamic Relief UK and UNICEF, reflect the scale of the challenge.
61M
primary-school-age children are out of school (UNICEF)
600M+
children cannot attain minimum proficiency levels in reading and mathematics
250M
children across the globe are lacking basic literacy skills
285,000+
people supported by Islamic Relief’s education programmes across 21 countries
How Islamic Relief Supports Education
Islamic Relief has been supporting education in the world’s most vulnerable communities since 1984. Our approach is comprehensive: we do not simply build classrooms. We address every barrier that prevents a child from learning, from the absence of a school building to the lack of trained teachers, from hunger that prevents concentration to the absence of books and equipment.
Building Schools
In communities where no school exists, we build permanent school buildings that give children a safe, dedicated space to learn. These schools are designed to serve their communities for decades, providing a lasting foundation for education that benefits generation after generation.
Refurbishing Schools
Many existing schools in conflict-affected and low-income areas are in a state of serious disrepair, with damaged roofs, broken windows, and unsafe structures. We refurbish and rehabilitate these schools, restoring them to safe and functional learning environments so that children can return to education.
Mobile Classrooms
In areas where building permanent schools is not yet possible, or where displaced communities are on the move, we deploy mobile classrooms that bring education directly to children. These programmes ensure that displacement and conflict do not interrupt a child’s education.
School Equipment
A classroom without books, stationery, or basic learning materials cannot deliver quality education. We supply schools with the equipment they need, from textbooks and writing materials to furniture and teaching aids, ensuring that teachers have the tools to teach and children have the tools to learn.
Teacher Training and Salaries
A school is only as good as its teachers. We train teachers to deliver quality education and, in communities where teachers cannot afford to work without a salary, we fund teacher salaries to ensure that classrooms remain staffed and functional. Investing in teachers is one of the highest-impact investments in education.
Support for Children with Special Educational Needs
Children with disabilities and special educational needs are among the most marginalised in low-income communities, often excluded from education entirely. We fund programmes that provide specialist support, adapted learning materials, and inclusive classroom environments so that every child has the opportunity to learn.
School Meals and Nutrition
Hunger is one of the greatest barriers to learning. A child who has not eaten cannot concentrate, and families in poverty often keep children home to work rather than send them to school on an empty stomach. We support schools with nutritional meals that keep children healthy, present, and able to learn.
Adult Literacy
Education does not end with childhood. We run adult literacy programmes that teach reading and writing to adults who missed out on schooling, empowering them to participate more fully in their communities, support their children’s education, and access economic opportunities that were previously closed to them.
Education in Crisis Zones
In Gaza, Sudan, Syria, and other conflict zones, entire generations of children have had their education disrupted or destroyed. Schools have been bombed, teachers have been displaced, and families have been forced to flee. Islamic Relief continues to work in these contexts, providing mobile classrooms, school equipment, and psychosocial support to children who are determined to continue learning despite everything they have faced.
Islamic Relief has helped to provide education support to over 285,000 people across 21 countries, through mobile classrooms, school building and refurbishment, support for children with special educational needs, school equipment, and teacher salaries.
What Islam Teaches About Education
The first word revealed in the Quran was “Read.” This single command established education as central to the Islamic faith from its very beginning. The Quran repeatedly encourages Muslims to seek knowledge, reflect on the world around them, and use their intellect as a means of drawing closer to Allah. Seeking knowledge is not merely encouraged in Islam: it is an obligation.
Allah will raise those who have believed among you and those who were given knowledge by degrees.
Quran, 58:11
The Quran calls on every believer to actively seek knowledge and ask Allah to increase them in it. The Islamic scholarly tradition produced some of the greatest advances in mathematics, medicine, astronomy, and philosophy in human history, all grounded in the belief that seeking knowledge is an act of worship.
And say, ‘My Lord, increase me in knowledge.
Surah Ta-Ha, 20:114
When you donate to education, you are participating in one of the most enduring forms of Sadaqah Jariyah. A school you help build will educate children for decades. A teacher whose salary you fund will shape thousands of young minds. A child who learns to read because of your donation will carry that knowledge for life, and pass it on to their own children. The reward of such a donation continues to reach the donor long after the gift has been made.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use my Zakat to support education programmes?
Yes, in many cases. Zakat may be given to the poor and the needy, which are among the eight categories of eligible Zakat recipients defined in the Quran (Surah At-Tawbah, 9:60). Education programmes that directly benefit individuals who qualify as poor or needy are eligible to receive Zakat funds. When your Zakat funds a school in an impoverished community, or provides school equipment to children who cannot afford it, it is fulfilling both its financial and humanitarian purpose. Islamic Relief South Africa ensures that Zakat is directed only to eligible recipients. Please contact our Donor Care team on 021 696 0145 if you would like to confirm eligibility for a specific programme.
Does donating to education count as Sadaqah Jariyah?
Yes. Education is one of the clearest examples of Sadaqah Jariyah, ongoing charity whose benefit continues after the donor’s death. A donation that builds a school, trains a teacher, or provides books to a child creates a chain of benefit that continues indefinitely. The Quran reminds us: “Read! In the Name of your Lord Who has created” (Surah Al-Alaq, 96:1), and also: “And say, My Lord, increase me in knowledge” (Surah Ta-Ha, 20:114). The children who learn in that school will teach their own children. The knowledge that spreads from your donation may benefit generations you will never meet.
Which countries does Islamic Relief’s education programme operate in?
Islamic Relief delivers education programmes across 21 countries, including Gaza, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, and others. Programmes are designed to meet the specific educational needs of each community and country context, ranging from emergency mobile classrooms in conflict zones to long-term school construction and teacher training in low-income communities. Donations made to our Education fund may be used in any of the countries where Islamic Relief has a presence, directed to where the need is greatest.
How does education help break the cycle of poverty?
Education is one of the most powerful and proven tools for breaking the cycle of poverty. A child who receives a quality education gains the skills, knowledge, and confidence to access employment and economic opportunities that would otherwise be closed to them. They are better equipped to make informed decisions about their health, their family, and their community. They are more likely to educate their own children, creating a generational shift that lifts entire families out of poverty. Research consistently shows that each additional year of schooling increases a person’s earnings significantly, and that the benefits of education extend far beyond the individual to the wider community and economy.
How does Islamic Relief support children with special educational needs?
Children with disabilities and special educational needs are among the most marginalised in low-income and conflict-affected communities. They are often excluded from mainstream education entirely, either because schools lack the resources to support them or because of social stigma. Islamic Relief funds programmes that provide specialist teaching support, adapted learning materials, and inclusive classroom environments so that children with special educational needs can access education alongside their peers. We believe that every child, regardless of ability, has the right to learn and to reach their potential.
What is the difference between building a school and refurbishing one?
Building a school means constructing a new school building from the ground up in a community that currently has no school. This is typically done in remote or underserved areas where no educational infrastructure exists. Refurbishing a school means repairing and restoring an existing school building that has fallen into disrepair, often due to conflict, neglect, or natural disaster. Both are vital. In some communities, the priority is to build new infrastructure. In others, a school already exists but is too damaged or unsafe to use, and refurbishment is the most efficient way to restore access to education quickly. Islamic Relief assesses each community’s needs and chooses the most appropriate intervention.
Why does Islamic Relief fund teacher salaries?
In many of the communities where Islamic Relief works, teachers are willing to teach but cannot afford to do so without a salary. In conflict-affected areas, government salary payments may have stopped entirely. In remote communities, there may be no funding mechanism to pay teachers at all. Without a salary, teachers leave to find other work, and schools close. By funding teacher salaries, Islamic Relief keeps schools open and ensures that children have qualified, motivated teachers. A well-trained, consistently present teacher is the single most important factor in the quality of a child’s education.
Is my donation to education programmes tax deductible in South Africa?
Yes. Islamic Relief South Africa is a registered Section 18A organisation (NPO 043-357-NPO). All qualifying donations are tax deductible under South African law. Upon request, we will issue you with a Section 18A tax certificate that you can submit to SARS when filing your annual tax return. Please ensure you provide your full name, ID number or tax number, and email address when making your donation so that we can issue your certificate promptly.
How much of my donation reaches education programmes?
According to our published figures, 86 cents of every rand donated reaches the people we serve. The remainder covers essential operational costs including field staff salaries, logistics, monitoring and evaluation, and organisational administration. These costs are necessary to ensure that programmes are delivered effectively, safely, and accountably. We are committed to transparency in how your donations are used, and we publish annual impact reports that detail our programme expenditure and outcomes.
How do I donate to education programmes?
You can donate to our education programmes in the following ways:
Bank Transfer: Standard Bank | Account Name: Islamic Relief SA | Branch: Fordsburg | Branch Code: 005205 | Account No: 005318459 | Swift: SBZAZAJJ | Reference: Education + your mobile number.
Online: Visit donate.islamic-relief.org.za and select the Education fund.
Phone: Call us on 021 696 0145 or toll-free on 0800 111 898 and our Donor Care team will assist you.
Email: Send your query to info@islamic-relief.org.za and we will get back to you promptly.