Fostering quality education at Al Iman Foundation – Gauteng 

Al Iman Foundation in Lenasia, Gauteng, equips individuals to meet the challenges of modern society and empowers them to become active members of their communities. As part of its education programming, the Foundation runs the Al Iman Combined School that serves 200 learners from grades four to nine, offering CAPS curriculum and Islamic studies.

In 2023 and 2024, IRSA supplied all Al Iman learners with locally-sourced uniforms and stationery which not only helped ease the burden on financially stressed families, but also supported small local businesses.

We also contributed R308,000 towards hostel fees, meal expenses and staff salaries and wages, and invested in infrastructural improvements – all towards ensuring that learners have equal access to quality education in an environment that fosters personal growth, social interaction and community cohesion.

Educating youth at The Leadership College; empowering communities – Western Cape

The Leadership College (TLC) is a no-fee high school that produces excellent academic results in the heart of Manenberg – a severely under-resourced and crime-riddled community on the Cape Flats.

Islamic Relief has long partnered with TLC to help ensure that learners have access to this quality education. In 2023 and 2024, IRSA sponsored the running costs for the school’s 700 learners.

IRSA Bursary Programme: Unlocking access to tertiary education 

Islamic Relief South Africa’s (IRSA) Bursary Programme, which is run in partnership with the Ibn Sina Institute of TIBB, unlocks access to tertiary education for youth in South Africa who cannot afford to further their studies.

The programme specifically targets 18 to 24-year-old rights holders who are exiting IRSA’s Orphan Sponsorship Programme; documented refugees and asylum seekers; young women and people with disabilities.

Undergraduate applications for built environment, engineering, information technology, logistics and supply chain management, financial management, accounting and economics are prioritised.

Through the programme, 36 young people in 2022, and 34 in 2023 were able to access tertiary education. Seventy-five percent of rights holders passed all their modules, with three students completing their diplomas or degrees during this two-year bursary period.