Islamic Relief South Africa
Islamic Relief South Africa is a Johannesburg-based non-profit humanitarian organization, founded in 2003 as the South African affiliate of Islamic Relief Worldwide, delivering emergency relief, food security, WASH, and orphan sponsorship to vulnerable communities in South Africa and across 40+ crisis-affected countries, funded by Muslim donor Zakat and Sadaqah.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersCape Town, South Africa
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Islamic Relief South Africa does
Islamic Relief South Africa (IRSA) is a Johannesburg-headquartered non-profit humanitarian organization established in 2003/2004 as the South African national affiliate of Islamic Relief Worldwide, which itself was founded in 1984 and operates across more than 40 countries. The organization delivers emergency relief, food security and livelihood programs, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure, orphan and family sponsorship, healthcare, and seasonal interventions such as Ramadan food packs and Qurbani (Udhiyah) meat distribution, primarily to vulnerable Muslim and non-Muslim communities in South Africa and in crisis-affected regions including Gaza, Sudan, Syria, Somalia, Myanmar, Lebanon, Yemen, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Indonesia. Beyond direct programming, IRSA coordinates its international responses through the Islamic Relief Worldwide federation, channeling donor contributions from South African Muslims into multi-country operations; for example, during the October 2023–December 2024 Gaza emergency, the network delivered approximately R700 million in aid.
The organization employs 53 staff and is funded entirely through voluntary donations, Zakat, Sadaqah, and institutional grants from individual Muslim donors, mosques, and corporate partners in South Africa. Its go-to-market relies heavily on faith-based community channels — Ramadan and Qurbani seasonal appeals, mosque and madrassa networks, community events such as Mandela Day and World Hijab Day, and an online Zakat calculator — which together generate the bulk of its fundraising throughput. Reported beneficiary efficiency is 86 cents on the rand, implying roughly 14% overhead and a lean operating model. Strategic positioning emphasizes Islamic faith-compliance in spending (per Qur'an and Sunnah), audited financial transparency, and a dual identity as both a South African community organization and a node in a global Islamic humanitarian federation.
Islamic Relief South Africa firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Islamic Relief South Africa
- Legal name
- Islamic Relief South Africa
- Website
- https://islamic-relief.org.za
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Islamic Relief South Africa is a Johannesburg-based non-profit humanitarian organization, founded in 2003 as the South African affiliate of Islamic Relief Worldwide, delivering emergency relief, food security, WASH, and orphan sponsorship to vulnerable communities in South Africa and across 40+ crisis-affected countries, funded by Muslim donor Zakat and Sadaqah.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Islamic Relief South Africa industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Humanitarian Aid and Charitable Giving
- NAICS
- Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Community Food Services (624210), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Refugee, IDP & Migration Humanitarian Assistance (BPAGAAAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Food Assistance & Nutrition Relief (Emergency Feeding) (BPAGAAAD), Cash & Voucher Assistance (CVA) and Emergency Livelihood Support (BPAGAAAJ), Humanitarian Health & Emergency Medical Relief NGOs (HLAJAKAE), Nutrition & Food Security (Global Health) NGOs (HLAJAKAH)
Keywords
Where Islamic Relief South Africa is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cape Town
- HQ country
- South Africa
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices1 record
Markets served
Islamic Relief South Africa business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Donor Contributions: Individual donors contribute funds through online portals, bank transfers, and phone donations for various charitable causes including emergency appeals, orphan sponsorship, food aid, healthcare, water, education, and livelihoods programs.
- Zakat Donations: Mandatory Islamic almsgiving collected from eligible Muslims who calculate their obligation (2.5% of qualifying wealth above Nisab threshold) using the organization's Zakat calculator. Distributed strictly according to Shari'ah principles to eight Quranic recipient categories.
- Orphan Sponsorship: Monthly recurring donations of R1,200 per month (R14,400 annually) per orphan through one-to-one sponsorship program, providing holistic support including food, education, healthcare, and psychosocial services to sponsored children.
- Sadaqah and Sadaqah Jariyah: Voluntary charitable donations including Sadaqah (one-time charity) and Sadaqah Jariyah (ongoing charity for sustainable projects like water boreholes, schools, and orphan education that continue benefiting recipients over time).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Orphan Sponsorship - Monthly recurring support for one orphan child |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Syria Emergency Appeal |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Palestine Emergency Appeal |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Lebanon Emergency Appeal |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Sudan Emergency Appeal |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Afghanistan Emergency Appeal |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Yemen Crisis Appeal |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Orphan Care Fund (pooled donations) |
| Other | Annual | Zakat donations |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Food Aid donations |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Health program donations |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Water project donations |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Education program donations |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Livelihoods program donations |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
Islamic Relief South Africa product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Islamic Relief South Africa is a humanitarian and development organisation that raises donations from individuals to fund orphan sponsorship, emergency relief (food, water, shelter, medical aid), and long-term development programmes in health, education, water and sanitation, and sustainable livelihoods in South Africa and internationally. The organisation also facilitates Islamic charitable giving through Zakat, Sadaqah, and Sadaqah Jariyah funds, with a Shari'ah-compliant online Zakat Calculator.
Product overview
Islamic Relief South Africa is a humanitarian and development organisation offering charitable programmes rather than a technology product. The portfolio consists of charitable giving programmes including orphan support (Orphan Care Fund, Orphan Sponsorship Programme, Support Orphans in Gaza), sectoral development programmes (Food Aid, Health, Water, Education, Sustainable Livelihoods), emergency appeals (Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, Sudan, Yemen, Afghanistan, Venezuela), and digital tools (Zakat Calculator). Donations are processed through online platforms and bank transfers. The organisation is part of Islamic Relief Worldwide operating in over 40 countries since 1984.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Orphan Care Fund: A pooled fund for orphan support where donations are combined and directed to orphans and orphan families in greatest need across multiple countries and programs.
- Orphan Sponsorship Programme
- Global Emergencies Fund
- Palestine Emergency Appeal
- Syria Emergency Appeal
- Lebanon Emergency Appeal
- Sudan Emergency Appeal
Quantifiable outcome
- 86 cents of every rand donated reaches beneficiaries
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Islamic Relief South Africa
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Islamic Relief South Africa technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Islamic Relief South Africa partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- World Food Programme (WFP)corePartnership with World Food Programme enables Islamic Relief teams to distribute food items directly within Gaza, delivering ready-to-eat meals to civilians sheltering in schools without kitchens. This coordination maximizes the effectiveness of food distribution efforts in crisis zones.
- UUCSA (United Ulama Council of South Africa)coreIslamic Relief collaborates with UUCSA on community development initiatives, including visits to projects like Thandokwethu Primary School in KwaZulu-Natal, working together to support local communities.
- NHTKLcorePartnership with NHTKL (organization name appears partially truncated) on community initiatives including Thandokwethu Primary School rehabilitation project, demonstrating local community collaboration.
- Local humanitarian partner organizations in GazacoreIslamic Relief works with a range of local Palestinian humanitarian partner organizations who have extensive experience in delivering emergency aid and long-term development in the region. The team of 17 Palestinian staff in Gaza coordinates with these partners for aid delivery.
- International humanitarian organizations and UN agenciescoreIslamic Relief coordinates closely with international humanitarian organizations and UN agencies to ensure the overall humanitarian response is as effective and coordinated as possible in Gaza and other crisis zones.
- Lebanese governmentcoreIslamic Relief works with the Lebanese government and other aid agencies to ensure displaced families have the food and supplies they need during the Lebanon crisis response.
- Islamic Relief IndonesiacoreIslamic Relief Indonesia leads local response efforts, with Faith-based Community Emergency Response Team of trained volunteers from mosques, churches and Buddhist temples supporting evacuations, first aid, assessments and emergency aid distribution.
- Local partner organizations in South AfricacoreIslamic Relief South Africa works with local partner organizations to identify and support orphaned children and their caregivers, providing food aid, healthcare, and educational support across Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and Gauteng.
Scale indicators16 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Islamic Relief South Africa competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Strengths4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Islamic Relief South Africa social profiles
Digital presenceIslamic Relief South Africa compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance6 records
Islamic Relief South Africa financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Islamic Relief South Africa leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Islamic Relief South Africa funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Islamic Relief South Africa M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Islamic Relief South Africa
What does Islamic Relief South Africa do?
Islamic Relief South Africa is a humanitarian and development organisation that raises donations from individuals to fund orphan sponsorship, emergency relief (food, water, shelter, medical aid), and long-term development programmes in health, education, water and sanitation, and sustainable livelihoods in South Africa and internationally. The organisation also facilitates Islamic charitable giving through Zakat, Sadaqah, and Sadaqah Jariyah funds, with a Shari'ah-compliant online Zakat Calculator.
Is Islamic Relief South Africa a public or private company?
Islamic Relief South Africa is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Islamic Relief South Africa founded?
Islamic Relief South Africa was founded in 2004. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Islamic Relief South Africa based?
Islamic Relief South Africa is headquartered in Cape Town, South Africa, in the Africa region.
How does Islamic Relief South Africa make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Donor Contributions are the primary driver. The others are zakat Donations, orphan Sponsorship and sadaqah and Sadaqah Jariyah.
Does Islamic Relief South Africa have an API?
No public API is recorded for Islamic Relief South Africa.
What industry is Islamic Relief South Africa in?
Islamic Relief South Africa's product category is Humanitarian Aid and Charitable Giving. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAAAH, Refugee, IDP & Migration Humanitarian Assistance, with a secondary code of BPAGAAAD, Food Assistance & Nutrition Relief (Emergency Feeding). Its NAICS code is 624230 and its SIC code is 8300.