I heard something last month from a friend that I've remembered. His family is in a refugee camp; they haven't eaten meat for more than a year. So, how do you think you might feel if you didn't have any protein for that period of time? Then, Eid came, though. At the camp, the Qurbani programs provided their participants with fresh meat. The children's faces glistened - some of them hadn't remembered the meat's taste. Donate Qurbani is not just about tradition, it's about making a difference. You're helping families in crisis situations bring hope to their lives.
The Growing Crisis Nobody Talks About
There are 318 million people in the world today suffering from crisis, hunger or malnourishment. According to the World Food Programme (WFP), that is. 318 million people - imagine. In countries such as Yemen, Sudan and Gaza, families rely solely on humanitarian assistance to get by from day to day. The situation has worsened in the recent past. In 2025, the humanitarian funding was only 28 % of the needs, with Yemen being the lowest at 28 % of what is required, compared to 2015 when it was 38 % of the needs. When the money is scarce, charities have to make impossible decisions as to who to provide assistance to and who not.
What Makes Qurbani Different
For most people, Qurbani is a tradition only for the Eid. However, its speciality for emergency relief is that it is made from natural ingredients. The timing matters. Qurbani takes place during Dhul Hijjah, the month of the festival, when millions of Muslims around the world sacrifice during this month. That can produce this tremendous wave of help coming at the same time to crisis areas across the country. This is an eye opening scale! In 2025, Islamic Relief alone had the opportunity to deliver Qurbani to more than 3.2 million beneficiaries in 29 countries. Al Mustafa Welfare Trust impacted 3.1 million people in 21 countries.
From Sacrifice to Life-Saving Meals
The complete system operation is explained below. Organizations locally buy animals in areas in which animals need help when you make your donation. This has two key benefits. First of all, it's for local communities and doesn't negatively impact the local economy. Secondly it means that the meat is distributed fresh on the three days of Eid. The quantity of meat usually sent in each Qurbani package is 7 to 10 kgs. of fresh meat. This amounts to 2 weeks feeding a family of 5. This could be their only meat for the year for families in crisis areas.
Emergency Response in Action
To determine where the money from these acts of charity is most effective, the Human Development Fund's 2025 Qurbani report identifies the areas. In Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, they have supplied meat to 3,600 refugees of Rohingya origin, who are living in overcrowded camps. These people were survivors of violence and have left their country empty-handed. Nearly 20,000 people in Somalia and Sudan (affected by conflict and displacement) were provided with Qurbani meat.
Gaza's Special Challenge
Gaza deserves a special place as it is the lesson of the power of Qurbani donation programs and how challenging it is. Despite a ceasefire, restrictions have been placed on imports and deliveries of food, including meat, into Gaza in 2025. It was up to the imagination of the organizations. To overcome this, Islamic Relief procured animals in Egypt, slaughtered them as per Islamic law and then froze and sent the meat to Palestinian refugees in Egypt. This resulted in the distribution of more than 412,000 pallets of meat to Palestinian refugees.
More Than Just Food
A research article by Sedekash has uncovered an interesting aspect of Qurban and its role in extending humanitarian aid. In 2013, approximately 110,000 Qurbanis were carried out benefiting the lives of more than 2 million people. However, the effect was more than just on the hungry family. The meat distribution provides economic benefits to local communities by using local suppliers. It delivers protein that families may not have been able to afford, individually.
The Innovation Factor
Today's Qurbani initiatives have become very sophisticated in their crisis response initiatives. Human Appeal prepared ready to eat Kabsa made of Qurbani meat. These sacrifices are turned into as many as 71 meals which require no cooking or refrigeration. There will be 300g of lamb and rice in each meal, which will have a shelf life of 1.5 years. How is this relevant? Many families in conflict areas don't have access to electricity, fuel or kitchens.
Yemen's Desperate Situation
This is a reason why we need regular donation support for long-term emergencies: Yemen. The situation in the region has been in crisis for 11 years. Acute food insecurity is affecting 18.3 million people or 52% of Yemen's total population. In fact, they cannot survive to fulfill their basic food requirements without external support. In 2024, Islamic Relief's Qurbani meat was provided to 111,755 individuals in Yemen.
Where Your Donation Goes
Most good organizations will give you the option of where your Qurbani is donated. Africa and Asia are not in the middle of a crisis like Middle East countries. Some choose “where most needed” to allow flexibility of response to emerging emergencies, to organizations. Alkhidmat Foundation in Pakistan is an example of transparency. In 2025, they slaughtered 3,593 goats and 6,898 cows, aiding a population of some 1.4 million in Pakistan, Palestine and Palestinian refugee communities.
The Ripple Effect
When people choose to donate, it ripples out from one family to many. Children receive adequate nutrition in their childhood years. Limited family resources are available for the purchase of medicine or education instead of food. Eid is not a time for communities to suffer, it is a time for them to come together. The refugee situation in Kenya is captured very well in the refugee camps. 820 families were reached in eight locations, five of which are in Kibera and three in Kajiado County, by the Human Development Fund. These are locations where child care institutions and slums are fighting their battles day-by-day.
Final Words
While standing at the checkout to donate may seem like a minor gesture. But times that by millions of Muslims around the world, and one of the world's biggest coordinated food relief efforts will suddenly be at your fingertips. Your donation helps reach crisis areas where conventional aid efforts can't make it. It gives not only nutrition, but dignity, hope and connection in the worst of times of their lives. Hungry people today are not merely numbers; there are 318 million people suffering from hunger. They are mothers who want to feed their children, fathers who try their best to do so, children who want to be fed and smile on Eid, like everyone else.
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