** Update: Jazakum Allah Khair for all your duas and donations, we are truly touched by everyone's generosity and pray that Allah accepts this incredible work from you and us. We have liased with Islamic help and decided to start building the homes with the money we have already raised (6 homes costing £1700 each), and inshaAllah from today the money we raise will be used to employ single parents of orphans to ensure the children are raised without the implications of poverty. This will of course remain as Sadaqa Jariya and we pray that your donations will be a means for your entry to Jannatul Firdaws. Please continue to make dua for Farah and our parents. Jzk, Marwa **

Assalamu Alaikum (peace be upon you)

My dear sister, Farah Saeed, a role model and true friend to many, has unfortunately been afflicted with metastatic cancer at the age of 27 – 3 months before she is due to graduate at Liverpool Medical School. Doctors are not optimistic about treatment but we have full faith in our Creator, for He is the All Powerful and cure is in His hands only. The support we have received from not only friends but our brothers and sisters in Islam has truly been touc­­­hing, particularly to Farah. Subhanallah we have witnessed and felt the compassion of those who have never met Farah, and feel blessed to be part of this Ummah.

Farah has always been fond of children and holds orphans close to her heart. We decided to utilise this unfortunate situation to raise money for Islamic Help’s Building Homes for Orphans project, in the name of Farah. This will provide hope for orphans and their families in Tanzania who are living in substandard conditions in crowded orphanages with little physical, mental and emotional support. It will also mean that Farah will receive continuous reward and this may be a means for her cure and later her ticket into Jannah InshaAllah! The beauty of Sadaqa Jariya is that it is a form of charity which will provide you (and Farah InshaAllah) with rewards for as long as people benefit from your good deeds.

Farah continues to request sincere dua’s for her recovery, and for our parents who are undergoing one of the greatest tests in life. We will be forever grateful for all the dua’s and donations you make, and pray that Allah swt eases the suffering of our brothers and sisters of this Ummah and makes it a means of purification and entry into Jannatul Firdaws.

Details of the Project: Eco Village - Children's Homes

Islamic Help was already caring for about 400 orphans through the generosity of sponsors and had a working model with 25 orphans in an orphanage in Mbagala before embarking on our innovative Children's Eco Village.

It aims to provide a homely environment designed to nurture the physical, mental, psychological and emotional growth of vulnerable children, through holistic community-based care which helps them develop into socially and environmentally aware adults.

Each of the 16 spacious homes will accommodate 10 children along with a professional carer. This 'mother' will live with the children, building a close relationship with every child entrusted to her and providing the security, love and stability each of them needs. In this environment, the youngsters will enjoy a real sense of security and belonging, growing up and learning together, sharing responsibilities and all the joys and challenges of daily life.

Each eco-friendly house will have four bedrooms, a kitchen, bathroom/toilets, dining area and living room. The buildings and structures are designed to be highly energy efficient and the adoption of green energy technologies, including waste management, recycling and bio-gas, will ensure a clean, green and productive environment.

For their physical development, the Eco Village will have a play area featuring an obstacle course and a multi-purpose sports ground which will also be a valuable resource for others in the area.