SUMMARY OF PROJECTS AND PROGRAMMES UNDERTAKEN BY

CRESCENT OF HOPE – SOUTH AFRICA

The organization was

founded in   OCTOBER 1992

when some of our members went to help with the Somalian refugee problem in Kenya. We supplied food and helped in the building of huts for the refugees. A borehole rig was sent to Kenya because of the continuous drought in North Eastern Kenya. It's task was the drilling of boreholes and supplying water in this area. The borehole rig is still active in Kenya today.

After the experience we gained there and since relief work was also needed in South Africa, especially amongst the indigenous people, we decided to concentrate our efforts here at home as the organisation is run by South Africans for South Africans.

The organization is registered with the Department of Welfare as an NPO

Our NPO number is 000467 NPO.

The COMPLETED,                 PRESENT,                     CONTINUOUS             and   

THE PLANNING OF PROJECTS AND PROGRAMMES are listed below:

DISASTER RELIEF

1. 1.      LADYSMITH      Relief work during the floods [1994 & 1996] and Cape Town.
2. 2.      MAFIKENG       Relief work after the riots.
3. 3.      BLANKETS       Donated to the underprivileged during winter every year since 1993.
4. 4.      SHACKS            The rebuilding of burnt out shacks in the informal settlement. This is

done in conjunction with local government structures.

1. 5.      BOSNIA             We took 12 containers filled with clothes, medicine, food etc for the

refugees in Bosnia during October 1995.

1. 6.      TANZANIA       We assisted with food, clothes, medicine and writing material for pupils

in 1996. We supply Quraans and other Madressa items on an annual basis and when needed.

1. 7.      MARITZBURG   We assisted in the Floods during December 1995. Our work was done 

in conjunction with ISRA, WWF, and SANZAF - all from Durban.

1. 8.      ORPHANS         The sponsoring of 70 Bosnian orphans. These children have been left

homeless and parentless. They are being cared for by an organization known as KUWEIT JOINT RELIEF COMMITTEE. They have asked us to help with this project.

1. 9.      DISASTER         Helping the businesses effected by the 1996 Ladysmith floods recover

FUND               from the disaster. We have established a disaster fund that will help businesses recover from disasters. The fund given on an interest free loan basis will be recoverable over a period of time. The money has been fully recovered.

1. 10.  KENYA            Kenya once again suffered severe drought during 1996. The famine

caused the death of People and animals. The heat burnt the vegetation. Those living had to contend with illnesses, diseases and malnutrition. Two members of COHSA went to investigate and found the situation tragic. 17 tons of food was bought at the cost R40 000,00 and distributed in the Isiolo district under their supervision.

1. 11. KOSOVA          We assisted the Muslims after the war in 1999.
2. 12. TURKEY              The Earth Quake in Turkey during 1999 left people homeless and with

Absolutely nothing. We assisted them during their time of need.

13. CHECHNYA        We rendered assistance, in a joint venture with the Jamiat, to the refugees of the Chechnyan war.

14. KASHMIR                        We are aiding the Kashmiri refugees living in the refugee camps in

Pakistan. We are building huts, Masaajids, Madaaris and drilling for water for these most unfortunate people. We have undertaken this venture with the assistance of the Government of Pakistan and their consulate in South Africa. 

15. AFGHANISTAN  Aid is given in the form of medicine for the hospital.

16. MOZAMBIQUE   Aid was and is still been given to the victims of the floods that

devastated this country during 2000. Locally we have been working in conjunction with the Jamiatul Ulama – Transvaal and internationally with Helping Care in London England.

17. NORTHERN        The floods that ravaged the Northern Province of South Africa left 

      PROVINCE          people homeless and without any clothes or food. With the aid of our representative in Louis Trichardt, we supplied clothing to these most unfortunate people.

18. INDIA                   We are currently collection funds to aid the victims of the earthquake that shook this country during January 2001. Thousands of people were killed and injured. Thousands more were left homeless and without means of support. They just stand around looking at the ruins. The ruins of their abodes, their families, their lives and their future. 

EDUCATION AND DAWAH

1. Conducting educational classes in

a. GAUTENG

          Evaton          Orange Farm ext 1        Orange Farm ext 8                   Thembalihle  

          Protea                    Kliptown                     Swaneville                       Rietvallei     

          Kathlehong.

b. CAPE TOWN

Heinz Park     Park Town                             Delft                               Strandfontein.    We feed and clothe the pupils and adults attending these classes.

2. There are adult educational classes at each centre.

3. We have implemented our own syllabus to be able to teach reverts to Islam as practically

as possible. Textbooks in English and Zulu have been introduced into our Madressa. We have also been honored by other organizations requesting the introduction of our four- year syllabus and textbooks into their Madaaris for reverts.  

4. An Islamic Information Centre in Kliptown.

5. We are now introducing an Islamic orientated Pre-School syllabus at all our Centres since

2001. We have also completed a book (colouring books) especially for these pupils who will now be  taught English, Mathematics and Arabic in addition to all other activities associated with pre-school classes.

PROVIDING PURE WATER

The drilling for water in drought stricken areas where people have to walk kilometers to get unhygienic and cholera infested water. The water is scooped up from small puddles that appear after rain or from the polluted river. We decided to help as many communities as possible get clean hygienic water from taps near their homes.

We purchased our second drilling rig in 1995 and have been operating the rig in the informal settlements where water is needed. By drilling these boreholes in school - yards we are:

1. a.      Providing water to the school children and the community.
2. b.     We have the principal and his water committee responsible for the maintenance of the borehole and other equipment.

We have completed:

a. 4 boreholes in the Marble Hall district,

b. 22 boreholes in the Louis Trichardt and Venda district, 

c. 9 boreholes in Rustenburg,

d. 9 boreholes in Mafikeng,

e. 7 boreholes in Groblersdal, and

f. 7 boreholes in other areas covering Darul Uloom and schools.

The exact location of each borehole can be supplied if needed. The rig will be operating wherever it is needed. We would also like to stress that

1. a.      We are working in conjunction with the Department of Water Affairs (National) and the MEC for water affairs (Provincial).
2. b.     All boreholes are free for the underprivileged inhabitants of these areas.
3. c.      The Muslims of South Africa sponsored these and will be sponsoring more in the future.

***** It must be stressed that the drilling is sponsored entirely by donations given by the Muslims of South Africa. The community does not pay anything. All they are asked to do is maintain the system.

FEEDING

1. 1.      Two soup kitchens for the destitute – one in Zakariyya Park and one in Pietersburg.
2. 2.      Providing food to the needy during Ramadaan {fasting month – Ramadaan  programme} so that they can have a good meal after fasting the entire day. This programme started in 1993 and has been implemented annually since then. In 2000 we  decided to introduce an Iftaar committee with other organizations (with the same object) so that the project would reach more people in a greater area. The organizations presently represented on this programme are:

Crescent of Hope                               Eldorado Muslim Jamaat

Ennerdale Muslim Jamaat                    Fordsburg Muslim Youth Organization

Bosmont Muslim Jamaat                     Newclare Jummah Masjid

Jamiatul Ulama – Lenasia                    Lenasia Muslim Association

Lenasia South Muslim Association      Riverlea Extension Islamic Association

Westbury Muslim Jamaat.          Johannesburg Muslim Charitable Organization.

1. 3.      The running of our annual Qurbani project thereby helping the people to do their Qurbani. The meat is distributed to the poor. We distribute approximately 30 000 meat parcels annually during this period. This is an annual project since the year 1993.
2. 4.      We are providing hampers on a monthly basis to fifteen Muslim families  that need our assistance, as most of them are elderly and living alone. 
3. 5.      Cohsa is setting up a Server system that will link all welfare organizations that are servicing the Muslim Community in and around Gauteng. On completion every organization will be able to control applications for assistance by checking to see if the applicant hasn’t applied to other organizations for assistance. This will limit fraudulent applications to more than one organization. The entire system should be ready by the end of February 2001.  

SKILLS TRAINING CENTRES

We are currently running a Skills Training Centres in

DURBAN                                PIETERSBURG                                DAXINA.

We are also supporting a Skills Training Centre in CAPE TOWN.

We are teaching the following skills at the moment:

Sewing                                     Knitting                                   Crocheting

We would like to introduce

Cooking                                   Baking                                      Plumbing

Electric wiring                           Welding                                    Carpentry

Brick laying                               Motor mechanics

A plot in extension 13 Lenasia has been donated to Crescent of Hope.  We intend building the center to accommodate

1. a.      Some shops for rental so that the entire centre can become self - sufficient.
2. b.     A skills training centre for the poor.
3. c.      A pre-school centre for children of the poor.
4. d.     Have an Islamic Dawah centre for reverts.

It is the belief of the executive committee and members of the organization that it is better to teach the poor a skill so that they can feed themselves and their families.

The alternative to this is that the poor will always be applying for assistance from our Zakaat funds and will have no option but to beg. This is what we want to stop.   

Our main objective is thus:

1. a.      To provide ISLAMIC EDUCATION to reverts.
2. b.     To provide RELIEF wherever and whenever it is needed.
3. c.      To provide WATER in areas and communities that doe not have water.
4. d.     To provide opportunities for the TRAINING OF SKILLS that will make them self - sufficient.
5. e.      To FEED the destitute and deprived.
6. f.       To be of SERVICE to the community we represent.
7. g.      To see to the WELBEING of the people that are dependent on us.

Information correct as at February 2001