Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation

The Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation (Persian: کمیته‌ی امداد امام خمینی) is an Iranian charitable organization, founded in March 1979 to provide support for poor families. The aim is to help such families regain financial stability. IKRF has also provided support outside Iran, including in Pakistan,[3] Somalia,[4] Afghanistan,[5] Palestine, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Chechnya, the Comoros, Iraq, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Syria, and Lebanon.[6]

Main branch office of IKRF in Nishapur
Imam Khomeini's Relief Foundation
FoundedMarch 5, 1979 (1979-03-05)
FounderRuhollah Khomeini, Habibollah Asgaroladi, Mehdi Karroubi, M. Shafigh, Reza Nayeri, Abolfazl Haji Heidari [1][2]
Location
Area served
Worldwide service
Key people
Morteza Bakhtiari (CEO)
Mohsen Kazerouni (Chairman of the board)
Websitewww.emdad.ir

IKRF provides multiple forms of support to individuals and families. As of December 2008, a total of 8.6 million needy people have received aid from IKRF. 698 thousand families were covered in the Rajaei plan, which provides social security coverage for senior villagers and nomads without insurance. 1.5 million people below the poverty line received free insurance from IKRF and 843 thousand students received assistance for education.[7]

Sources of funding

The foundation is supported by the Iranian government[8] and also receives the Islamic taxes of Khums and Zakat, as well as Zakat al-fitr.[9] Also, the foundation has charity boxes installed all across the country to gather donations.

Child sitting on an IKRF charity box

History

The history of such committees goes back to 1964, 15 years before Iran's revolution. At that time, the objective of the smaller committee was to support the families of political prisoners.[2]

See also

References

  1. "Founding Committee of IKRF". Archived from the original on 11 April 2013. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  2. "The date of establishing Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation (IKRF)". Archived from the original on 2009-03-30. Retrieved 2009-04-17.
  3. "IKRF to build 2000 houses in Pakistan". Islamabad: Islamic Republic News Agency. September 20, 2012. Retrieved 14 April 2011.
  4. Bellow Ali, Abdulaziz (Dec 22, 2011). "Iranian Imam Khomeini relief foundation assists Somali displaced people". Mogadishu: Press TV. Retrieved 14 April 2011.
  5. "Iran sends aid shipment to Afghanistan". Press TV. Dec 29, 2011. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  6. "33rd Annual Report" (PDF). Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation. 2011. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  7. Nicknam, MH (2009). "Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation, an Organization by the People for the People". Iranian Journal of Public Health. Dept. of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran. 38 (1): 183–184. Archived from the original on 2 July 2013. Retrieved 14 April 2014.
  8. "Delegation led by Head of IKRF meets the Prime Minister" (Press release). Press Information Department, Government of Pakistan. September 19, 2012. Retrieved April 14, 2013.
  9. "Emdad.ir Introduction". Archived from the original on 2009-04-29. Retrieved 2009-04-17.
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