A Summary:

A disproportionate portion of the Muslim Ummah is amongst the part of humanity suffering from worst cases of abject poverty. Presently, help and assistance is provided, if at all, on an ad hoc basis in cases of extreme need and times of major natural disasters. This help is mostly of a stop-gap nature and is transient. It is time that Muslims begin to develop appropriate, effective and sustainable means to alleviate the deprivation which our poor and disadvantaged brothers and sisters are suffering from.

In keeping with the tradition of the Noble Prophet who always gave the needy means of access to earn a living, rather than charity, there is a need to adapt and implement this method in present day Muslim societies. It is our considered opinion that one of the most effective ways of addressing the poverty alleviation issue in a sustainable manner is by providing micro-finance facilities to the most disadvantaged sections of the society. With this objective in view the Help the People Trust was established in July 1997 and registered in the UK as a charitable organisation to mobilise funds for major micro-finance initiative(s). The basic idea would be to provide seed capital to the deserving poor, who have no access to funds, to enable them to attempt to earn their own living. As successful recipients make repayments, the funds would be re-cycled to other deserving candidates. In this way, a virtuous circle leading to self-reliance for an increasing number of the poor can be created.

The Help the People Trust will identify and work in partnership with credible socio-economic developmental organisations in Muslim countries who are already engaged in micro-finance activities. In exceptional cases, the Trust may also encourage suitable organisations to initiate micro-finance activities. In addition to funding, the Trust will avail its partner organisations critical capacity building opportunities by providing appropriate inputs to enhance their management and organisational skills. In this way the Trust will be able to enhance their existing operations and add value to the partnership.

We, at The Help the People Trust, believe that a small amount from a large number of people will create the right kind of institution to enable the objectives of the trust to be fulfilled. For this a mass appeal will be launched as soon as a number of pilot schemes are effectively working.

It is intended that the Help the People Trust will initially start operations in Bangladesh and then explore possibilities in India, Somalia, Sudan, Bosnia and Albania. Contacts with potential partner organisations have been initiated in Bangladesh and an evaluation of their programmes and needs is being carried out.