Created out of a partnership between Islamic Relief and Qatar Charity, for over a decade Barakat Fund has been assisting poorer families to build brighter futures in Chechnya. Among them is Zareta, who lives in Gekhi village in the Urus-Martan district.
After her husband Saipuddin died 6 years ago, Zareta has worked to support her 4 children. Work is hard to come by however, and 2 of Zareta’s sons were unemployed for a period, forcing them to seek employment outside of Chechnya. They left behind 2 small children and a wife in Zareta’s care. The family survives on the equivalent of just £87 a month.
Life in Chechnya is tough: food prices have rocketed 50% in the past year alone, while fuel prices have increased by 15%. During December 2022, it was announced that there would be a 10% increase in utility costs, following an earlier increase in July.
For low-income families like Zareta’s, government support is not enough, meaning they need to rely on humanitarian aid from organisations such as Islamic Relief.
Growing an income
With 20 years of cattle breeding and poultry farming experience, Zareta decided to apply for a loan to start her own business. A loan of £868 enabled her to buy a pregnant cow, a few chickens and ducks. The family started selling milk and dairy produce, as well as eggs and poultry.
Zareta now also has a kitchen garden where she can grow vegetables. Little by little, the family’s situation has improved.
The Barkat Fund was formed in 2012, when Islamic Relief partnered with the Qatar Charity to launch a programme by registering a fully-fledged Microfinance Institution Fund Barakat in Grozny. Since then, free loans have been given to low-income families raising orphaned children and children living with disabilities. The fund also offers group loans to unemployed people.
The loans have been used to rebuild homes ruined during the Chechen Wars, pay for surgery, send children to school and engage in entrepreneurial activities.
Beekeeping for a brighter future
Aina works in the Kirova settlement on the outskirts of Grozny. Widowed in 2007, Aina lives in a partially destroyed house with her 3 children and 2 stepchildren. She works as a train attendant.
Even though all the family members work, they do not earn enough to cover their basic needs. They can only pay for gas, water and electricity from time to time and their debts have grown.
A few years ago, one of Aina’s sons, Khaleed, became interested in beekeeping. His friend’s father saw Khaleed’s motivation and began training him at his bee farm. After he’d gained some skills, Khaleed decided to start his own small farm.
A loan from the Barakat Fund enabled Khaleed to buy a few hives and other equipment to launch his own bee farm where he now tends 19 hives, much to Aina’s delight:
“The Barakat Fund and Islamic Relief are making families like ours feel so reassured and supported. I pray all the people working there were loved by Allah! May He help them in all the good things they do and accept their deeds!”
Powering self-reliance
Over 10 years, the Barakat Fund has helped many families on the road towards self-reliance.
Loans continue to be offered to those in need, helping them to improve their circumstances and cover emergency costs. However, difficulties stemming from the war in Ukraine has led to products planned for 2023 being paused.
We hope the Barakat Fund will keep changing lives in the future, but for now, Islamic Relief’s humanitarian and development work in Chechnya continues in other sectors.
