History of Country

China is the most populous country in the world with over 1.3 billion people. Although it is fast becoming an economic superpower, over 120 million Chinese still live on less than $1 a day.

China’s economic boom has also created serious pollution, contaminating rivers in particular. Water safety is a huge issue as over 70 percent of the water in one of the major river systems is now too polluted for human use.

Rural Poverty

As people in the cities get wealthier, people in most rural areas remain in deep poverty, and the income gap continues to grow.

The western and central regions of China remain underdeveloped, with poor infrastructure and limited access to education and healthcare. Difficult access to some villages, high levels of illiteracy and language barriers have obstructed government attempts to tackle rural poverty.

Minority groups

The western regions of China are home to many of the country’s minority groups. It is estimated that minorities make up around 40 percent of those living below the poverty line.

Many of these minority groups are Muslim. The Hui are the largest of ten distinct Muslim ethnic groups. There are around 9 million Hui, living mainly in the western and northern regions of the country.

Islamic Relief's History in China

Over 120 million Chinese people live on less than $1 a day

IR began its work in China in response to floods in the Shaanxi province in 2002. In partnership with the local population IR built new homes in four villages in Ningshang County, helping hundreds of homeless flood survivors. Today, IR works with local organisations in the drought-affected western and central provinces of Shaanxi, Xinjiang, Ningxia, Hunan and Gansu. Projects include rainwater-harvesting, irrigation development and girls’ education. IR is also working with Chinese organisations to develop their nationwide disaster preparedness and relief programmes. Seasonal Ramadan and Qurbani food distributions have been taking place in China since 2002.