Formation | 1992 |
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Founder | Imtiaz Sooliman |
Headquarters | 290 Prince Alfred Street, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa |
Website | https://giftofthegivers.org/ |
Gift of the Givers (founded as Waqful Waqifin)[1][2] is a South African non-governmental organisation[3] and disaster relief group,[4] and Africa's largest independent humanitarian organisation.[5] It was established to offer disaster relief and response, together with other humanitarian work, with the aim to reach people worldwide.[6] The organisation’s profile in South Africa grew during the 2010s and 2020s, due to challenges faced by the government in delivering services, including disaster relief.[5]
Gift of the Givers has worked in many parts of world, including Gaza City,[7][8] Bosnia, Somalia, Haiti and Zimbabwe.[4] During the aftermath of the 2010 Haiti earthquake the organisation sent four rescue teams and aid materials to the country.[9] They provided in 2011 food aid to Somalia,[10] by airlifting 180 tons and shipping 2000 tons of aid.[4][11] Through Gift of the Givers, South African medics and volunteers have been assisting people during the Syrian civil war.[12][13] Due to the unrest in Syria some of the South Africans were injured or killed.[12][13] In 2013, victims of flooding in the Karonga region of Malawi were given aid in the form of food.[14] In 2015, after 176 died during flooding of the Shire Valley, and with thousands homeless, the organisation provided assistance to citizens in southern Malawi.[15]
Imtiaz Sooliman | |
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Personal details | |
Born | Imtiaz Ismail Sooliman 7 March 1962 Potchefstroom, Transvaal |
Nationality | South African |
Spouse | Zohra |
Alma mater | University of Natal |
Occupation | Medical doctor, philanthropist |
Known for | Humanitarian work |
The founder of the organisation is Imtiaz Ismail Sooliman, a South African medical doctor. He also leads the organisation.[16]
Sooliman was born on 7 March 1962 in Potchefstroom,[17] a Muslim. He completed his high school education at Sastri College in Durban, Natal in 1978. He qualified as a medical doctor by obtaining his MBChB at the University of Natal. He ran a medical practise in Pietermaritzburg, Natal up to 1986.[18] He is married to Zohra & Ayesha.[19]
Sooliman's drive for the establishing of Gift of the Givers, was the instruction of a Sufi sheik, Muhammed Safer Dal Effendi of the Jerrahi tariqah, which happened in Istanbul, Turkey on 6 August 1992.[20]
In the 1994 elections Sooliman ran for political office as the head of the Africa Muslim Party. However, the party failed to win any seats and he subsequently left politics.[21]
His organisation is funded by ordinary South Africans.[22] Some of the projects where he has been involved include: