How faiths and aid agencies work together against poverty and disaster Aid agencies are sometimes also called NGOs (non-governmental organisations). This means that they don’t work for governments, but they do often work with governments, to fight poverty. Islamic Relief is just one of many, many aid agencies and NGOs working to help people across the world. It started in 1984, when a young medical doctor in Birmingham – Hany El Banna – wanted to help the victims of famine in Africa. He started fund-raising with a friend and the first donation was from a young boy for just 20p. Over the next 23 years, offices were set up all over the world, starting in Sudan in Africa and Bangladesh in Asia. In 2007, Islamic Relief raised £40 million in total! Office http://www.islamic-relief.org.uk/ Citation Islamic Relief UK (2008), Building Lives, [Online] available at: http://www.islamic-relief.org.uk/resources/education/publications/