Nairobi: The ‘MAIPs Ndengu Revolution’ project, a community recovery initiative by the Perlis Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (MAIPs) in Kitui, Kenya, has received official recognition from the International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC).

According to BERNAMA News Agency, MAIPs announced that the recognition was for its transformative contribution to the lives of vulnerable communities in the aftermath of drought. The recognition was conveyed by IFRC Regional Director for Africa, Charles Mbeeta Businge, during a roundtable discussion with the Raja Muda of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail, in Nairobi last Thursday, in conjunction with the ‘Safar Ilmi MAIPs 2025’ programme.

MAIPs has developed a medium- and long-term recovery approach for communities affected by drought in Kenya through the Ndengu Revolution project. This includes providing ndengu pulse crop seeds, agricultural inputs, livelihood support, and community capacity building. The project not only addresses short-term needs but also builds resilience and self-reliance among the recipients.

The initiative by MAIPs has also been documented in several international reports and journals, including ‘The Transformative Power of International Zakat: How zakat support from Malaysia helped communities in Kenya recover from drought’ and ‘Your duty for their dignity: the transformative power of international zakat financing’, published by IFRC and cited in global Islamic philanthropy discourse.

Meanwhile, Charles Businge stated that Malaysia, through MAIPs, had proven that zakat instruments could expand internationally and serve as a catalyst for recovery and community resilience in the context of disasters and prolonged poverty. He described the project, which began in 2018, as an exemplary model of how Islamic philanthropy can be integrated into the global humanitarian agenda with professionalism and integrity.