A Feast of Hope: LIFE’s 2025 Udhiyah Project Reaches 157,000 Lives Worldwide

In many parts of the world, hunger is not a temporary hardship; it is a daily reality. From the droughts of East Africa to the conflict zones of Gaza, Yemen, and Syria, millions of families live on the edge of survival. Rising food prices, displacement, and the collapse of local economies have left dinner tables empty and hopes thin. For countless families, the joy of Eid al-Adha is overshadowed by the simple question of whether there will be food to share. 

Global hunger has reached staggering levels. According to the United Nations, over 45 million people are on the brink of famine, and nearly one in four lack consistent access to nutritious food. In vulnerable regions, the ability to provide a single meal can mean the difference between despair and dignity. During Eid, when Muslims around the world commemorate sacrifice and compassion, the gift of meat, often the only time of the year many families taste it, carries immense symbolic and nutritional value. 

This year, Life for Relief and Development carried that compassion across borders through its 2025 Udhiyah and Meat Distribution Project, reaching families in 33 countries. LIFE distributed 28,095 portions of meat, serving more than 157,000 individuals and providing nearly 315,000 meals to communities in need.  

The project brought relief to families in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gambia, Gaza, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Mali, Myanmar, Malaysia, Niger, Pakistan, Palestine (West Bank), Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Somaliland, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, the United States, and Yemen. 

In Gaza, where nearly two million people remain displaced and food shortages have reached catastrophic levels, LIFE carried out one of its most complex and impactful operations of the year. To ensure families could receive nourishing meals despite border closures, LIFE sourced 50,000 high-quality livestock from South Africa, which were slaughtered in the UAE according to halal standards, then canned and shipped into Gaza. The result was a shelf-stable source of protein that could reach families even when no fresh aid was allowed in. These cans sustained thousands of people through weeks of scarcity, providing essential nutrition and hope during one of Gaza’s most difficult periods. 

The impact of the global distribution extended far beyond food. For families living through war or displacement, receiving a meal during Eid restores not only strength but also dignity and faith. For children who have never celebrated with abundance, it brings memories of joy and normalcy. For entire communities, it reaffirms that compassion still connects us, even across continents. 

To the donors and volunteers whose generosity made this possible, thank you!  You turned sacrifice into sustenance and faith into action. Your kindness filled kitchens and hearts, reminding thousands of families that humanity still stands together in care and compassion. 

"When the meat arrived, my children ran to the door smiling. It had been so long since we tasted anything like it. That night, our home was full of laughter again." - Amira, age 42, Lebanon 

"In our village, Eid was quiet for many years because of the drought. This year, people came together again. We cooked, shared, and ate in gratitude." - Mohamed, age 51, Kenya 

"I helped my mother carry the meat home. She told me it was a gift from people far away who cared about us. I will never forget that day." - Rashid, age 10, Yemen