Founded in 1979, the mission of Human Concern International (HCI) is to end global poverty and save lives. It does emergency relief, education, WASH, healthcare, orphan care, and livelihood projects in countries across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Human Concern International is the oldest Muslim charity in Canada. It also runs a Child Sponsorship Program and collects Zakat funds for its Ramadan and Zabiha food security campaigns. HCI follows a community needs-based approach in its activities. It completes needs assessments on the communities it plans to work in, and then partners with local organizations, institutes and governments to deliver programs.

Donor Advisory: July 14, 2021 Human Concern International's ability to issue tax receipts was suspended by the Charities Directorate for illegal third-party receipting of $304k between 2011 and 2013. HCI has released a statement about it here. 

In F2019, HCI reports spending $1.5m (24% of total program spending) to support 3,242 orphans and vulnerable children. It has rehabilitated 5 orphanages, providing orphans with food and shelter.  

HCI directed 17% of program spending to food programs. At Ramadan, HCI spent $725k giving out 11,670 food baskets and 20,305 warm meals to people in need. Its $390k Qurbani program distributed fresh meat to 111,097 people. 

HCI reports spending $854k (13% of total program spending) to provide 7,819 children with education, and $120k to train 2,020 people for jobs. More than 50% of the kids it helped to educate were girls.  

HCI is currently building a healthcare centre in Mosali, India that aims to serve 10,000 people in its surrounding villages. In F2019, the charity spent $679k (11%% of total program spending) on healthcare for 56,121 people.  

HCI spent $645k (10% of total program spending) on its WASH program to build 236 wells and 78 latrines. These projects served 154,565 people.   

In F2019, it spent $592k (9% of total program spending) giving emergency relief to 31,133 people. It is currently running emergency relief in Yemen, Palestine, Lebanon and India. It is also responding to covid-19 and working in Rohingya refugee communities. 

There is no disclosure on the remaining 14% ($895k) of HCI’s program spending disclosed on its audited financials.

Charity Intelligence gives HCI full points for financial transparency because, in February 2021, HCI created and published financial statements for F2018, F2019 and F2020. This resolves a long-standing concern about HCI’s financial transparency. In May 2018, HCI received a letter from the CRA containing concerns about financial disclosure and oversight. This letter is not mentioned in the F2018 financial statements. 

Human Concern International received $10.2m in donations in F2020. Administrative costs are 8% of revenues (excluding investment income) and fundraising costs are 15% of donations. This results in total overhead costs of 23%. Per dollar donated to the charity, 77 cents go to the cause, which is within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending. 

Human Concern International holds funding reserves of $6.3m including $422k of donor-endowed funds. Its reserves can cover annual program spending and grants at the F2019 level for just over eight months. 

The charity’s F2019 T3010 CRA filing reports 32 grants to other charities. The largest grants are $240k to Life for Relief and Development, $225k to International Development and Relief Foundation, and $190k to Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA). 

Updated on July 19, 2021 by Asha McMullin.