Serve the New Muslims of West Africa

The Bissau Project is a locally-based, grassroots organization that serves over 50,000 Muslims, primarily new converts, in northern Guinea-Bissau in the Senegambia region of West Africa.

The Bissau Project provides full-time school programs for over 2000 children across 15 different villages and assists these communities in numerous ways, including building wells and installing drinking water infrastructure, construction and repair of mosques and school buildings, social enterprise and entrepreneurship development, and more. 

This campaign is ZAKAT ELIGIBLE. By donating to this campaign you will be fulfilling your Zakat obligations InshAllah. The Bissau Project employs almost 50 people directly, and through this strong local presence, the Bissau Project team is able to distribute zakat directly to thousands of eligible families in cash. 100% of zakat funds collected are distributed directly to eligible recipients.

Full-time education for thousands of children

The Bissau Project schools now provide a full-time education for over 2,000 children across 15 villages. Due to their remote location, and the lack of resources from local and national goverments, these children previously had no access to education. They now attend school 6 days per week, at no cost to their families. School lunch is also provided for all students at no charge.

The teachers in the Bissau Project schools have now become important and trusted figures in these communities, both as trusted mentors to the youth, and also as a point person to help the Bissau Project understand the condition of the village and the needs of the people.

The Bissau Project is now in the process of establishing boarding schools for teenage youth, to help advanced students to continue their education in religious and other subjects.

Building wells, mosques, and schools

The Bissau Project primarily invests in people, helping to strengthen the communities in their knowledge of Islam and to address their daily needs. 

However, in many cases construction or repair of community infrastructure is required, and over the past 5 years the Bissau Project has funded and managed construction and repair of at least 8 different mosque and school buildings, as well as constructed a well and water distribution system to provide fresh drinking water for the daily needs of a village of over 8,000 people.

It is vital to the Bissau Project's mission to be able to assist the people of Bissau with whatever they need, to help make their lives in Islam easier and more secure than they were before.

Zakat distribution direct to recipients in cash

Both from our own practical experience, from contemporary research, and from consultation with qualified trusted scholars, the Bissau Project team has concluded that the best method of zakat distribution in this region is to give zakat funds directly to eligible recipients in the form of cash. We believe this method is both closest to the Sunnah, as well as being most effective to lift recipients out of poverty.

While nearly every individual in these regions is technically eligible for zakat, the Bissau Project's strong local presence allows our team to identify the most needy among the community, including orphans, widows, the disabled, the elderly, and others, and to distribute zakat to these individuals preferentially.

As part of the zakat distribution process, the Bissau Project team also conducts a class for adults of the community, teaching both the fiqh of zakat, as well as reviewing fard 'ayn more generally. These classes generally take 2 days, and then a feast is held for the the entire village. This process ensures that recipients understand the significance and purpose of zakat, and that the entire process proceeds in the best and most honorable way, both for those who pay zakat and for those who receive it.

Social enterprise investments

At its inception, the Bissau Project was funded by donations. While donations still comprise the majority of funding, the Bissau Project team has begun to make local social enterprise investments, to begin the transition to a more self-sustaining funding model. 

The Bissau Project focuses on investments that provide benefits and essential services to the community. Among the early investments have been two tractors, which are used for agricultural and construction projects, and a mini truck that provides transport for goods and people between villages and over longer distances. Both the tractors and the truck are now continually in use, assisting local communities with construction projects, transport of goods to markets, and other needs. 

These machines are made available at a fair rate, which is affordable for local residents, and also sustains employment for drivers and a team of assistants for each machine. In addition to providing essential services, the truck and tractors now provide full time employment for approximately 10 people. The Bissau Project team is exploring ways to both expand these investments as well as other similar opportunities. 

Package distribution

This year, the Bissau Project team distributed 1500 Iftar packages to families across 6 villages. With over 30 kg of staple foods each, including rice, dates, oil, sugar, tea, and more, each package was sufficient to feed a family of 8 for an entire month.

Each of these packages also included a cash gift sufficient to cover a family's expenses for the month. It is hoped that these packages would help these families to experience the blessings and the joy, by relieving their worldly needs for this period of time. 

A long-term plan

The Bissau Project is now in year 4 of its strategic plan. This roadmap calls for gradually expanding our capacity to serve the communities of Bissau, through expanded education services, partnerships with other NGO's, additional social enterprise investments, and more.

The Bissau Project team is honored to serve the people of Bissau, to be “the best of people to all people.” With that goal in mind, the team of course gives a special attention to the Muslims of the community, especially the large numbers of recent converts. The Bissau Project team is firmly committed to helping the Muslims of Bissau to become strong and secure within their religion, and to helping them to feel truly connected to the global Ummah, in a way that benefits all.