Safa Muhammad Uses Her Talent to Give to Others

What a way to start the new year! Safa Muhammad, a senior at Peace Academy, has devoted her last year to help raise awareness and funds for the Afghan refugees being resettled to the Tulsa area. Taking advantage of the COVID-19 quarantine, Safa took this as her chance to perfect her hobby of photography and give back to the community by creating Relief-Photography.com.

Photo courtesy of Safa Muhammad

TK: What is Relief-Photography.com?

Safa: Relief-Photography.com is a website that I created to share my photography while also being able to give back to my community.

TK: How did you come up with this concept to help raise awareness and funds for the Afghan refugees?

Safa: Relief Photography was originally just a way for me to exercise my hobby of photography and share my work at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Then I realized that this would be a great way to showcase my work as well as give back to others and my community, especially in these difficult times.

TK: What success have you had, and how much have you raised so far? 

Safa: In the past year, we raised about $1,200 through a campaign called Fund Her Future that helped provide interest-free loans to victims of domestic violence, as well as upwards of $2,500 through a campaign for school supplies for the Afghan refugee children in Tulsa. We also worked with other organizations in the spring to provide 100 caregiver packages for cancer patients in the Washington D.C. area. Last year we worked alongside other local organizations to create 100 winter care packages for the homeless during the height of the winter pandemic.

TK: What do these funds go toward?

Safa: These funds go toward various humanitarian causes, most of which are local. Currently, these funds are going toward helping the Afghan refugees that are continuing to be resettled in the greater Tulsa area.

TK: Have you done anything like this in the past?

Safa: In the past, I have participated in a lot of humanitarian work as a volunteer, but this is the first time I have taken the initiative to start a campaign to help others.

TK: What advice do you have for someone looking to get into humanitarian work?

Safa: For someone looking to get into humanitarian work, I advise them to research different humanitarian organizations in their area where they can easily get involved. The best way is to volunteer for many different organizations and find what you really love. Searching for local non-profits on the website greatnonprofits.org is a great way to get started.

TK: What are your favorite local humanitarian groups that you like to volunteer for?

Safa: Some of my favorite local humanitarian groups that I like to volunteer for are the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma, the Tulsa Day Center, the SurayyaAnne Foundation, and Kids Helping Humanity.

TK: Who inspires you?

Safa: My mother inspires me. She has moved around a lot and held positions in various fields, but she never ceases to be selfless and persistent in her kindness and determination to help others.

TK: What do you want to be when you grow up?

Safa: I’m still undecided, but I hope that whatever field I choose will continue to allow me to help others and make a difference.

TK: What is a fun fact about you?

Safa: I skipped first grade and am currently a 16-year-old senior. I have also lived in three different states.

Instagram: @relief__photography