Hope makers in Arab world can dream big now

Academy set up by Shaikh Mohammad will help transform personal projects into sustainable humanitarian initiatives

Our greatest hope is for peace,” US President Donald Trump said in a video address at the opening ceremony of the new American embassy in occupied Jerusalem. The US president’s odious statement sounded hollow as Gaza burnt in the wake of his despicable decision: the worst act in the history of the Arab-Zionist conflict.

While US and Israeli officials celebrated, Zionist military forces massacred 60 Palestinians and wounded 2,770 others. More tragedies struck the world the same day. Dust storms wreaked havoc across northern India, killing at least 90 people and injuring dozens of others, while a family carried out a deadly suicide attack on a police station in Indonesia killing ten people. A terrorist brought panic back to Paris, stabbing one person to death and injuring four others. What a night!

The Arab world continued to teeter on edge. The endless series of killings and destruction continued in Syria, while Libya and some other countries are still facing the threat of Daesh terrorists. And Qatar continues to pump funds to stoke tensions by supporting the Muslim Brotherhood and other terrorist organisations.

Amid all this gloom and strife, the UAE experienced a special evening that was broadcast live to the world. It was an evening that celebrated Arab Hope Makers, who were honoured by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

The Arab Hope Makers initiative is exceptional since it comes at a time of conflicts, killings, destruction, poverty, despair, and diseases. It is a resounding success despite all the turbulence in the region. The initiative that was launched two years ago received 87,000 submissions. Each one of the five finalists has his/her own story of hope. Umm Dana, a Kuwaiti woman, had to cope with the death of her five-year-old daughter Dana in a swimming accident. The tragedy failed to weigh down Umm Dana, who found the strength to look beyond her personal loss and dedicated her life to helping Syrians displaced by the raging civil war.

A young Sudanese who devoted his life to fighting hunger in the villages of his country by launching the ‘Food for Education’ initiative. You can also find the same selfless drive in the eyes of an Egyptian woman who provides hope by taking care of women inmates and their children. The fourth hope maker is an Iraqi woman who takes care of Iraqi refugees and displaced persons.

The Arab Hope Maker 2018 winner turned out to be a young Egyptian who found his happiness in looking after homeless elderly. His Cairo-based charity ‘Saving Human Dignity’ not only provides shelter to the elderly and helps them live a dignified life, it also inspires others to follow suit.

Shaikh Mohammad, who has been touched by these inspirational stories, gave the five finalists a cash prize of Dh1 million each. He also announced the launch of the Arab Hope Makers Academy with a budget of Dh50 million to support Arab philanthropic projects and all Arab hope makers who work to help the people in need. The academy aims to support Arab hope makers who are role models. The academy, as Shaikh Mohammad said, is an inspirational human incubator for Arab hope makers and will transform their projects into sustainable humanitarian missions.

Around 87,000 applicants participated in the Arab Hope Makers initiative. There must be many more whose wonderful initiatives and projects provide hope to millions. Each of them has a dream and desire to fill the lives of the less fortunate with hope. In these turbulent times, there is no better deed than instilling hope in the deprived and desperate. The academy will go a long way in realising Shaikh Mohammad’s goal.

■ Saeed Hamdan is an Emirati writer based in Abu Dhabi.

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