Standing by vulnerable is duty, not choice: Sultan

INARA, which helps displaced children in Lebanon and Turkey; The Lotus Flower from Iraq, which empowers women and Refushe from Kenya will share the award

His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, during a virtual event has said that Sharjah is commited to support refugees around the world by extending a strong and reliable helping hand reflected in several sustainable humanitarian programmes that mirror the ethos of its cultural project

The virtual event was held to honour the winner of the fith annual Sharjah International Award for Refugee Advocacy and Support (SIARA 2021) held on Sunday.

“Sharjah will always be steadfast with building on the values of co-operation and partnership to create a world where love and justice will always prevail. In our religion, as in our Arab culture, standing by the vulnerable and people in need is a duty, not a choice. It is also a daily responsibility and not a sporadic reaction,” said Sheikh Sultan.

The virtual award ceremony of SIARA’S 2021 edition was organised by The Big Heart Foundation (TBHF), a Sharjah-based global humanitarian charity, in collaboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and held on Sunday ( June 20), which is marked globally as World Refugee Day — an annual observance designed to honour refugees from around the world.

In recognition and appreciation of the outstanding past work and future projects of three entities shortlisted for SIARA 2021, namely, Refushe from Kenya; International Network for Aid Relief and Assistance (INARA), which works for forcibly displaced children and youth in Lebanon and

Turkey; and The Lotus Flower from Kurdistan, Iraq, which economically empower vulnerable women and girls at the grass roots through innovative projects,tbhf and Uae-based women’s empowerment entity, NAMA Women Advancement Establishment (NAMA), have collaborated to create an Dhs1.1 million ($ 300,000) special grant, which has been divided evenly among the three chosen non-profits.

The event witnessed the participation of Filippo Grandi, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Mariam Al Hammadi, Director, TBHF and senior officials.

At the award ceremony, which was facilitated by renowned Arab media personality, Maysoon Azzam, Sheikh Sultan noted: “Undoubtedly, we share these religious and cultural values with all nations and cultures worldwide because helping the less fortunate is a core human value rooted in every culture, and are close to the hearts of all individuals. This leads us to discussing the significance of humanitarian institutions who have been successful in consolidating their intent, energies and capabilities to design sustainable projects that have changed the lives of thousands... even millions of refugees and needy people worldwide.”

One such entity on which SIARA turned the spotlight on this year with its Dhs500,000 ($136,000) cash prize is REFUSHE, a Nairobi-based humanitarian agency founded in 2008 to address the significant, unmet need for child and girl-focused refugee services in Kenya.

Reiterating the fact that by extending support to those in need, communities ultimately create a bright future for all, Sheikh Sultan opined: “Societies are shaped by values, and people’s actions determine what these values are. Those who carry out good deeds and sincerely help those in need, contribute to shaping a culture of empathy, compassion and cohesion in their communities.

“Based on this tenet, humanitarian organisations deserve every bit of society’s support and must be provided everything they need to execute key humanitarian programmes and initiatives. It is because these entities open the door of hope for the forcibly displaced and are a trusted place for anyone seeking to carry out humanitarian work,” said Sheikh Sultan.

Refushe’s leading contributions in child and girl-focused refugee development highlighted by SIARA 2021 as COVID-19 leaves them more vulnerable than ever.

The onset of the coronavirus pandemic has had a severe impact on children, girls and women whose challenges and hardships have further intensified in the wake of a global public health crises.

It is in light of these altered circumstances that the SIARA selection commitee has chosen a girland woman-centric humanitarian organisation from Kenya, ‘REFUSHE’ to honour at SIARA 2021.

We will always be steadfast with building on the values of co-operation and partnership to create a world where love and justice will always prevail, says Sultan at the virtual SIARA 2021 award ceremony.

Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi atended a virtual event held to honour the winner of the fith annual Sharjah International Award for Refugee Advocacy and Support ( SIARA 2021).

A TBHF-NAMA special grant of Dhs1.1 million (US$ 300,000) was awarded to three non-profit organisations during the event.

In recognition and appreciation of the outstanding past work and future projects, three entities were shortlisted for SIARA 2021, namely, Refushe from Kenya; International Network for Aid Relief and Assistance (INARA), which works for forcibly displaced children and youth in Lebanon and Turkey; and The Lotus Flower from Kurdistan, Iraq, which economically empowers vulnerable women and girls at the grassroots through innovative projects.

TBHF and Uae-based women’s empowerment entity, NAMA Women Advancement Establishment (NAMA), have collaborated to create Dhs1.1 million.

The special grant has been divided evenly among the three chosen non-profits.

Established in 2017, the Sharjah International Award for Refugee Advocacy and Support (SIARA) honours humanitarian oufits across Asia, the Middle East and Africa and draws global atention to their outstanding efforts and initiatives in improving lives of refugee communities.

The Big Heart Foundation Director, Mariam Al Hammadi, noted that the hundreds of entries SIARA receives every year from remarkable organisations worldwide, each with a story worth honouring and supporting, make the selection process for TBHF rather tough.

She added: “At SIARA, we firmly believe that outstanding humanitarian action is one that not only supports people, but also hones their talents and capabilities, helping them turn their dreams into tangible achievements despite the challenges they face. Hence, it is with great pleasure that we have chosen REFUSHE from Kenya as the winner of the fith edition of the SIARA Award.”

The non-profit’s “exceptional journey has brought hope to the lives of thousands of girls and women. It has empowered them with education, moral support and all the necessary tools to facilitate their transformation from refugees into engaged, productive members of their community,” she further noted, adding, “this award is the least we can do to express our appreciation of Refushe’s outstanding efforts, and to ensure the sustainability of its impact. They have managed to open a window of hope in these dark times – hope that everyone, regardless of their circumstances, has a right to live with dignity, and that it can be achieved, with God’s grace and human effort.”

Al Hammadi concluded her address by stressing on the importance of partnerships to promote philanthropy, which resulted in the creation of SIARA’S first-ever special grant to benefit three, not one, non-profit.

“Sharjah, as you know, is deeply commited to working collaboratively in order to promote efforts to support human beings in distress. To this end, NAMA Women Advancement Establishment has partnered with TBHF to fund this exceptional special grant, as the projects of the nominees align with NAMA’S vision to enable communities by empowering women, girls and youth,” Al Hammadi asserted.

For the 2021 edition of SIARA, the selection process was supported and enhanced by a Selection Commitee comprising TBHF and UNHCR representatives; Professor Kevin Mitchel, Chancellor of the American University of Sharjah; and Petrina Shee, Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of Dignity for Children Foundation, past winner of SIARA.

Al Hammadi thanked the commitee for facilitating the selection process of the winner and the special grantees through their careful screening and review of all 213 nominations this year.

An elated Geoffrey Thige, CEO of “REFUSHE,” accepted the Dhs500,000 (US$136,000) SIARA award and TBHF-NAMA special grant of $100,000 on behalf of REFUSHE, and said: “We are all ecstatic that ater so many years of caring for refugees, we have been able to turn the spotlight on our efforts on a prestigious global plaform. I am excited that organisations like TBHF and UNHCR are supporting humanitarian work for refugees. Thank you for bringing us and the work we do every day into the limelight.”