Projects Update
Where are they now?
Over the years, the project-based part of our work has increased, and we have supported a range of activities with like-minded institutions. The focus of the MBI Al Jaber Foundation’s project department is on educational and cultural projects, and we concentrate on forging partnerships rather than simply giving grants and we strive to create an environment in which we can bring people together in the name of greater understanding and awareness of one another’s cultures.
We recently caught up with a couple of the organisations that have been awarded grants from us in the past to find out what they are doing now and how Foundation support has helped them:
Vaseem Mohamed
In 2005 and 2006, the Foundation sponsored two art exhibitions featuring the art work of artist Vaseem Mohamed at St. Botolph’s Church Aldgate in London. Vaseem grew up within sight of the church, thus it was a natural venue for a show of his paintings. The Unity and the Light of Hope exhibitions, portrayed Vaseem’s work which features Arabic calligraphy, including verses from the Qur’an, and the paintings were displayed in a Christian church as a symbol of tolerance and respect for the two different religions. Through the collaboration of the Foundation, the artist and the church, we created an interfaith context in order to build bridges between various communities.
Over the years, Vaseem's work has evolved, always picking up and shedding influences, yet his most distinctive feature appears to be ever-present, namely his childhood appreciation of form, colour, and texture. Foundation support has introduced Vaseem to a network of people throughout the years, and the Foundation has also exhibited Vaseem’s work in their offices on numerous occasions, where we are still fortunate enough to have work on display.
Vaseem regularly exhibits his art and also works on commissions. Vaseem’s latest work is called “The Familiar & Unfamiliar Territories” which exhibited in The Changing Room Gallery (behind The Willam Morris gallery) last July. Vaseem has an exhibition in Oman (Muscat October 2010) and will be travelling this spring to research and then return to London to produce a collection of work that reflects the historical city and its country. The Foundation continues to support Vaseem’s efforts now and in the future by offering him encouragement, support and sponsorship. http://www.vaseemmohamed.com/
Society Voice Foundation/ Ibrahim Natil
In 2006, the MBI Al Jaber Foundation supported Society Voice Foundation for Community and Civil Work, a non-profit, non-governmental and non-partisan organistion established in Gaza in 2001 with a mission to empower the Palestinian civil society by designing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating a series of community actions, through a grant made towards “Empowering Women in Gaza”.
Through this project, Director of SVF and MBI Alumni Ibrahim Natil aimed to build the leadership capacities and knowledge in political participation, legislation, democratic governance of 90 young women leaders, by training young women aged 18 to 25 in the principles and techniques of political and social participation, and women’s rights.
The Society Voice Foundation now has three different offices in Gaza Strip and the West Bank and has cooperated with more than ten reputable donors in the last four years such as OFID, European Commission, Care International, WWDP, TIRI, Arab Fund for Social and Economic Development, Westminster Foundation for Democracy and MEPI.
In 2007, SVF implemented a project with the European Commission entitled "Empower Women's Political and Social Participation in the Gaza Strip.” Currently, SVF runs three different projects: “Increase Process of Public Monitoring, Accountability, Transparency of Municipality Services”, “Empower Future Young Leadership on Parliamentary Work and Monitoring Corruption” and "Psycho-Social Support for Gazan Children”. SVF seeks to continue and develop its operations in the Palestinian territories to contribute to the development of the Palestinian society and its social change process. http://www.svacc.org/
