Lebanon, Morocco sole Arabs among finalists of 2024 Schwab Foundation Social Innovation Awards

Lebanon, Morocco sole Arabs among finalists of 2024 Schwab Foundation Social Innovation Awards
05 / 11 / 2023
By Marwa Nassar - -

Rudayna Abdo, CEO of Thaki, Lebanon, and Mohamed Amine Zariat, President of Tibu Africa, Morocco, are the sole Arab institution included among the finalists of the 2024 Schwab Foundation Social Innovation Awards in the category of Social Entrepreneurs.

Drawn from 18 different countries, the finalists are working in some of the most challenging and underserved regions. They are collectively impacting, according to aggregated data reported by the organizations, 80 million lives around the world, tackling critical social issues ranging from justice, economic mobility and youth empowerment to healthcare and clean energy. They are showcasing through their systemic approaches that change towards a better future is not only possible — it is already underway.

Tibu Africa, a Moroccan NGO working in the field of youth empowerment and socio-economic inclusion through sport, was elected, on 24 November 2022 in Johannesburg, as the best NGO in North Africa by the organization Leading like Mandela and Sport for Social Change network.

Tibu Africa operates from the perspective of being in alignment with Nelson Mandela’s famous maxim which said “Sport has the power to change the world and the power to inspire and unite people like few other means. make.”

TIBU also provides opportunities for physically disabled youth to build their confidence through inclusive sports.

Through its many programs with a strong social impact, the Moroccan NGO contributes to the professional integration of young people, the socio-economic integration of young people from the sub-Saharan diaspora and returning Moroccans, the emancipation and empowerment of young girls in urban and rural areas, the empowerment of women in working-class neighborhoods and the inclusion of young people with reduced mobility through the power of sport.

Tibu Africa provides wide national coverage in more than 25 cities and 12 regions of Morocco as well as in 6 African capitals. It aims to become the locomotive of sport for development in Africa by 2030.

Meanwhile, Thaki is a social impact non-profit organization registered in Netherlands and Lebanon. It takes donated and used computer hardware and edtech software, and delivers these vital learning tools to schools that cater to refugee and vulnerable children in the Middle East. As a women-led NGO, it also works to secure brighter future by providing digital education to refugee children, no matter their circumstances.

Thaki backs nine of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Thaki backs SDG 4 on Quality Education through providing access to quality educational equipment and material to refugee and vulnerable children, and supporting teachers with training tools and resources

It also supports SDG 5 on Gender Equality through helping girls avoid early and forced marriage. Many of its partners focus on education and digital literacy for women and girls.

It also promotes SDG 8 on Decent Work and Economic Growth as its  partners empower women and youth with skills and workplace training, and Thaki provides the digital platform to further that mission.

It also reinforces SDG 9 on Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure as Thaki’s plug-and-play system is preloaded with a wealth of offline content, increasing access to information.

It also buttresses SDG 10 on Reduced Inequality as its partners empower women and youth with skills and workplace training, and Thaki provides the digital platform to further that mission.

Thaki supports SDG  12 on Responsible Consumption and Production. Every year, over 50Mt of e-waste is generated globally. Extending a used laptop’s life is part of the circular model that is at the core of what Thaki does.

As for SDG 13 on Climate Action, Thaki tracks and offsets carbon emissions arising from core operational activities like working from home, business travel and logistics.

It also backs SDG 16 on Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions. Thaki’s education content promotes human rights, gender equality, peaceful coexistence, global citizenship and diversity.

As for SDG 17 on Partnership for the goals, collaboration and multi-stakeholder partnerships are at the core of Thaki’s business model.

The winners of the 2024 Social Innovation Awards will be unveiled during the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos in January 2024, celebrating their exceptional contributions to a more equitable and sustainable world.

Each of these finalists, with their innovative and impactful work, serve as an inspiring testament to the transformative power of social innovation and the global pursuit of positive change.

For 25 years, the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship has been at the forefront of bringing together the world’s leading social innovators across diverse sectors and geographical boundaries. Each year, through a rigorous selection process, the Schwab Foundation receives a plethora of nominations for the annual Social Innovation Awards, highlighting exceptional Social Innovators bringing about meaningful change in the world.

Social innovators the world over are building trust through systemic solutions to the many challenges facing the world today. They positively impact our economic systems, societies and the environment.

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