Lebanese charity wins top award for community development

Naba'a works with conflict and post-conflict marginalised communities A Lebanese charity's developmental work with refugee communities is set to be recognised at an award ceremony in London.   Representatives from Naba'a: Developmental Action without Borders, will receive The STARS Foundation's 2012 Africa & Middle East STARS Impact Award in the category of Protection, from former US President Bill Clinton.
The organisation has beaten a whole host of top international charities to win the award for outstanding work in conflict and post-conflict marginalised communities. Naba'a will also be given $100,000 of unrestricted funding, along with tailored consultancy support.
The charity has been praised for its rights-based approach on projects across the Middle East, with particular focus on the development of Syrian and Palestinian children in refugee camps.
Samia Zoued, STARS Foundation Programme Officer said: "Naba’a’s work centres on the belief that it takes only one person to positively impact an entire community, no matter how poor or marginalised.  With its approach stemming from the hallmarks of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the organisation seeks to expand the local communities' understanding of child rights issues, thereby narrowing the gap between international child right norms and local practices and thinking."
Naba’a’s community action plan involves working closely with regional volunteer committees, lead by highly respected community members, who can mobilise emergency resources very quickly. The organisation is currently supporting refugees that are fleeing from the ongoing Syrian conflict. UN figures predict that more than 700,000 Syrian refugees will be living in Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan and Iraq by the end of 2012.
Chairman of Naba'a: Developmental Action without Borders, Qassem Saad, says the organisation aims to encourage children and adolescents to actively engage in and support their communities. "Naba’a’s work is characterised by three defining factors including converting the relief and emergency provided into sustainable development and investing in the skills and the resources of the local community. While it is not possible to solve all the problems faced by a local community, we aim to help establish the confidence needed to tackle such problems effectively."
The STARS Foundation Impact Awards highlight and reward positive community projects around the world. Their awards ceremony will take place at Kensington Palace on Saturday night.