Alghanim Industries, one of the largest privately owned companies in the MENA region, announced today the launch of its new initiative, named The MENA Philanthropy Leaders Initiative for Refugee Youth and Children. The initiative aims to raise at least $10 million in private sector funds to help educate and train Syrian refugees in the MENA region.
-
New initiative to focus on education, skills training and entrepreneurship
-
Alghanim Industries to commit $1.5 million, and lead efforts to raise a further $8.5 million
-
Target of reaching 100,000 young and child refugees by 2020
The initiative has been formally agreed upon during the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, between the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, and the Chief Executive Officer of Alghanim Industries, Omar K. Alghanim. The announcement builds on a 2017 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Alghanim Industries and the UNHCR. The MoU aims to fund and advocate for a series of educational and social awareness programs, including language skills and homework support groups, to aid the education of Syrian children and youth and prepare them to be contributing members to their host countries or upon their return to Syria.
The initial funding target is $10 million, with an immediate $1.5 million commitment from Alghanim Industries, which will be followed by efforts to advocate for additional private sector commitments from the business community in the MENA region. The initiative will be championed by Omar K. Alghanim, who will coordinate efforts to mobilize the much needed funds from regional business leaders and philanthropists who share the vision of preventing a lost generation.
The targeted $10 million in funding will be utilized for activities including vocational and academic education, skills training and support for refugee and internally displaced young people. The aim of the initiative is to reach some 100,000 young refugees and offer them interventions that will help them be the builders of economic and social progress when they return to their countries of origin.
Announcing the initiative, Omar K. Alghanim said: “Private sector leaders in our region must play a role in helping to rebuild economies and societies affected by the refugee crisis. We must focus our attention on ensuring displaced children and youth have access to the education and skills training they need. This is fundamental if they are to become constructive critical thinkers and great problem solvers – the next generation of business, social and political leaders.”
He went on to say, “Alghanim Industries has a long track-record in providing others with the support they need to become entrepreneurs and this represents an opportunity to extend our efforts towards struggling refugees, and bring hope to countries which have experienced the tragedy of conflict and displacement. In addition to pledging $1.5 million to kick-start the initiative, I will be coordinating efforts to mobilize at least $8.5 million from other philanthropic sources. We will then work with UNHCR to ensure the funds are deployed to maximum effect.”
Applauding this initiative, Filippo Grandi said: “This important initiative by Omar Alghanim is in-line with UNHCR’s strategic direction towards a whole-of-society approach; individuals and companies working hand in hand to ensure that people who have been forced to flee are able to rebuild their lives and take control of their futures. UNHCR welcomes this generous commitment, which highlights the importance of MENA’s business community in supporting the region’s displaced communities.”
Omar K. Alghanim conveyed his commitment to empowering the underprivileged, supporting education and encouraging entrepreneurship, which form Alghanim Industries’ Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) pillars. In addition to its partnership with UNHCR, the company is the largest supporter of INJAZ-Kuwait, and collaborates with AMIDEAST to provide language support to children at the Children’s Home orphanage in Kuwait.
About Alghanim Industries
Alghanim Industries is one of the oldest and largest, privately-owned companies in the MENA region. Founded over a century ago in Kuwait, the company today employs more than 15,000 people in 30 businesses across 40 countries in the Middle East, North Africa, Eastern Europe and Asia.
Alghanim Industries is a market leader in almost every major sector of its operations, which include: engineering, retail, automotive sales and service, insulation and pre-engineered steel building structures, logistics and warehousing, fast moving consumer goods, food & beverage, oil & gas, office automation, advertising, insurance, consumer credit and travel. The company is actively growing its brand portfolio, with a focus on top-tier global partners. Among them: Avis, British Airways, British Petroleum, Cathay Pacific, Daewoo, Honda, Saint-Gobain and Toshiba. Additionally, Alghanim Industries has created a number of successful regional businesses, including X-cite (consumer electronics), and Safat Home (lifestyle and home furniture). To learn more about Alghanim Industries, please visit http://www.alghanim.com
Services
Stakeholder mapping, analysis, engagement and communication needs to be detailed to avoid business losses or even worse, a crisis. How can you do this effectively to prevent failure? ...
Data-driven business decisions have never been as crucial, especially in this era. MGBF leverages off, technology, experience and market presence to aid businesses in making accurate decisions. ...
MGBF provides comprehensive strategic advice and results-focused solutions to solve clients' problems in business-government relations so they can focus on their core business. ...
A critical business challenge is meeting the right decision-makers and potential buyers through the best channel and platform. How will you improve your business competency? ...
Upcoming Events
MGBF founding chairman Nordin Abdullah and UMW Toyota president Datuk Ravindran K. will delve into the convergence of automotive innovation and environmental sustainability in Penang, Sarawak, Johor and Pahang.
Hosted by menumiz™ – an end-to-end restaurant management system – this roundtable will feature a case study presentation and a panel session to discuss the latest digital trends, challenges, and opportunities within the food and beverage sector.
In this episode of 'A Working Lunch with Nordin', MGBF's founding chairman, Nordin Abdullah, will host this discussion focusing on the biggest threats and opportunities for businesses as we look to manage change in the South China Sea.
This MGBF Roundtable will focus on regional food security issues and trends in the regional supply chain, and trade regulations and policies, including a new geopolitical tool i.e., weaponisation of supply chains.
MGBF In The News
Planet QEOS, KIS BlOCNG San Bhd, and the Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (SALCRA) have officially signed a tripartite memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish a collaborative framework aimed at producing bio-hydrogen via the Steam Biomethane Reforming (SBMR) Process. The MoU was signed by Planet QEOS executive chairman Dino […]
Planet QEOS and China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC) are interested in investing RM10 billion to co-develop advanced Megawatt peak (MWp) agrovoltaic in Baram, to further boost Sarawak’s green energy initiative and food security. Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg was briefed on Friday by both the […]
Last week SPM results came out, 373,974 aspirants who have been waiting patiently over the last few months would now know their fate. Some 10,109 have received all A’s, the golden standard of academic success and the ticket to those looking to study the “more advanced” subjects in university. Proudly, […]
The classic knee-jerk reaction is to say, fire the coach, change the leadership of associations, and reduce the funding till they start performing better. This kind of negative reinforcement may work for kindergarten children, but we are dealing with high-performance adults – individuals much further along in their psychological and […]
Since its earliest tea plantations in 1929, Cameron Highlands has grown to become a key player in the agricultural landscape of Malaysia, producing 40 per cent of all vegetables grown. Despite Malaysia shifting its economic focus away from agriculture, the industry remains imperative for food security and the livelihoods of […]
Although at first glance the travel industry and the agricultural sector appear to have nothing in common, they actually share more than meets the eye. The economic benefits of tourism to the agricultural sector can be multiplied several times over. “Tourism brings the end consumers closer to the source, which […]
The Malaysia Global Business Forum (MGBF) recently held a high-level roundtable themed ‘Designing the Future of the Digital Economy’, attended by industry leaders and business associations. The guest of honour was Yang Berhormat Syerleena Abdul Rashid, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bukit Bendera in Penang. The MP’s Special Session […]
The Malaysia Global Business Forum (MGBF) will be hosting a roundtable on ‘Designing the Future of the Digital Economy’ on 23 February 2023. It is the culmination of the first three MGBF Exclusive Roundtable Series titled ‘The Evolving Threat Matrix in the Digital Economy’ held throughout 2022. According to the […]
The Founding Chairman of the Malaysia Global Business Forum (MGBF), Nordin Abdullah, today spoke on Bernama TV’s leading English talk show, The Brief, hosted by Jessy Chahal, on the topic of a stable political reality and what that means for the Malaysian economy. Nordin said, “The first thing that it […]
More than 1,100 years ago, Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi was developing the mathematical formulas that we know today as algorithms which now have become so intertwined with the business fortunes of global media giants and the very fabric of geopolitics. A series of recent high level international reports have revealed […]
KSK Land has been recognised by the Malaysia Global Business Forum (MGBF) for its role in attracting high net-worth individuals to Malaysia post-pandemic. The first challenge in investor attraction is “selling” the country. In the context of Asia, Malaysia is competing with some very established investment destinations. The second […]
Malaysia, in particular Kuala Lumpur, continues to position itself as a regional centre to do business, educate a family and enjoy a global lifestyle. One company, KSK Land, has taken the lead in positioning itself and the city of Kuala Lumpur as a property investment destination for the global citizen […]
The upcoming budget represents an opportunity to build resilience in the critical sectors that will form the backbone of the country’s future-facing economic ambitions. This however needs to be achieved in the context of managing the community sectors most impacted by COVID-19 over the past two years. The Keluarga Malaysia (Malaysian Family) […]
Malaysia Global Business Forum (MGBF) has moved to support the creative economy as the overall economy moves into a recovery phase following the COVID19 pandemic. As a step in the direction of normalcy, the MGBF has agreed to host the art exhibition “I Know You’re Somewhere So Far” by one […]
Congratulations to Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob for taking up the mantle of the ninth prime minister of Malaysia. There is nothing normal about the situation; it could not have been scripted but it has kept the spectrum of media, mainstream and social, gripped. The first order of business for […]
In a stirring speech to the nation, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. stamped his brand of leadership on the presidency, in his first act as the 46th president of the United State of America, it signaled several shifts. Perhaps the weather was foreboding with snow falling before the ceremony that […]
KUALA LUMPUR, 6 July 2022 – As the global economy continues to deal with unprecedented levels of disruption caused by the pandemic and the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the convergence of energy security and food security issues has become a front-of-mind issue faced by policy makers and consumers alike. […]
KUALA LUMPUR, 23 June 2022 — Malaysia Global Business Forum (MGBF) ties up with scoutAsia to ensure that businesses are equipped with deeper regional insights. The past two years has seen a massive shift in the way businesses are conducted with digitisation, digitalisation and automation continuously being adopted to improve […]
KUALA LUMPUR, 25 May 2022 – The Malaysia Global Business Forum (MGBF)’s exclusive roundtable on ‘Security Concerns in Critical Value Chains’ was held in a hybrid setting yesterday at the Eastin Hotel Kuala Lumpur. The guest of honour was Yang Berbahagia Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Rafidah Aziz, former minister of […]