Fadila Mawas is an alumna of TFL’s 11th cohort of fellows (2019–2021)
Before even graduating from the TFL Fellowship, Fadila was ready to continue serving her community beyond the program. Since 2018, she has been working with Leave an Impact (“Bader” in Arabic: بادر,), an initiative whose “main vision” Fadila outlines as “to have a community full of proactive citizens willing to give a hand to anyone in need. She has been head of HR at Leave an Impact since 2020.
Below, Fadila answers a few questions about the initiative:
Where is Leave an Impact based?
Bader is based in Tripoli and mainly targets Tripolitan families. However, our activities can reach families from Akkar and other northern areas.
How has the initiative evolved over the past 4 years?
When Bader was founded, it consisted only of a few friends who had just graduated from university and wanted to do something to help their community. They started by gathering used clothes and restoring them to be reused by less fortunate people. Over time, Bader’s family grew to around 50 volunteers who came from different fields and backgrounds and worked together tirelessly. This allowed Bader to diversify its activities, organize fundraising events, and help more people. Bader offers people what they need most whether it’s food, home appliances, home renovation, clothes, etc.
Do you provide other kinds of support to the communities you serve?
As our mission is to help those in need not only financially but also psychologically, our volunteers organize regular visits to orphanages and elderly homes, especially on holidays. We try to draw a smile on the faces of those we visit, to remind them that they are loved, that they are not alone, and that life still has much to offer. In the last few years we have visited دار الرعاية الاجتماعية ,and دار الأمل. However, due to the Covid19 pandemic and the safety measures that need to be taken, our visits have been postponed until further notice.
Are you the founder of this initiative?
Bader was founded in 2017 by Rabih Al Dannawi and a few of his friends. I joined a year later, when the initiative was still in its early days and short on volunteers. Since then, I have participated in many activities and have filled leading roles in the organization.
How do you fundraise?
Although we accept and encourage monetary donations, we took a decision not to make these our only source of income, because they are seasonal, unreliable, and can dry out sometimes, especially in the hard times we live in. Thus, we accept other types of donations, such as used books (that we resell later), clothes, home appliances, etc. We also take advantage of holidays and organize events both to bring some joy to the people of our beloved city and make us some money that we later use to help those in need. An example of such an event is selling flaming balloons the night before Eid Al-Adha and Eid Al-Fitr.
Do you get support from any other organization? Do you collaborate with a specific charity or entity?
Bader is backed only by the fundraising events it organizes and by the generous donations of people. However, collaborations with other organizations or entities are always welcome as long as these entities have the same goal as Bader, which is to help those in need – with no other agenda.
When is your next activity happening?
Bader’s next activity will be held at the beginning of the school year. We will try to provide the students with stationary and academic books they need at cheaper prices.
Meanwhile, Bader will continue its regular family visits and collect data on the less fortunate familie in our communities in order to provide help based on the families’ needs.
Do you have anything to say to current or prospective fellows? Or to a TFL audience in general?
TFL has reinforced the core values that I need as a citizen who strives to give back to her society, to help the less fortunate and leave a positive impact on their lives. It has taught me to be empathetic, to put myself in others’ positions, and to always seek to go the extra mile. Thank you TFL for granting me the opportunity to discover my true potential and my inner leader.
To prospective fellows I would say: “Seize such a chance and work for it because it truly is a once in a lifetime opportunity”
How can people help you or who can they reach out to if they want to help Bader?
All help to our initiative is welcome and thoroughly appreciated. We accept donations in all forms whether it’s money, books, clothes, or anything that can be used to help someone in need. People can contact us on our Facebook page, through our Instagram page, or by phone at +96170570917.
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