Did you know that the greatest beneficiary of the good you do is you before anyone else? We feel that everything we do is a drop in a wide ocean, but the vast ocean will decrease if that drop is lost from it.
– Mother Teresa Denny (1910 – 1997) [1]
This is what Mother Teresa said, who devoted her life to philanthropy and helping people and has become a role model for peace to this day. [2]
In this context, the former Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, said that philanthropy is one of the best investments we can make for our common future. He called on people everywhere to be part of the United Nations’ 15-year partnership, which aims to make sustainable development a reality for all , for humanity, and to help the marginalized and the poor rise out of want and suffering. [3]
And because the ocean is nothing but drops, and every drop makes a difference – as Mother Teresa said – the charity has many benefits, the most important of which are:
Philanthropy, like volunteerism and charity, offers the opportunity to strengthen social bonds and contribute to creating more inclusive and resilient societies. Philanthropy has the potential to offset the harms of humanitarian crises. It also has the capacity to support public services in the areas of medical care, education, housing, and child protection. Charitable work has a very essential role in improving culture, science, sports, and protecting cultural heritage. As well as promoting the rights of the marginalized and the deprived and spreading the humanitarian message in conflict situations.
Charitable work also has a positive impact on all individuals who work in it through its quest to achieve several things, the most important of which are: Activating participation among people, reducing the impact of poverty, developing an internal sense of responsibility towards those in need, and notifying them of their ability to give. [3]
The United Nations has set an agenda for sustainable development goals, which can be framed in four areas: people, planet, prosperity, peace, and partnership. Presents concepts that seek to empower individuals to better contribute to the betterment of our world.
By adopting the 2030 Development Agenda in September 2015, the United Nations recognized that the eradication of poverty in all its forms, forms, and dimensions is an enormous global challenge and an indispensable requirement for achieving sustainable development.
That agenda calls for strengthening the spirit of global solidarity. It focuses mainly on the needs of the weakest and the poorest. It also recognizes the role of the diversified private sector. From micro-enterprises to cooperatives, to multinational corporations. It also recognizes the role played by civil society and charitable organizations in implementing the new agenda. [3]
The United Nations and international institutions face real difficulties in activating charitable work, including the lack of funding, the lack of culture in the concept of volunteering and its importance, the weakness of attracting volunteers, the impact of international political relations and their problems on coordinating charitable efforts between countries, in addition to what is related to the organizational structure and the professional level of workers in those organizations.
There are also problems related to the organizational structure, such as the weakness of institutional building in general, the control of some individuals over activities and funding, and the lack of compatibility between administrative structures and the objectives of the organization.
At the local level, charitable works in Syria varied in their official or non-affiliated forms, online or on the ground. Among them, we mention our initiative, the Uplifting Syrian Women Initiative, established in 202, which is concerned with Syrian women of all ages, and recently some of its services have expanded to include males to benefit from the workshops and courses.
It is worth mentioning that the Uplifting Syrian Women Initiative is a non-profit, educational, and awareness-raising digital initiative that aims to help Syrian women, of all ages, expertise or beliefs, meet their goals no matter how far-fetched.
Among our most important services currently offered are:
Also read: International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition.
♀️ Uplifting Syrian Women Initiative aims at sustainable peace building in Syria through targeting women and providing them with free online courses, workshops, discussion sessions and trainings, with a view to achieving the goals of Gender Equality, Quality Education and Decent Work and Economic Growth, which all fall into the interest of society as a whole and serve the purpose of rebuilding it.
References:
[1] Hekam
[2] UN News
[3] UN Observances
[4] Medad Center