Who Are We

Letter from Ayman and Sawsan Asfari

We met away from our home countries and settled in England decades ago.  We are both keenly aware of how fortunate we have been in escaping the tragedy and destruction caused by war, occupation and poor governance.  We also realise the importance of a strong civil society and the rule of law, of exposure to diversity and tolerance and the lasting impact of a good education.

We established the Asfari Foundation in 2006, after years of reactive giving.  We wanted to create a long-term impact that focuses on the issues we felt most passionately about – education, and the building of a strong civil society which is the foundation for any fair, resilient, sustainable and productive society.

We are proud of what the Foundation has accomplished in its short life.  Whilst there is no limit to what should be done, especially in the countries we originally came from, through our partners we have provided scholarships, fellowships and training to hundreds of young people across the UK and the Middle East, established the Asfari Centre for Civil Society and Citizenship at the American University in Beirut and provided relief and education to tens of thousands of Syrians, displaced following the recent uprising, to name just a few programmes.

Young people deserve a good education and the right to live in tolerant and pluralistic societies.  So much ability cannot be wasted.  Hope for a better life will not die in the face of today’s grim realities, especially in the Middle East.  We want to play a small role in realising the potential of the youth, to make manifest our shared dreams of a safer, more inclusive and happier tomorrow.

-Ayman and Sawsan Asfari

Vision

The Foundation's vision is to create a world where justice is the norm, and every person has an equal opportunity to transform their lives, invest in their communities, and shape the future of their countries. With this vision at the forefront, the Foundation is committed to making a positive impact on society.

Mission

To fulfill this mission, the Foundation invests in and supports a resilient and empowered civil society infrastructure and innovative youth leaders. By doing so, the Foundation aims to create a transformative and positive change in communities and countries.

Values

The Foundation's values guide every aspect of its work.

Commitment

is the driving force behind our efforts, as we strive to make a meaningful long-lasting difference in the communities we serve. We understand that this requires time, patience, and a long-term investment

Diversity and Inclusivity

are in the core of our values as we aim to support everyone in our targeted communities and people including marginalised and voiceless individuals and groups.

Partnership

is also critical to our approach. We value listening to our partners, sharing learning experiences, and creating connections to improve our work and that of our partners.

Excellence

is what the Foundation strives for in all that it does and we work hard to uphold a high level of professionalism and quality in partnership with our collaborators.

Transparency

is placed with great importance within the Foundation. Together with our partners, we celebrate successes and learn from failure. we conduct our work with integrity and to the highest standard.

Innovation

we take pride in experimenting, with our partners, for new solutions to the region's most pressing challenges. We encourage creativity among our staff and collaborators to achieve our mission and positively impact our communities and people.