New generation of Gulf philanthropists wants a seat at the table

The younger generation of philanthropists in the Gulf is pushing for a more active role in development programs, demanding innovative and measurable outcomes. Sonia Ben Jaafar, CEO of the Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation, expressed that Gulf donors desire to contribute to shaping programs rather than merely funding them. Her foundation, established in 2015 by Emirati billionaire Abdulla Al Ghurair, has become a significant player in education, reaching around 500,000 young individuals over the past decade.

The foundation operates as a business, employing performance metrics to evaluate grants and tie funding decisions to outcomes, such as job placement rates.

Badr Jafar, the UAE’s special envoy for business and philanthropy, is fostering collaboration between private donors, businesses, and governments to address humanitarian needs. He emphasized the necessity of a new framework for public-private-philanthropic partnerships instead of merely filling gaps left by governments. The Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation measures success through a business-like approach, focusing on generating impact for the communities they serve.

They boast an impressive 78% job placement rate, which is exceptionally high. Their programs extend to Syria, where they train young Syrians in construction skills and pay them to work on refurbishing schools damaged during the war. The foundation also operates a fund to educate refugees in Lebanon and Jordan. They practice outcomes-based funding, ceasing support for programs that fail to meet milestones or prove ineffective.