"Alfanar is a risk worth taking."

Tarek Ben Halim

That’s what our founder, Tarek Ben Halim, said about Alfanar Venture Philanthropy. Following a successful career in investment banking, Tarek put his vision of strengthening civil society in the Arab world into practice. Instead of hand-outs, Tarek wanted to invest in good ideas and bright leaders so that communities in the poorest areas of the region could rely on themselves to solve their biggest challenges. In 2004, he started Alfanar Venture Philanthropy.

Though he knew that Alfanar's strategy of offering financial grants and management expertise to small organisations was slightly unusual at the time – and sometimes took a bit of time to explain to people who were more familiar with traditional philanthropic giving – Tarek held the conviction that, over time, Alfanar’s investment in grassroots organisations would have a long-term impact of strengthening civil societies in the Arab world, one organisation at a time.

Alfanar made its first investments in Egypt in 2005, partnering with an environmental science centre for children, a recycled paper production unit and an association protecting child quarry workers. Five years on, Alfanar had invested in eight grassroots organisations in Egypt, positively impacting the lives of more than 4,000 Egyptians.

Sadly, it was just as Alfanar was flourishing that Tarek died of a brain tumour on 11 December 2009. Determined that his vision would continue on, Alfanar’s board members and staff have worked over the past 15 years to advance the organisation’s efforts and fulfil Tarek’s vision. Alfanar has since expanded to Lebanon, Palestine and Jordan, making a strategic decision to invest in organisations that economically empower women, youth and refugees; improve children’s education; and address the social and environmental impacts of climate change.

2024 marked Alfanar Venture Philanthropy's 20th year of empowering enterprise for social change. We have now impacted over 400,000 lives and provided funding, management support and training to 98 social enterprises – helping them achieve an average cost recovery rate of 66%. With each social enterprise we support, we are building a strong ecosystem to support the most disadvantaged communities in the Arab world that will last into the future.