Introduction
Alwaleed Bin Talal Foundation (ABTF) is a charitable organization based in Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, America, Europe, and other parts of the world. It was founded by Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud who is a member of the Saudi royal family. The organization deals will numerous charitable issues depending on the region of its operation. Majorly, ABTF nurtures global cultural understanding and integration, empowers women and children, supports needy countries and communities, and provides Rapid Aids in response to natural calamities. The organization has been in existence for years and meets its obligations with accountability since its official inception in 2003 (Alexandrina, 2012).
ABTF consists of three philanthropic organizations dedicated to supporting its humanitarian obligations in Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, and beyond. On its commencement, the organization intended to benefit numerous groups in different communities within Saudi Arabia, other Middle East regions, and beyond. Additionally, it has expanded its scope considerably in the recent past in response to consistently emerging issues. Its impacts on communities through women empowerment programs are considerable. It reports its outcomes periodically through stringent, accountable, comprehensive, and transparent means.
Organization’s History
ABTF has a rich history in the realms of its inception, core values, operations, mandates, and achievements. It has touched many lives for many years with its novel programs and continues to do so. ABTF was started by Prince Alwaleed to accomplish his charitable passion for humanity. As a global businessman and royal family member, the prince intended to give back to the community through various humanitarian programs. Initially, Prince Alwaleed founded and expanded Kingdom Holding Company, which operated globally and formulated a culture of giving back and supporting communities.
Contextually, Saudi Arabia has been running numerous philanthropic activities since the 1980s. Consequently, Prince Alwaleed established (in 1996) an institution named Kingdom Foundation to help in coordinating and supervising all his Saudi Arabian and global charitable foundations. In 2003, Kingdom Foundation was renamed to be Alwaleed Bin Talal Foundation (ABTF) and recognized by the Ministry of Social Affairs. The organization has been executing its duties coherently and passionately to help humankind. Its component of cultural understanding ensures global tolerance amidst religions.
Who is intended to Benefit
ABTF benefits numerous communities globally since it has specific programs for definite groups. Concurrently, it runs programs for the entire humankind regardless of race, sex, culture, or sexual course. Since the organization endeavors to support humanitarian projects in Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, and other parts of the world, it strives to improve the lives of numerous people through its well-governed programs. Precisely, it has boundless commitments to the entire community (Alwaleedfoundations, 2012). Its cultural understanding program intends to benefit everybody regardless of cultural and religious orientation.
This mandate is achieved through its interfaith and intercultural programs established in various universities and institutions in Asia, the US, and the UK among other regions. This program intends to create dialogue and religious understanding among different groups within the community. Additionally, its outreach centers set in various countries help in achieving this goal. It is through cultural integration and religious understanding that the world’s harmony can be achieved (Alexandrina, 2012).
The program benefits Muslims in preserving religious heritages globally. Despite this, it also creates a mutual understanding among the concerned parties. Furthering dialogue between countries on contentious issues is important in enhancing harmony within the world. ABTF benefits numerous groups using this comprehensive program.
Additionally, its programs on Community Development and poverty alleviation are intended to benefit various groups within the society. Providing the community and some individuals with innovative and entrepreneurial minds helps in creating more economic opportunities meant to alleviate poverty in the regions tackled. ABTF endeavors to benefit anybody included in its programs (Ahmed, 2010). By supporting various humanitarian organizations, ABTF touches numerous lives with distinctiveness. The organization similarly possesses a health initiative program, which touches on global health. This ensures that communities can access good health provisions and lead a healthy living (Alwaleedfoundations, 2012).
This has been possible through health initiative forums, mobilization on healthy living, funding health programs, and supporting organizations, which deal with health issues in various communities. Concurrently, the organization also benefits students through its educational programs. It helps in empowering girl child students within Saudi Arabia and beyond through the provision of facilities necessary for such moves. Additionally, its leadership initiative programs help in establishing and nurturing future leaders for appropriate governance. This program endeavors to benefit ambitious and aspiring leaders in various regions.
Another program that ABTF tries to benefit the community is Rapid Aid Initiative. This program is meant to respond to saving victims of natural calamities. Since natural disasters are unexpected and affect victimized communities devastatingly, responding to their rescue is the best thing an organization can do. ABTF also intends to benefit women through various empowerment programs. This allows women to realize and nurture their potential within the community (Alwaleedfoundations, 2012).
ABTF has designed various programs helpful in supporting women in all their endeavors. This is evident in the creation of various opportunities meant to enhance the well-being of women. To maximize its impact on people, the organization has been selective but sensitive in its funding programs. There are procedures set to enhance this process. Additionally, since the organization operates regionally and beyond, it has to oversee its projects and affiliate programs to ensure that they reach the needy people and meet their intended obligations.
Whether its scope has expanded
The scope of the ABTF has expanded significantly ranging from its operations to programs it funds globally. Having started minutely as an organization that gives back to the community just in Saudi Arabia, ABTF has expanded its global visibility and corporate social responsibility. Currently, it funds numerous humanitarian organizations and runs bountiful programs to meet its philanthropic mandates. It has gone beyond Saudi Arabia and Lebanon and operates in various continents as indicated earlier.
From this context, it is apparent that numerous individuals have gained massively from the organization. Its ability to encompass various humanitarian programs and fund other viable organizations indicates its prowess and expansion since its inception. Additionally, it has various outreach programs in different renowned universities in the world including Harvard, Cambridge, and Edinburgh. This similarly indicates how expansive the organization has been.
The programs that ABTF initiated to support women and children were never expansive before as they are currently. Additionally, its movements and desires to support other organizations have been increased in varying contexts. It has branches and other affiliate organizations in the Middle East and other regions demonstrating how it has grown in its scope and operations (Ahmed, 2010).
The organization was initially named as Kingdom Foundation; nonetheless, due to its expansion in the realms of scope, management, and operations, it was renamed to be ABTF with global limelight. This was also in appreciation of what Prince Alwaleed started decades ago. From this perspective, it is suitable to declare this organization appropriate, relevant, and expansive in its operations and beyond.
How it reports on its outcomes
ABTF reports its outcomes periodically, comprehensively, and suitably to ensure that it is accountable to the public, stakeholders, and beyond. Since it has numerous programs in place, it has to consider the aspects of every program and the durations involved. Some programs run for years ranging from one to five.
These programs have evaluation phases whose outcomes must be supported in time. Additionally, other humanitarian organizations, which are funded by ABTF have to conform to the reporting schedules and be accountable for all operations they undertook. The reporting phenomenon usually starts with the evaluation of the project demands, organizational operations, initial objectives, and other provisions viable in the reporting schedules. Analyzing and concluding these provisions have proved worthy to the concerned stakeholders.
What resources have been provided?
ABTF provides financial resources to the concerned beneficiaries. It also receives its resources from Prince Alwaleed foundations, government interventions, and other humanitarian organizations (ABTF, 2012). The aspects of human expertise, advisory programs, erection of viable facilities, purchase of required equipment (for supported programs), and other appropriate resources necessary for the operation of the organization are critical. Precisely, the resources, which have been provided, incorporate financial aids, intellectual expertise, and provision of facilities among others.
A personal opinion on this organization
ABTF is a useful organization within Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, and beyond. This follows its mandates and operations to provide aid to humanity. The organization should expand its operations to other parts of the world to make a critical contribution to the entire humankind. Its mandate to empower women and children is a considerable move. While considering its intercultural and religious understanding programs, the organization promotes international integration and cultural tolerance.
This is important in keeping the world together and promoting peace. As a humanitarian organization, ABTF deserves the global limelight and an international presence (Mideast-times, 2007). It should enhance its funding to reach more people globally. The organization should increase its scope and augment the number of its beneficiaries to maximize its impact on society. Its endeavors to increase its global outreach should continue with precision. There are numerous individuals globally who can gain significantly from such moves.
Conclusion
ABTF is a humanitarian organization serving numerous communities in Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, and beyond. It was founded by Prince Alwaleed to accomplish his everlasting philanthropic passion for humanity. The organization has expanded remarkably in the recent past. It has initiated numerous programs meant to reach various communities with humanitarian aid. The organization has a rich history dating back to the 1980s. It has evolved in both its operations and programs as evident by its global presence.
The beneficiaries of this organization are numerous. They emerge from varying races, religions, cultures, and societal provisions. ABTF has expanded its scope and operations since its inception in the past decades. It has procedural conduct in reporting its outcomes and distributing resource.
References
ABTF. (2012). About. Web.
Ahmed, A. (2010). Journey into America: The challenge of Islam. Washington, D.C: Brookings Institution Press.
Alexandrina, B. (2012). Alwaleed Bin Talal Foundation. Web.
Alwaleedfoundations. (2012). Saudi Arabia. Web.
Mideast-times. (2007). Alwaleed Bin Talal Foundation Hosts Visit of US Students from NCUSAR Youth Leadership Development Program. Web.