In advanced countries around the world, getting a well-rounded education is standard procedure and one that is often taken for granted. This is sadly not the case in third-world countries, but thanks to the philanthropic contributions of business mogul and humanitarian Alshair Fiyaz and his charitable organization, the ALFI Foundation, countless students’ futures have shifted for the better.
Fiyaz believes the power of education is vital to steering deprived communities away from extremism and towards building a constructive, more prosperous local economy.
In Lebanon, Fiyaz supported a pilot project concentrating resources on computer-science education in Beirut’s Palestinian refugee camps. He opened a training center in the city catering for children of 14 and under, as well as adults seeking to acquire basic computer knowledge, in the hope of creating new job opportunities.
He provided funds to girl and boys’ school projects in Pinsk, Belarus, aiding the work of Rabbi Jacobs of London’s Central Synagogue and eventually helping graduates find real success as many have gone on to attend universities abroad.
The ALFI Foundation has helped single-parent families in India send their children to school instead of work, marshalling funds for private tuition for students, regardless of their ability.
The Foundation has also provided funds for secondary students in Cambodia, many of whom struggle to afford basic educational necessities such as books and uniform, which has, in turn, allowed new cohorts of students to thrive and graduate.
