New partnerships: Islamic Development Bank and Sheikh Abdullah Alnouri Charity Society
During a signatory ceremony in Jeddah this week, Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), Sheikh Abdullah Alnouri Charity Society and SPARK signed two strategic partnership agreements to improve access for refugees to higher education and economic empowerment in Syria and neighbouring host countries: Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and Iraq.
Director of SPARK, Yannick du Pont: “We are proud to announce this special partnership with IsDB, which brings together strengths and opportunities across the West and the East to serve refugees and IDP youth residing in the region.”
Together, the three organisations have formed a sustainable alliance to provide 2,000 more vocational studies scholarships for Syrian refugees and IDP youth in the Middle East. The alliance will also focus heavily on economic empowerment and entrepreneurship support for marginalised, young groups in order to create a healthy and sustainable private sector. The alliance will build the capacity of local institutions and raise their standards to be competitive at the global level.
The ceremony was attended by H.E. Dr. Bandar Hajjar, President of the IsDB Group, H.E. Mr. Joost Reintjes, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Netherlands in Riyadh, Mr. Yannick Du Pont, Director and Founder of SPARK, and Mr. Jamal AlNouri, Chairman of Sheikh Abdullah Alnouri Charity Society – Kuwait. The Ceremony was organised at the Islamic Development Bank HQs in Jeddah, KSA.
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