By Hadeel Al-Hajj

For twelve years, Tamdeen Youth Foundation has remained an incubator for dreams and ambitions, a beacon for those seeking to make a real impact in their communities. Today, as we celebrate this anniversary, I find myself immersed in recalling my journey with the Foundation, a journey that has shaped me and influenced my professional and personal path, a journey that began with passion, continued with learning, and matured with experience.

When I started as a volunteer at Tamdeen Youth Foundation, I was driven by a sincere desire to serve the community and contribute to making a tangible difference. I participated in field visits, worked on facilitating training courses, and then my role expanded to include working within the Monitoring and Evaluation department, which opened new horizons for me and provided me with diverse experiences across the Foundation's projects.

From food security to protection, and from water and sanitation to working on shelter projects, my tasks in those sectors were not just tasks, but a window through which I saw the challenges people face, and I experienced firsthand the extent of the impact that humanitarian and development interventions can have on their lives. Over time, I became part of the Economic Empowerment sector, where I worked as a Project Assistant, delving deeper into ways to support local communities.

The responsibility of managing the "Empowering Women in Fisheries and Sustainable Livelihoods through Professional Excellence and Market Integration" project was a milestone in my career. This project not only placed me in a professional challenge but also in an experience that made me realize how true empowerment can change the lives of women and provide them with more sustainable opportunities. From selecting trainees according to precise criteria to training teams and leading efforts, I saw how efforts bear fruit when driven by a clear vision and a belief that collective work can make a difference.

Today, on the twelfth anniversary of the founding of Tamdeen Youth Foundation, I do not see my experience as just a personal journey, but as a testament to the Foundation's deep commitment to empowering individuals and promoting sustainable development. For me, Tamdeen Youth Foundation was not just a workplace, but a platform where I created part of a lasting legacy, an impact that will not end, and a family where I learned the meaning of solidarity and joint action, and I am still learning and giving within it.

Twelve years of building, of dreaming, of hope, and the implementation of dozens of projects that have made a difference in the lives of thousands – it is a great journey for humanity; and we all have the right to be proud of this pioneering institution.