Each of the final three nominees for the 2026 Arab Hope Makers awards have been crowned winners by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence.
The three are Abdul Rahman Al-Rais, Hind Al Hajri, and Fouzia Mahmoudi. They collected their awards at Coca-Cola Arena on Sunday evening. Each will receive Dh1 million ($272,000) in recognition of their work. "Everyone's a winner in Dubai," Sheikh Hamdan said at the ceremony.
Mr Rahman Al-Rais, from Morocco, runs Suroor, an organisation which cares for women and widows by collecting donations to help pay off their debts. Ms Al Hajri, from Kuwait, runs Fatima House, which offers support for orphaned children in Zanzibar. While Ms Mahmoudi, from Morocco, is regional vice president of Operation Smile, which offers specialist care for children born with facial conditions such as cleft lip or palate.
The awards were established by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, to honour people in the Arab world who dedicate their time to bettering the lives of others.
For this year's awards, organised under the umbrella of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, 15,802 nominations were received before they were whittled down to Sunday's final three. The total number of Hope Makers nominated since the awards were launched in 2017 has now exceeded 335,000.
Looking to the future
Ms Al Hajri told The National she spent 10 years in corporate life before deciding to pursue a master’s degree in the UK.
“When I returned, I found myself at a crossroads, so I travelled to Zanzibar, initially as a tourist and then as a volunteer. What followed unfolded very naturally and very beautifully.
“I volunteered as a teacher and most of my students were orphans. After school, I would go with them to their orphanages. That was where everything truly began. I was 34 at the time.
She added: “One of the orphanages was in very poor condition. During the monsoon season, it collapsed. I received a call from the teacher – or the manager – telling me what had happened. At that moment, I knew I had to act.
“I partnered with a local NGO to legalise the work and ensure everything was done properly. That was how Fatima House came into being. We began fund-raising and started with 15 children. Today, we support 48. The project began in 2018.”
She added that the goal is to expand and improve the lives of more beneficiaries.
“There are still many children in Tanzania who are orphaned or underprivileged, facing hardships such as child labour, early marriage and lack of access to education,” she said. “We’ve had a long-term plan from the beginning, and this recognition will help accelerate that plan and allow us to support more children.
“At present, we are licensed in Tanzania – both on the mainland and in Zanzibar, as they have separate governments. In the future, expansion into other countries is possible, if we are able to grow the team and manage it responsibly.
“Today, my role is to be the adult figure they [the children] trust. Someone they can come to whenever they need something – or even when they don’t. I want to be a constant presence in their lives.”
These sentiments were echoed by Mr Al-Rais. His work with Suroor helps widows and women who have been left alone.
"My father passed away and I learnt what it means to live without a father," he told The National. "I felt the weight of responsibility he carried and I felt a deep sadness – especially for women who are left alone. I saw myself in them. From the beginning, I asked myself: 'Why shouldn’t I stand with these women?'
"In villages, no one talks about their struggles. I have seen extremely difficult cases – women burdened with debts for 10 years, women with special needs, women struggling to meet or annual or even monthly expenses. There are also many cases involving the need to build or repair homes. Today, more than 1,000 people benefit from this work, directly or indirectly."
Ms Mahmoudi, meanwhile, said Operational Smile had resonated with her immediately.
"The idea of restoring a child’s smile felt deeply meaningful – bringing smiles not only to children, but also into the workplace and the wider community," she said.
"Over time, the work expanded across Morocco – from the south to the north, and from east to west – reaching rural and underserved areas. Through this work, we have helped children across the country who were in urgent need of care. To date, nearly 14,000 individuals have benefited from these missions."
What are the Arab Hope Makers awards?
The initiative honours people in the region who are dedicated to improving the lives of others. The prize money is Dh1 million.
Last year's ceremony was attended by 12,000 people, including humanitarian and cultural leaders. The prize was won by Ahmed Zainoun from Morocco, for his initiative to treat children with the genetic disorder, xeroderma pigmentosum.
Mohammed Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Secretary General of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, said: “Since its launch in 2017, the Hope Makers initiative has sparked a wide-reaching Arab movement that fosters a culture of giving.
“By highlighting inspiring philanthropy, impactful humanitarian action, and innovative ideas that selflessly uplift others and serve communities, the initiative has empowered hundreds of thousands across the Arab world.
“It has provided them with the insights and confidence to carry out remarkable projects that transformed the reality of community and volunteer work.”
