RIYADH+acumen is a self-organized, volunteer-led group that seeks to inspire and empower like-minded individuals in Riyadh who are passionate about supporting Acumen Fund’s mission to create a world beyond poverty. Our chapter is one of 16+acumen chapters around the world sharing the principles of patient capital, cultivating an understanding of Acumen Fund’s values, and putting these principles into practice in our community.
Mohammed is a fresh graduate from Al Yamamah University with a B.A. in Marketing. He interned at Microsoft and has experience in copywriting. Tri-lingual and fluent in English, Arabic, and French, he freelances between local newspapers and magazines such as Oasis Magazine, writing on various topics, and runs his own blog. In 2008 he founded Ash It, a recycling business for customized hand made goods. He is a dreamer in a fast paced and upbeat life, passionate writer, frequent eater, and anticipates winning the Pulitzer Prize for writing.
So as an Entrepreneur he has always been passionate about social development and justice. He was impressed by Acumen Fund’s unconventional approach to tackling poverty and believes he can make an even bigger difference through RIYADH+acumen.
Tamara Yaqub is the NPO Support Center Coordinator at King Khalid Foundation. She is responsible for organizing workshops that aim to build the capacity of employees working in the non-profit sector in Saudi Arabia. Tamara previously worked at the Refugee Immigration Ministry, a non-profit organization that serves immigrants who are seeking asylum, asylees and refugees in Malden, Massachusetts. She holds a B.A in Human Services and International Affairs from Northeastern University. She has a passion for volunteering and is affiliated with several groups such as the Welfare Association for Youth, and Northeastern Students for Giving.
She is a strong believer in globalization, dignity, social innovation, and development. She has found all those qualities in Acumen Fund’s mission and vision, and decided to support it by joining the RIYADH+acumen chapter.
Seif is an associate at Credit Suisse’s investment bank based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He graduated with B.S. in Economics from Boston University and MSc in Financial Services Management from University of Surrey. He is co-founder of cycling4gaza, a yearly cycling challenge taken on by volunteers to raise awareness of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and raise money for much needed medical/developmental projects in Gaza.
He has always been interested in development economics and when he came across Acumen Fund’s approach to changing the world, he thought it was a great solution to sustainable development and jumped at the opportunity to be part of the RiYADH+acumen Chapter.
Hanoof is the Coordinator of Media Awareness Section at the National Family Safety Program (NFSP); an organization that aims at establishing a safe, collaborative, and cooperative environment that resists domestic violence and child abuse in Saudi Arabia. She is also the co-chair of Amaan Youth Supervisory Community at NFSP, a group of young vibrant advocates representing children’s and adolescents’ rights in Saudi Arabia. Prior to her current position, she worked as an Interpreter and later on as a Case Manager at Sultan bin Abdulaziz Humanitarian City (a rehabilitation facility) in Riyadh- KSA, and though she was not accustomed to dealing with people with disabilities at the beginning, she grew passionate about meeting them daily and serving them in the best way she knew. She holds a B.A. in English Literature from King Saud University where she graduated with first class honor back in 2003.
Today, she joins RIYADH+acumen driven by her passion for social work and a desire to be part of major sustainable change.
Lujain is an associate at the Riyadh based Saudi Development and Innovation Group, and is leading the Youth Volunteering Initiatives Center. Earlier, she was a founding member of the strategic planning team that organized Al Ghad Forum, a national youth-focused conference in 2011. Her community involvement led her to co-found ‘Vocal Point’, an organized platform that seeks to link non-profit organizations and volunteers together. She believes that changing the world is done by a series of sustainable small positive actions, as she follows her belief by being part of local and global humanitarian projects.
She joined the Acumen Fund chapter out of her belief that each individual could contribute to a collective effort that will significantly change our living world into a better place.
Faris is the Financial Planning & Analysis Manager at General Electric Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. He is also the Co-founder and Leader of Mentors KSA, a non-profit group that focuses on empowering the youth by providing them guidance in areas of entrepreneurship (business and social) and self-development. He graduated from General Electric Leadership Program “CAS” where he rotated within GE businesses around the globe for 2 years. Prior to joining GE, he passed the American CPA exams while working at Ernst & Young for 3 years. Faris holds an accounting degree from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals.
Faris joined the RIYADH+acumen Chapter to contribute in making a change where it’s most needed. He is motivated by Acumen Fund’s values of not focusing on traditional charity to solve poverty, but utilizing the entrepreneurial concepts to empower the poor to solve their problems with dignity.
Hajar is a strategy consultant at Ernst & young. She has a reputation for integrating a strategic business perspective with a creative approach. One of her recent attempts is cutting a real car into two halves and using one side as a bulletin board for one of her clients. Prior to joining Ernst &Young, Hajar interned at Cisco Systems where she led the most competitive youth initiative (MCY), innovation category, in collaboration with SAGIA, Edge of Arabia and Microsoft. One of her most challenging volunteering experiences was acting as a patient advocate at KFMC and living the real medical experience (in blue scrubs!). She is always fascinated by the unusual and the overlooked too! A fine chat with a fine mind makes her happy, or whenever collaborating with bold people to generate unusually creative ideas. She holds a BSc in Information Systems from Prince Sultans University.
UN, UNICEF, KANDC, AlGhad Youth Foundation, and Women Without Borders are just a few names that highlight her engagement with nonprofit organizations. She has deep interest in innovation,social entrepreneurship and the youth. She found an opportunity to help further in the Acumen Fund.
Acumen is a not-for-profit working to change the way the world tackles poverty by investing in companies, leaders and ideas. We invest patient capital in business models that deliver critical goods and services to the world’s poor, improving the lives of millions. Since 2001, Acumen has invested more than $83 million in 73 companies across South Asia and Africa. We are also working to build a global community of emerging leaders that believe in creating a more inclusive world through the tools of both business and philanthropy.
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