DISCOVER. CONNECT. EMPOWER.
In 2009, a 14-year-old girl named Nadeen, living in a remote village in Lebanon, approached Nawaya’s future founder, Zeina, and began showing her sketches of dresses she had drawn. Nadeen’s designs really impressed her, and made her realize that hidden talents and potential exist in even the most marginalized youth – they just needed access to the right resources to thrive. Because of this serendipitous encounter, Nawaya was established three years later, and Zeina went back to find her to enroll her in a fashion school in Beirut. Nadeen graduated in 2016 and is now a talented designer with a promising path ahead of her, while Nawaya continues to empower thousands of others like her through various programs focused on developing the talents and skills of marginalized youth across Lebanon.
Our vision is to empower individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds in Lebanon by providing them with livelihood improvement opportunities to help them reach their full potential.
The Nawaya Network works with individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds to improve their livelihoods through entrepreneurship, employability, and economic development programs.
Empowerment: This is the core of our mission and why we exist. We believe in everyone’s potential and strive to create an environment where everyone flourishes.
Creativity: We dare to think outside the box and use our imaginations when solving problems because that’s how lives can be transformed.
Inclusivity: We open our hearts to all. We believe in everyone’s equal right to access opportunities and resources. At Nawaya, everyone is welcome!
Transparency: We share it all. We encourage openness and honesty in order to grow closer and stronger as a team, and for the sake of those we support.
Commitment: We pour our hearts into our work. Anything worth doing takes time and effort. We commit fully to our mission.
Growth Mindset: We promote the love of learning. We create valuable opportunities for ourselves and for our team members to grow.
Compassion: We feel with others, we seek to connect and to understand, without judgment.
Diversity: We recognize we are all different. We value diverse opinions, ideas, and perspectives, and are better because of it.
Integrity: We value honesty, self respect, and strong principles. This is our moral compass, representing and accompanying us in our personal and professional lives.
We look forward to more growth and impact in the coming years!
Collaboration is at the heart of our work. Coming up with solutions related to livelihoods in Lebanon requires careful consideration, brave action, and partnerships that bring together expertise, ideas, tools, and resources.