Dear %%Recipient name%%,

Welcome to our latest newsletter. There have been some changes at the Foundation lately with the recruitment of some new members of staff. We are also in the process of recruiting a new CEO and will have more news for you about this in due course.

Help for Syrian refugees in Lebanon

The UNHCR has signed an agreement with the Saïd and Asfari Foundations to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to Syrian refugees in Lebanon.The Foundations will donate over £485,000 to support 2,600 refugees who are being hosted by local communities in northern Lebanon.
See our website for further details.

Saï d Business School

A 'topping out' ceremony was held at the Saïd Business School at Oxford University to mark the completion of the superstructure for an extension to the School. Mr Wafic Saïd (right of picture, with Vice-Chancellor Professor Andrew Hamilton) poured the last piece of concrete, completing the first stage of building work. It is anticipated that the new building will be finished in summer 2012.

The Saïd Foundation is not responsible for the content of any linked websites.


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Current Scholars News

New scholars have now begun arriving for the start of the 2011/12 academic year. Meanwhile, some updates on existing scholars:

Nancy Hamad (MA Post-War Recovery Studies, York) went to Afghanistan in March to work on a UNDP and Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development joint project as part of her course. She sent us this report:

"I waited for hours to cross the immigration checkpoint at Kabul airport. Most of the people in the queue were internationals; incoming aid workers thronging to enter the country. I was there to observe how organisations function during and after war; of particular interest as I come from a country of conflict myself. I was expecting to learn a lot - but I learned even more than I'd hoped. It was eye-opening. My knowledge and skills were tested in a very complicated situation and I gained invaluable insights on both professional and personal levels.

Living in Afghanistan for two months was not easy. Every day was hard and intense, especially in the unpredictable security situation. But it was a rewarding and life-changing experience being close to people who are trying so hard, despite many obstacles, to build a better country, believing they can make a difference."

Yamen Badr (MArch Architecture, Nottingham; third from right in picture) received an award at the School of Architecture's 2011 Exhibition Made in the Middle Ground; Architecture and Urbanism.

Meanwhile Sam Sati (MA English Language Teaching, Warwick) has had great success with his online blog that helps students through computer-assisted learning: http://sameltict.blogspot.com/

Projects News

The Foundation's Programmes Officer, Awatef Sheikh (right of picture), travelled to Palestine in August to meet with potential project partners. She also met some of the winners of our latest drawing competition.

Awatef is now on maternity leave and we congratulate her on the birth of her first child, Ayman, born on 20th September.

Alumni Corner

Rabih Fakhri (Development Studies, SOAS, 2010) has recently been appointed UNRWA's Socioeconomic Advisor in Lebanon, working for the agency's Planning and Strategy Office. His main task is to design a poverty reduction strategy for Palestinian refugees in the country. He also now has a one-year-old boy, Ghady.

Congratulations to Razan Nasser (MSc International Finance and Economics, Glasgow, 2010) who is now engaged.

Saïd Foundation, 4th Floor, 54 Bartholomew Close, London, EC1A 7HP Tel: 00 44 20 7367 9910 Fax: 00 44 20 7637 9919 / 00 44 20 7726 6837 admin@saidfoundation.org
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