Moroccan community activist Fouzia Mahmoudi was honored Sunday evening in Dubai during the sixth edition of the Arab Hope Makers initiative.
The award was presented by Dubai Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and UAE Minister of Defense, His Highness Hamdan ben Mohammed ben Rached Al Maktoum, in recognition of her exceptional humanitarian journey dedicated to supporting children with congenital deformities.
After giving birth to a daughter with a congenital malformation, Mahmoudi transformed her personal hardship into a mission of hope by founding the NGO Opération Sourire. Over 28 years, the initiative has enabled more than 19,000 children to receive life-changing surgeries.
Other honorees included Moroccan content creator Abdelrahman Rais for his “Sourour” initiative supporting widows, and Kuwait’s Hind Al Hajri for her “Bayt Fatima” orphan care project in Zanzibar.
Each winner will receive one million Emirati dirhams to expand their humanitarian initiatives.
Launched in 2017 by His Highness Mohammed ben Rached Al Maktoum, Arab Hope Makers is the largest Arab initiative dedicated to celebrating humanitarian efforts across the region.
