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Dubai Ruler crowns Arab Hope Maker 2025; 3 winners awarded Dh1 million prize money
Ahmed Zeinoon from Morocco was crowned the Arab Hope Maker 2025 for his efforts in helping children with rare disease
A Moroccan man who helps children suffering from a rare genetic disease was crowned the Arab Hope Maker 2025. Ahmed Zeinoon has dedicated his life to raising awareness about Children of the Moon- children who suffer from a rare genetic disease called Xeroderma pigmentosum that cause them to develop cancer when exposed to the sun.
He was selected a finalist along with two other Arab humanitarians, who have been making the world a better place in their own way and they are a Moroccan woman called Khadeeja Al Karty who has turned her home into a haven for women suffering from cancer and an Egyptian called Samar Nadeem who rescues homeless and abandoned senior citizens. The trio were each granted Dh1 million to continue their work.
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The winners were announced in a glittering ceremony at Dubai's Coca Cola Arena on Sunday in the presence of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
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This is the fifth edition of the region’s largest initiative dedicated to recognising individuals committed to giving and philanthropy. This year, the award received over 26,000 nominations from people who have been working to create an impact around the Arab world.
The work
Ahmed said his priority was to raise awareness about the rare condition and help Moon children. He has been helping them with full faced masks and other protective gear needed to deal with the disease. “These items are expensive,” he said. “Sometimes we have to wait months to source these items.”
He said he wants to change the way the world perceives these children. “There are some children who have lost their faces, because they didn’t have the proper protection,” he said. “Many of them are bullied. My job is to raise awareness and help protect their faces as much as I can.”
Khadeeja turned her pain into a source of inspiration to help others. After losing her husband to cancer, she turned her house into a care home for female cancer patients from around Morocco, who had no one to care for them. “Every day we give food, shelter and free transportation to over 30 women,” she said, at the event. Since she started her initiative, her home has been a haven of peace and security for over 60,000 women.
Meanwhile, Samar has been rescuing homeless and abandoned people off the streets of Egypt for several years now. Fondly called the ‘flower of Egypt’, Samar said she often had to face hostility when she tried to help people. “Many of those living on the streets would beat me and try to resist my efforts to help them,” she said. “These people have not had any kindness shown to them. So, they are not used to it.” Arriving on the stage, Samar had to often wipe away her tears while she advised the audience to be kind to their parents and not abandon them.
A video played at the beginning of the ceremony showed how previous winners had used the money they received to expand the scope of their work. In many cases, winners were able to triple the number of beneficiaries they reached with the money they received after winning the Arab Hope Maker award.
Criteria
The judging panel, consisting of experts and specialists, selected the finalists based on the tangible positive impact that their initiatives made on their communities.
The committee evaluated each nomination against specific criteria, including the initiative’s theme, associated challenges, its role in driving real and lasting change, and its potential to reach the intended beneficiaries.
Last year, Iraqi pharmacist Tala Al Khalil, who cares for hundreds of youngsters with cancer won the award. Her fellow finalist nominees- an amputee who inspires several others like him, a YouTuber who uses his channel for good and a childless woman who adopted 34 young girls were all awarded Dh1 million each to continue their humanitarian work.
Since its launch in 2017, the Arab Hope Makers initiative has attracted more than 320,000 nominations. The initiative, which operates under the umbrella of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives foundation, aims to highlight the inspiring figures in the Arab world—both men and women—who dedicate their time, efforts, and resources to serving others, assisting the underprivileged, supporting those in need, and contributing to improving lives within their communities. It also seeks to showcase their projects and initiatives across traditional and digital media platforms, as well as new media channels, raising their recognition both locally and across the Arab world.
Nasreen Abdulla
Nasreen Abdulla is a Special Correspondent covering food, tech and human interest stories. When not challenged by deadlines, you’ll find her pulling off submissions on the jiu jitsu mats.
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