The Platform
Since its establishment in year 2000, Mada association has been striving to support the civil society and to promote the development of community-oriented initiatives.
In 2005, as a response to many requests from municipalities, informal groups, and NGOs, Mada launched the Platform.
The Platform’s main objective is to support initiatives that need help to structure and develop their activities. It encourages innovative ideas that have a positive impact on society and promotes the importance of sharing knowledge and expertise by creating a network of individuals, organizations, and institutions that are willing to cooperate.
After its launch in 2005, the Platform was put on hold in 2008 because of war in Lebanon and the influx of emergency funds. In 2010, it resumed its activities as there was a growing need for this kind of tailor-made, flexible support. Eager to support in a concrete way civil society, the Platform increased its means and structured its entity in 2016.
How do we support?
The Platform tackles the needs of associations, groups and individuals that have ideas or projects they want to develop. These can be working in different fields, and must share Mada’s core values in terms of non-discrimination, social justice and inclusiveness as well as have a commitment to public interest.
The Platform can
offer help including
- Connecting to and/or locating the right expertise
- Sharing experiences and contacts
- Providing services (e.g. accounting, financial services, legal advice)
- Supporting the organization and institutionalization of non-formal groups
- Sharing templates, tools and guidelines (e.g. financial, admin, procurement)
One of the Platform’s plans is to set up a database of experts from different backgrounds that are willing to cooperate in order to make information more accessible to all beneficiaries.
All of the Platform’s activities since 2018 wouldn’t have been possible without the generous financial support of the Catholic International Development Charity in England and Wales – CAFOD.
Who are our members?
Each member having specific needs, the Platform provides a diversified range of services and adapts to an evolving context.
2020 – ongoing
The Farasheh project is led by a young architect and the Children Youth Center, a Palestinian association based in Shatila (Beirut). The objective is to work on the notion of public space by creating urban furniture in a courtyard of the camp, developing gardening workshops and addressing waste management issues with the children of the center. The Platform started supporting the project leader in July 2020 by putting her in contact with resource people capable of providing a technical perspective on recycling and engineering issues. In order to enable Farasheh to experiment its ideas and attract funding, the Platform provided methodological support.
2020 – ongoing
Nation Station is a grassroots’ initiative that was created after the Beirut blast in August 2020 to provide emergency support in
the area of Geitawi (Beirut). The initiative seeks to sustain itself and to diversity its activities with the community. The Platform is encouraging the institutionalization process of Nation Station by providing legal, financial and methodological support.
2019 – ongoing
Hikayatouna is an early-stage enterprise of handmade Levantine handicrafts. Led by 3 Syrian women, Hikayatouna is in the process of finding an effective business model and clientele.
The Platform is helping with their marketing strategy and connecting them with points of sales and customers.
2019 – ongoing
Horshna is a forest school that provides children an immersive experience in nature
(currently taking place in the forest of Baabda). The Platform is helping Horshna to institutionalize its program
and to reach a model with a better economic viability.
2019 – ongoing
Najda Now is a Syrian association assisting marginalized youth in the camp of Shatila through the art of
puppet-making. The Platform is developing their know-how in reporting and is facilitating exchanges with donors.
2019 – 2020.
Mejwiz is an association aiming to empower the independent musical scene in Lebanon. The Platform provided
administrative and financial support to carry out a first pilot project which was implemented between November 2019
and January 2020, with the financial support of GIZ. During this pilot phase, Mejwiz focused on capacity building activities,
strengthening network and collaborations between artists and professionals of the sector, and giving exposure to Lebanese
independent musicians. The following video gives a broader vision of the activities carried out over this period.
2017 – ongoing
Samandal is a Lebanese association dedicated to the advancement of the art of comics in the Arab world.
The Mada Platform is providing general support in accounting, legal issues and fundraising strategy.
2017 – ongoing
Sénévé is a center for children with specific needs based in Homs (Syria). The Platform is providing expertise
and institutions to strengthen the skills and competencies of the educators’ team.
2010 – 2015
Zoukak is a Lebanese Theater Association created in 2006. Over five years, the Platform helped in the structuration
of the association, in managing their workplace and their finances. Zoukak gradually developed until it became fully
autonomous in managing financial and administrative aspects.
Platform Resources
