Mawada Gadah

Many people assume that Libyan society does not have social classes, but in reality, there are people living in poverty among us, and we are separated by a deep intellectual and cultural gap in addition to their financial needs.

I am Mawada Gadah, a pediatrician, and the founder of the Al-Sarraj Al-Munir Association for Orphans.

Over 20 years ago, I urged my classmates to help me collect funds for organizations that supported orphans. I slowly grew closer to these children due to my work at the hospital and by listening to their heart-wrenching stories. That’s when I decided to take action.

I was shocked when I visited distressed families, homes with minimal to no supplies, making it impossible for a child to grow up healthily. I met mothers who seemed like bodies without souls. Overnight, a mother could lose her breadwinner and wake up every day to hungry mouths and expenses she has no power over.

I started to collect aid and began by adopting one family at a time to provide for. We then prepared 15 school bags and I was overwhelmed with joy as I gave them to the children. Then came the rent, Eid clothes, and other necessities, which I consider the right of every mother and child in any society.

By 2004, I had enough experience as a philanthropist. Thus, I paced towards my dream and founded the Al-Siraj Al-Munir Association to support mothers and children. I wanted to ensure a permanent solution through this association by working along two parallel lines, supporting mothers psychologically and integrating them into the labor market, in addition to providing a monthly sum to over 150 orphans.

Today, after years of challenges, we opened a sewing workshop for mothers, where I oversee the marketing of its products. Yesterday’s children are now self-reliant adults, and their former shares can now help new children who have lost a parent. We will continue to be fine as long as we are among good people who work sincerely to save the building blocks of society "the mother and her child".