Radical Generosity and #GivingTuesday Guest Contributor: Micala Khavari
It’s been an incredible two years for supporting Palestinian refugees in Jordan and Lebanon. We’ve seen a surge of interest in Palestinian issues and history, along with generous monetary support. Last year, after the Beirut blast alone, donors gave $15,000 for Palestinian Civil Defense and the rebuilding of Beirut. In the last few months, donors made an impact by donating more than 200 pounds of over-the-counter pharmaceuticals for the Lebanese. Not only that, but donors have supported significant projects in Jordan. Donors helped employ the Hopes for Women librarian and provided tuition for a woman from the Gaza camp.
In short, what we’ve seen through Covid, through tragedy and trial is the radical generosity of strangers to one another.
Another time of year we see your radical generosity is on Giving Tuesday. Giving Tuesday is the Tuesday after Black Friday—this year it'll be on November 30th. Giving Tuesday is a global day of giving to non-profits to benefit transforming communities and uplifting the vulnerable. Giving Tuesday is only one day, and inevitably the news cycle will move onto the shopping deals for that week. Too soon, the focus on giving to others will be lost, only to be taken up again with the momentary illumination tragedy provides.
This upcoming Giving Tuesday though, we have the opportunity to shine a light on Palestinian refugees far after just that day. A monetary donation to Beirut and Beyond is an investment in education, salaries, security, and health for Palestinian refugees. These contributions are not trivial. The systematic deprivation of human rights means the degradation of Palestinian humanity. Our projects aim to fill the gap where Palestinians are left behind.
We want the world to see Palestinian refugees and to remember their lives—beyond the flash of the news. And while we can do a lot with donations (medicine, tuition, salaries, support to on-the-ground organizations), we can do so much more when people understand the importance of why they give.
The motivation for radical generosity can come through the generosity of your time, energy, and social capacities. To understand the importance of Palestinian issues, you can join us for one of our Palestinians 101 classes. Or join us for a Palestinian cooking class, or perhaps a movie night. This Giving Tuesday you can also share with your social circles, your giving to Beirut and Beyond and Palestinian needs.
Lastly, after Giving Tuesday we hope that that day is just the beginning for you partnering with us to steward your money, time, and energy. We hope that it’s a day for you to thoughtfully reflect on how you can uplift others and change communities. We hope that it's a day to start a practice of radical generosity.
See our impact from our projects here: http://beirutandbeyond.org/our-impact
Give here: http://beirutandbeyond.org/how-to-give
Micala Khavari has been Beirut and Beyond's intern since May 2020. She has her degree in International Studies from the University of Denver with minors in Writing Practices and Religious Studies. She has a heart for the Middle East, immigration, and talking your ear off about both! She also makes the weekly Friday Facts posts for Beirut and Beyond and looks forward to being B&B's intern as long she can.