About us
Sanabil — finding the balance between identity and belonging
We believe that living away from where you began is not simply the absence of home, but a search for balance between identity and belonging. Our work is to be the bridge between people and their roots, and to give them a space that brings them together in a community that is close-knit and steady.
It all began with a dream…
How Sanabil started
At a gathering of friends, one question kept returning: why should we not have a home of the spirit — a place to turn to, that reflects us and speaks for us, that looks after our values, and that offers a hand to anyone who needs it in this new society?
Vision and mission
Vision
An educational and social incubator that helps the Arab community in the Netherlands hold on to its identity.
Mission
Programs and services for education, awareness, social support and positive engagement with wider society, so that the community around us is more aware and more connected than it was.
Principles and values — who we are
Institutional
A professional, considered, institutional way of working.
Transparency
Transparency as the foundation of everything we do.
Sustainability
A focus on work that lets the foundation continue and grow.
Doing good
Strengthening the spirit of giving within the community.
Sincerity
Working honestly and without expectation of personal gain.
Strategic objectives
Keeping our identity
Preserving cultural, civilizational and religious identity.
The role of women and girls
Strengthening the role of women and girls in community life.
Empowering young people
Enabling young people to develop their skills.
Integration
Supporting integration programs and the exchange of experience, and helping newcomers so that they can settle into society.
Lasting projects
Sustainable social, developmental, cultural and sporting projects.
A continuing ambition — where are we going?
What began as a single step has become a clear path. Sanabil aims to be more than a community association: a center that connects people to their identity and gives the word belonging its meaning back. We want to widen the range of our educational programs, and we are building mutual-support programs that meet the needs of families living away from home.
At Sanabil, we believe that living away from your homeland is not simply being absent from home, but a journey in search of balance between identity and belonging. Our mission is to be the bridge that connects people living abroad with their roots, and to give them a space that brings them together in a close-knit, balanced community.