Dhun Davar

Capital follows compassion: How philanthropic cities build global impact

The session’s core message is that philanthropic capital produces global impact when it is paired with long-term investment in people, resilient systems, and the practical infrastructure that connects funders to credible solutions. The moderator framed Abu Dhabi as an increasingly important philanthropy hub, bringing together governments, foundations, investors, and global institutions to address social and health challenges. The discussion opened by asking what moves capital from good intentions to measurable impact, with panelists representing global health philanthropy, UAE-based community initiatives, and regional social investment networks. Tala Al Ramahi explained that the Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity was established just over a year ago and is rooted in the UAE’s nation-building philosophy: investing in people, systems, and the long term. She described the foundation’s emphasis on uplifting people from poverty, unlocking opportunities for communities, and helping children grow up healthy so families and societies can become more productive. She tied the foundation’s program design to the UAE’s broader approach: back the best ideas, work with partners that can scale, and invest in systems that continue functioning over time. Khuloud Al Nuwais then described the Emirates Foundation’s domestic role, noting that it marked its twentieth anniversary and had reached 2.6 million people. She positioned the foundation as Sheikh Mohamed’s philanthropy vehicle for public-private philanthropy partnerships in the UAE, focused on empowering communities, strengthening the country’s social fabric, and developing people’s competencies. Its long-term investment in volunteering, especially youth capacity-building and social responsibility, proved valuable during COVID-19 and during floods in Dubai two years earlier, when trained volunteers supported testing centers, humanitarian facilities, positive cases, and affected families. Dhun Davar broadened the discussion to Asia’s social-investment landscape, arguing that the issue is not only the availability of capital or ideas, but the missing “piping” that connects capital providers and capital seekers. AVPN’s 900-plus members across 43 markets see both sides: funders with intent and impact organizations seeking backing. Davar cited trillions of dollars in funding gaps for Asia’s sustainable development agenda and referenced $5 trillion expected to move between generations in Asia, including $1 trillion in the Middle East. She highlighted local infrastructure such as MAJRA and MAAN, regional platforms such as AVPN’s Impact Colab, and AVPN’s Abu Dhabi hub as mechanisms for moving capital effectively. The excerpt closed with Al Ramahi detailing Reaching the Last Mile Fund, launched in 2017 to eliminate neglected tropical diseases, expanded from seven countries to the African continent, and contributing to Nigeria becoming the first African country to eliminate river blindness.