‘The resilience is Herculean’: Hope and solidarity shine out from Middle East impact community

The crisis in the Middle East moves fast. On Thursday last week, Israel’s national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, sparked a diplomatic crisis by publishing footage of Israeli security forces abusing international activists who were detained as they tried to sail to Gaza with aid.

The previous day, Israeli strikes on Lebanon killed at least 19 people as the conflict with Hezbollah continues despite the ceasefire. And the day before that, US vice president JD Vance warned his country remains “locked and loaded” to restart its military campaign in Iran. 

It’s a job just keeping up with developments, let alone making plans for how to support those communities most affected. But that is exactly the challenge the impact ecosystem in the region is throwing itself into. 

Earlier this month, ecosystem builder Impact Jordan published a piece of research that explored the state of impact finance in the country, Finance, Ethics and the Return of Meaning. 

• Read more: Don’t replicate colonial power dynamics in impact finance, says Impact Jordan

As we spoke to Impact Jordan co-founder Andrew Gharaibeh Collingwood about the details of the report, we also took the opportunity to ask him how people involved in the impact community in the Middle East were dealing with the current conflict. Based in Amman, Jordan, Ghariabeh Collingwood is co-founder and managing partner at economic advisory firm Expectation State. He is also co-founder of the Arab Impact Network, which was launched in May 2025 with the aim of growing the region’s impact ecosystem.

• Read more: New Arab Impact Network aims to push MENA impact investment beyond 2% of global market

Here’s what he had to say. 

Pioneers Post: When we spoke last year about the launch of the Arab Impact Network you said, “The world might be on fire and yes, there are very urgent things for us to attend to, but we need to do this in the way that is appropriate to achieve the ultimate objective”. Given how much the context has changed since then, not least with the war in Iran, is that still the approach you would endorse? 

Andrew Gharaibeh Collingwood: There’s most value to be found at the moment in ecosystem-building organisations that are absolutely rooted in what the needs of their communities are; building depth, resilience and solidarity through those communities. I am finding more than ever in my work the value of the mobilisation of shared values. That brings responsibility, agency, sovereignty, and it makes me deeply and genuinely hopeful. 

But at the same time, the fire is blazing stronger and more is being set alight, and finding the balance in between that is very hard. Patience is required, but not as an indulgence. It can’t be, ‘Let’s be patient and get this right. We got it right, but there’s nothing left.’ There’s got to be an investment in the right type of practice, in the right type of work, but it can’t be ignorant of the urgency of what’s going on around us.

Pioneers Post: The ability to remain hopeful is hugely impressive given the context. What are the levels of morale in the MENA impact ecosystem currently, given Iran, given Gaza, given Lebanon?

Andrew Gharaibeh Collingwood (pictured): In terms of being able to share and identify with the human experience, I think morale is good, but the weight of the particular human experience here weighs very heavy. 

I was saying to a friend the other day, people talk about what’s going on in Lebanon, for instance, as if it’s been going on for just a few months. But the 2020 port explosion seemingly decimated the country, which was already on its knees economically. I remember being in a meeting in 2019 with a representative from a development finance institution and a member of the Lebanese government who said, ‘Lebanon is on a cliff edge.’ Well, where are we now? 

The resilience and recovery ability it takes to continue to push these concepts of impact and social enterprise, and doing good and community resilience are Herculean.

Pioneers Post: So what do impact ecosystem organisations in the region need to do now? 

Andrew Gharaibeh Collingwood: It’s time for commitment. In the impact networks and groups across the region, we really need to support one another. I think we’re doing that pretty well. I’m sure we’ve both been at events where basically all we talk about is capital flows and allocations, and it just feels a bit disconnected from a human experience. 

I’ve been to a few gatherings of impact folks across the region recently, and they do get quite punchy – punchy in the right way. Punchy in the way that really asks fundamental questions about identity, representation and values, that is really inspiring to be a part of. We’re finding ways of creating spaces where those that want to help and participate can feel like they can belong.

Pioneers Post: You’re highlighting the need for impact ecosystem actors in the region to support each other, but would you say adequate support, either financial or emotional, has been on offer from the rest of the world? 

Andrew Gharaibeh Collingwood: I would say the term that I hear quite a lot is there has been an ‘unmasking’ of what sits behind international support and what it can be tied to in terms of its conditions. 

Conditions around how money should be allocated, what defines impact and what communities need, need to be defined by those communities themselves

Now more than ever, conditions around how money should be allocated, what defines impact and what communities need, need to be defined by those communities themselves. There are incredible organisations that continue to support the region, particularly on the foundation and philanthropy side. It’s still yet to be seen from the major donors as to how that’s going to play out in terms of loosening a little bit of the conditionality around financing that’s provided in order to build something that is sovereign, resilient and steadfast.”

Header photo: The Temple of Hercules in Amman, Jordan, credit: Mhd.magayda, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons