MediumThe Power of Giving. Given my birth family’s status as… | by Faris Alami | Medium
Sitemap
Faris Alami

Faris Alami

Faris Alami | CEO, ISM. Global entrepreneurship ecosystem builder advancing SME growth and leadership development to strengthen local communities worldwide now!

Member-only story

The Power of Giving

3 min readFeb 2, 2026
Image from Unsplash by Kelly Sikkema

Given my birth family’s status as refugees, I was fortunate to grow up in a house.

We didn’t have much. Talking about what we used to have prior to becoming refugees was part of the day-to-day conversation. But we also discussed the things we were blessed with since the initial loss of everything.

Security was key. Having food and stability, while others were still suffering. I was given the benchmark to always ensure that we are providing a hand for the people behind us.

The act of giving is not about feeling superior, but instead about being sure you are part of the community and understand the struggles of every individual.

To be honest, these things did not hit me until years later, when I started reflecting on my parent’s life journey. Growing up I didn’t pay much attention to it or think about it.

I remember vividly when my dad would receive income. He would ask us to drive him to hand out most of that money, knowing that what he just received was not enough to cover his rent, let alone food or anything else. Still, he gave some of it away to someone that he knew was struggling more than he was.

That approach is embedded in the work that I do every day.

Some people think that I personally have a lot of money or things. In reality, just like anyone…

--

--

Faris Alami
Faris Alami

Written by Faris Alami

Faris Alami | CEO, ISM. Global entrepreneurship ecosystem builder advancing SME growth and leadership development to strengthen local communities worldwide now!