Hani Qaddumi: Unremitting Support to Palestinians in Higher Education
Palestine Economy Portal
Translated by Tamara Barakat
Hani Jameel Qaddumi was born in Jaffa, but moved with his family to Nablus because of the Nakba in 1948. He remained in Nablus for a few months before he traveled to Kuwait, looking for a job.
In 1949, Qaddumi became the Head of the Passport, Residency and Travel Department in Kuwait, which reported to the Prince of Kuwait, Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabbah, whose office was also run by Qaddumi.
In 1962, and following a decision issued by the former Prince of Kuwait, Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah, Qaddumi managed Al-Sabah’s office in the Amiri Diwan, and then became part of the delegation that accompanied Al-Sabah in conferences and talks.
Qaddumi resigned from this post in 1965 and turned to working in business in the private sector. In Kuwait, he established a corporation called Safwan Trading and Contracting Company, and founded another company in the UAE. Also, he was a member of several Boards of Directors for different Arab economic organizations.
Moreover, he supported many charitable associations, and was one of the founders of the Palestinian Higher Education Fund that was established by a group of Kuwaiti and Palestinian elites. He is a member of the Board of Trustees at the Welfare Association that operates in both Palestine and the refugee camps in Lebanon.
One of the most significant organizations associated with him is the Hani Qaddumi Scholarship Foundation that was established by his wife and two children in 2001 based on his’s aspirations. This Foundation offers several scholarships to distinguished Palestinian students, specifically those who have financial problems, in order to help them continue their education in a number of prestigious American, British, Canadian and Lebanese Universities. The scholarship targets students in several disciplines, specifically those pursuing a degree in Engineering, IT and Computer Sciences, and Business Administration.
So far, the Foundation has offered scholarships that amount to over $5 million to around 1000 students.
