15 years of LIFE's commitment told by its President, Tarek El Kahodi
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1) What was your background before founding LIFE? And how did these experiences influence your humanitarian commitment?
An engineer with a background in information technology (IT), I have worked as project manager and director at several CAC 40 companies, such as Orange, SFR, or institutions such as the Ministry of Defense and Justice. I even worked in a nuclear power plant. For about ten years, I have thus held positions of responsibility, where I was able to refine my skills and develop a solid professional network. From my beginnings in 2000, my career quickly took off. In 2007, I had the opportunity to participate in the launch of the iPhone at Orange, a major project that gave meaning to my work.
Everything was going well for me, but In 2008, I felt the need to give new meaning to my life. I had achieved professional success and was making a great living, but that was no longer enough for me. Life is more than just working, getting a good salary, going on vacation and coming back. So, maybe it was linked to my personal story: as a child, I was able to overcome a visual impairment thanks to my determination and resilience, becoming an engineer by challenge. So once this comfort of life is achieved, I felt the need to give back what I had received, to thank life, the universe for what I had been given. Reaching the top of Maslow's pyramid, self-actualization, pushed me to go further, pushed me to want to help others. At first, the more I earned, the more I donated to charities. But in 2008, when that inner flame intensified, I met Steve, founder of LIFE, which was then a small association in Saint-Denis. I started with a small volunteer commitment, motivated by a desire to contribute more.
Today, 15 years later, LIFE has grown a lot, and I am proud to have contributed to it since the beginning. My professional background and my desire to thank life have always fuelled this flame in me.
2) What inspired you to found LIFE 15 years ago?
The idea of founding LIFE dates back to 2009, when my associative commitment intensified. I wanted to get involved in concrete actions because although I was already a donor for several NGOs, I thought that the offer in France was limited, especially for young people. There was no real quality of service, customer experience.
LIFE was therefore born from a lack, from an absence.. When a void exists, there is always something that fills it. With the experience of all the founders who had all worked in large companies, we decided to create the association. We have implemented dashboards, project management tools, and marketing. We were inspired by what was being done in the United States, especially in the communication of Apple and other brands. We wanted to create an experience for donors, inspired by the world of luxury: welcoming people into an office, offering a very careful experience through our documentation, and using social networks from the beginning to communicate.
So with LIFE, we dug our first well in Africa, and the next ones soon followed. It marked the start of a great adventure.
3) Why did you choose the name “LIFE” for the organization?
A marketing expert was consulted and the name LIFE was proposed. It was a real eye-opener. This name, timeless, has survived the ages. Looking back, it can be said that we showed vision in choosing it, because LIFE resonates deeply in the hearts of many people and continues to inspire us.
4) What were the main challenges you and the other founding members faced when launching LIFE?
The main challenge was to find ways to raise money. How do you carry out all these projects? At the beginning, we financed from our own pocket and had to convince donors to join us in this adventure. Quickly, we managed to reach a target of CSP++ donors who believed in our project.
The second challenge was The weather. Between 2009 and 2014, we were a small team of volunteers: me, Steeve, Rabat, Rabat, Rabat, Sandy, Karima, Karima, Ferus, Sarah, Ali, Sabrina, Keita, Keita, Leila, Naim, Keita, Leila, Naim, Rabat, Rabat, Rabat, Naim, Pierre, Diana, and others. They were the first to found LIFE and to participate in the birth of this NGO. We worked during the day in our respective professions, then we went back to work in the evening to find funding and implement it in the field.
In 2014, we asked ourselves whether to continue. We then took on our first interns, because we were starting to manage more than 300,000 euros in donations, thanks only to our volunteers. Human resources management was one of the major challenges in setting up these projects in the field. Then, in 2015 and 2016, came the first fixed-term and permanent contracts. Communication then took place, and LIFE found its audience. Today, in 2024, we went from a single donor to over 200,000!
5) What moment from the LIFE Odyssey impressed you the most?
Among all the highlights, The first years remain etched in our memories. Our determination was such that nothing could stop us. In the evening, we organized remote meetings, and every 15 days, we met in Saint-Denis, on Saturday or Sunday. We were full of energy, and LIFE has truly transformed our lives. We found meaning in our commitment.
When we saw the first wells opened, received the first photos and videos, and heard the testimonies of grateful residents, it gave us all moments of intense emotion. Then, LIFE started drawing press attention and reached the milestone of its first million euros.
Our slogan, “doomed to disappear,” reflects our deepest aspiration: that one day, in the 25 countries where we are present, our intervention will no longer be necessary.
6) What are the fundamental values that guide LIFE's actions?
Solidarity, sharing, commitment, dignity, innovation : these powerful values have been the pillars that have guided LIFE from the very beginning. Over the past 15 years, they have not only guided our actions, but have also inspired everyone who has joined our journey. Solidarity was at the heart of each project, reminding us that it is by acting together that we can really make a difference. Sharing has allowed us to connect, learn from each other, and build bridges between remote communities. Our commitment has resulted in an unwavering desire to improve the living conditions of the people who need it most. Dignity has always been our compass, reminding us that each individual deserves to be treated with respect and humanity. Finally, innovation was our driving force, constantly pushing us to find creative and sustainable solutions to meet the challenges we were facing.
These values have forged the identity of LIFE and continue to be the core of our mission.. They nourish our hope for a more equitable and united world.
7) What is the biggest challenge that LIFE is currently facing?
One of the major challenges that LIFE is currently facing is to maintain its growth. By going from 0 to nearly 10 million euros collected, we must now continue this expansion, both in terms of human resources and projects. Our priority is to continue to develop this model of close cooperation with our partners in the field, in order to carry this voice well beyond LIFE.
The LIFE model is unique in the sector. : we are an NGO 3.0. Without physical premises, we opted for teleworking and digitalization, which allows us to make significant annual savings. This agile and modern approach has allowed us to meet many challenges, but the current challenge is to promote this model to inspire a new way of doing humanitarian work. Traditional NGOs sometimes struggle to understand this innovative approach. It is crucial to make it known, to defend it, and to encourage existing structures to adhere to it.
Another challenge is to consolidate our work with local partners, by cultivating a North-South, South-North relationship that is both positive and virtuous. We are not in the traditional humanitarian field; we rely on genuine partners on the ground, which sets us apart and gives us a solid basis for action.
In this same perspective, another objective is to raise our first institutional funds. We have already secured corporate funding, but access to institutional funds is the next key step for the future of LIFE.
8) How do you see the role of LIFE in the current humanitarian context?
We have a lot to offer thanks to our experience and our unusual model. It is essential to show that this model exists and that it is viable. On the occasion of its 15th anniversary, LIFE has proved its sustainability. Time has shown that we were right not to follow the traditional pattern of international humanitarian aid, by choosing to do things differently, with an agile approach. This is one of the major challenges we want to meet: propose a new model in terms of fundraising, transparency, cooperation in the field, and digitalization.
Our model, adapted to the times, is an essential characteristic of LIFE. It is a mode of operation that we must defend and promote. We are proof that an NGO can be innovative, effective, and in line with current challenges.
9) How do you see LIFE evolving in the coming years?
LIFE is in the process of becoming a major player in the humanitarian world thanks to its innovative model.. We stand out from the traditional model, which creates interest and gives us a perspective that is different from that of many NGOs. The French Development Agency (AFD) now requires that NGOs seeking funding can rely on local actors in the field. That's exactly what we've been doing from the start! When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, LIFE was already agile and ready to face these new challenges.
Our approach to communication, focused on social networks, and our ability to raise private funds of 10 million euros per year are attracting interest and inspiration. More and more, we are being asked to understand how we managed to mobilize 200,000 donors through our online presence and our communication. Our programs like the “LIFE Talk” set the tone, offering informative, impacting and inspiring content.
LIFE is an NGO that counts and will continue to count, thanks to its particularity and its model. We want to inspire young people to overcome stereotypes and social divides. Created by people from diverse backgrounds, LIFE has a crucial role to play in sharing, dialogue, and defending international law as during the Gaza conflict. We defend fundamental principles: access to education, the inalienable right to water, food security, and environmental protection.
Present in 25 countries, in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and soon in South America, LIFE will continue to intervene where our actions will be most effective. We uphold the values of fraternity and solidarity that reflect 15 years of commitment around the world.
10) What message would you like to convey?
A huge thank you to all the people who, in one way or another, contributed to the creation of LIFE. Today, LIFE is celebrating 15 years of commitment across 25 countries around the world. Thanks to the founding fathers of this NGO, who took on a challenge that was said to be impossible, as the proverb goes: “It was impossible, so they did it.”
As we watched LIFE's journey, we overcame challenges and obstacles, but we also experienced great stories, won big victories, and shared smiles with the people on the ground. Those were magnificent moments.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts to all the donors that we at LIFE call “Lifechangers”, and especially to those who believed in us from the start, when the project was only in its infancy. Their support was the key to the sustainability of our actions, which continue today with the involvement of 40 members of the LIFE team, dedicated to carrying out these projects and providing assistance to populations in the four corners of the world.
We think of those children who no longer have to walk kilometers to find water thanks to the construction of wells and can now go to school and of their mothers who can devote themselves to income-generating activities. We think of all the people to whom we were able to bring a little comfort and a ray of sunshine, whether during natural disasters, earthquakes, wars, or in refugee camps.
We remember these children to whom we brought school canteens, populations with whom we carried out reforestation actions to protect the environment while creating ecosystems and income-generating activities. To all these orphans to whom we have been able to reach out, to these children in Gaza with whom we are present: you have been the raison d'être of LIFE.
A huge thank you to all those who founded LIFE, who helped us, to the volunteers, and to all those who went through LIFE leaving an indelible mark, making our presence possible even today, 15 years later. We thank life for allowing us to participate in this magnificent project, and for helping in a different way.
We are proud, I am proud, of the progress made by LIFE. The best is yet to come. We hope to one day make this dream come true: that of no longer being necessary, of seeing a world where LIFE can disappear because the needs have been met. But for now, that is not yet the case. The challenges continue to grow with climate issues, population displacements, and many other crises. But this wish remains, and as long as there is still work to be done, LIFE will continue to stand up, driven by the values of fraternity and solidarity that have driven us for 15 years.
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