When I first received a call from Tarek Bizri, a goodwill ambassador of one of my personal favorite charities in the region, Gulf For Good, I was immediately excited by this person’s zest for life that was so obvious from merely their tone of voice, emanating with that contagious passion for adventure, and doing good for others while having fun! To say the least, I couldn’t wait to meet this person and hear their story, and maybe even see if I can fit in a challenge or two in 2013.
Upon meeting Tarek, I realize that finding your bliss is no mythical feat; it is a decision that naturally comes with the realization that you always have a choice to do what fulfills every aspect of your life. “The hard part, of course, is always finding and arriving at that particular realization.” Tarek stated confidently. He’s a well-accomplished individual, an entrepreneur with a demanding career, a large family, and a full time volunteer and ambassador for Gulf For Good. One might think that he would be overly stressed out with all of these responsibilities, yet he embraces it all with a huge smile. After all, he had found his bliss.
Tarek states, “A few years ago, after tragically losing my brother, I decided to go trekking in Nepal on a whim. Despite the tough, physical challenge, I loved every minute of the adventure.” Not only so, Tarek’s trek revealed to him the extreme poverty of the children in countries like Nepal, where he then took it upon himself to raise money to furnish a school in Chommrong, a poor rural district of Nepal. “After so much sadness in my life, this experience changed my life physically, mentally and emotionally. I found what we call ‘my bliss’.” Of course, raising funds alone is difficult, yet making sure that the funds were properly used, and that the project of furnishing the school was completed within his budget, Tarek realized that charity and goodwill can be rendered useless without the right logistics. He came back from Nepal invigorated; with a new purpose in life, seizing new opportunities, yet wishing he could find the right path to do more good.
“Hence, I discovered Gulf for Good in Dubai, founded by people that shared the same passion. This group provided me with the logistics that solved my money and charity dilemma. I was free to concentrate on sport, raising money, and enjoying the process of being directly involved in making a difference to children in various parts of the world.” He smiled, and adds, “I went on to complete three G4G (Gulf for Good) challenges so far, and I’ve signed up for my fourth one this July.” As a goodwill ambassador for Gulf for Good in Kuwait, Tarek aims to spread the idea of fitness of the body and mind, while doing good for children of the world.
Tarek then went on to describe his journeys, from trekking the great wall of China, Myanmar and cycling all over the Emirates, each challenge was completed with an even more awarding accomplishment: giving kids around the world a chance for a better future. Besides the physical challenge that broadens your horizons, meeting people from different walks of life is an invaluable feature that has Tarek adamantly fundraising his next adventure, “It’s not just about being physically fit that you can take on the great wall of China, it’s all about the journey, meeting fellow like-minded people who share the same goal of making a difference in someone’s life while enriching their horizons. There is so much more to the world than what we think we already know.” After the challenge is complete, the group of adventurers then may opt to fly back home, or remain a few extra days to explore the culture and country. He also adds, “The challenges are normally timed to not go on for longer than one week, so that people with job commitments and families, like myself, can partake while carrying on with their full lives back home.”
About Gulf For Good:
We organize exciting adventure challenges around the world inspiring people to do something unusual. Participants raise funds, which are then donated to handpicked Children’s charities in the part of the world where the challenge is held.
So far, Gulf for Good has raised more than USD 2 Million donated to children’s charities in various parts of the world, and has completed projects including: building a community hospital in Nepal, classrooms in Tanzania, equipping schools in Jordan & Oman, providing medical equipment in Palestine & China, building a training center for disabled children in Sri Lanka, building a teaching center in Borneo, refurbishing orphanages in Thailand, Cambodia & Egypt, and much more!
Gulf for Good has four main objectives:
To bring together Gulf nationals and residents
in a good cause;
To encourage people to push their own limits;
To show people the value and enjoyment of
motivation, commitment and helping others;
To raise large sums for worthwhile projects.
Money raised through each challenge is spent
on worthwhile child-related projects in the area
in which the challenge takes place.
For more information, visit www.gulf4good.org/en and to get in touch with Tarek for your next adventure, please email tarekbizri@gmail.com.
