Who We Are

During its first steps, Roia’s team installed satellite internet and built transmission towers to let conflict-affected Syrians communicate with the world. It also worked to guarantee two basic needs: safe and secure communication for human rights defenders and actors, and a telecommunications system for healthcare. Inspired by the change they saw in those conflict-affected communities, Roia felt the need to expand its activity, continuing to support war-affected communities and help human rights defenders spread their message.

In 2013, that group of young people moved to Turkey, looking for a more stable and connected environment where the organisation could grow, reach more people and cover more crucial sectors. They felt there was opportunity to expand their mission to education, employability and gender equality. Here, the idea became a long-term commitment and took the name of Roia. Roia, which means ‘vision’ in Arabic, seemed a perfect name to identify a project born without preconception as an instinctive response to the needs of those living under siege or in vulnerability. In Istanbul, Roia has taken a more comprehensive and long-term strategy to reach disadvantaged and conflict-affected communities in the Middle East.

In 2018, Roia moved its base of operation to the Netherlands and has since worked to also address the needs of the most-disadvantaged in Europe.

Today, the Roia Foundation is working in about five countries with several mission partners, humanitarian organisations that benefit from our work and local communities which support us. It works to enact positive social change for disadvantaged and conflict-affected communities, and help them regain hope in their own future. However, we are just at the beginning of our story.