Creating Change through Connectivity, Community, and Service
Rafea Salem El-Hawi
Mr. Rafea Salem El-Hawi was born in Rafah City, Gaza Strip, Palestine, on April 13, 1967. His early life was marked by turmoil, as he was just less than 2 months old when the Israeli Arab War began in June 5, 1967. The Gaza Strip and West Bank came under Israeli military control, and Mr. El-Hawi’s family was among those deeply affected.
As Mr. El-Hawi was told by his mother and siblings, on a tragic day in June 1967, “The Israeli Military in Rafah City used loudspeakers to call all men aged 16 to 60 to gather at the nearby elementary school. My father decided to go but insisted my older brothers (aged 19 and 15) flee the city. That day, my father and all the men who went to the school were massacred and buried there. We were allowed to bring home their remains three days later. My brothers went to Jordan and Jerusalem, and we didn’t hear from them for over six years until 1973.”
Growing up without a father, Mr. El-Hawi had to mature quickly. At seven, he began selling newspapers on the streets, and by nine, he was selling vegetables in the market. At twelve, he worked on farms harvesting olives, vegetables, and fruits. By sixteen, he sold fruits in Israeli territories, and at eighteen, he was selling clothes in the West Bank. Despite his responsibilities, he always volunteered to help rebuild homes destroyed by the war.
In 1986, Mr. El-Hawi traveled to the Philippines to study. He shared, “I never planned to settle here, but when the first ‘Intifada’ (Uprising) started in Palestine a year later, I stopped receiving money from my family. I applied for asylum at the UNHCR office in Makati and was accepted in October 1988.” In the Philippines, he frequently opened his home to other refugees, even when he and his wife lived in a one-bedroom apartment. “I welcomed another struggling refugee family to stay with us for a year without any expenses on their part. I was blessed with a wife who has a big humanitarian heart like me,” he added.
“Sir Raffy”, as he is commonly called in the rightsholders community, was the founder of PACCI with a deep personal understanding of the refugee experience himself. Thus, PACCI has its branding of the first and only refugee-led organization (RLO) of refugees in the Philippines.
The Philippine Arab Cooperation Council Inc. (PACCI), initially a charitable association for the Arab community, has become a sanctuary for refugees and asylum seekers in the Philippines. Established on July 27, 2018, PACCI is a non-profit organization helping needy Arabs and their descendants, including refugees and asylum seekers. It is the only SEC-registered refugee-led organization recognized by UNHCR Philippines. PACCI’s five incorporators include Mr. Rafea El-Hawi, Atty. Alexander Bacarro, Dr. Johayrah Omar, Mr. Raed Ghandour, and Mrs. Liza Marie El-Hawi, with support from Presidential Adviser Sec. Abdullah “Dabs” Mama-O and Mr. Ahmad Alkhalaf.
PACCI initially provided assistance through a WhatsApp group called “Lel-Musaadat,” meaning “for aid.” Through this platform, PACCI helped refugees during emergencies and deaths and organized activities like medical assistance. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, PACCI distributed 150 food kits to needy refugees and asylum seekers, including non-Arab refugees. That year, PACCI decided to include all refugees and asylum seekers in the Philippines, regardless of religion, race, gender, or nationality.
The Philippines hosts many UN agencies, NGOs, and academic institutions that aid forcibly displaced and stateless individuals. As a refugee-led organization, PACCI believes it can deliver positive change for refugees, understanding their sentiments firsthand. In2020 and 2021, Mr. El-Hawi participated in numerous interviews and meetings to assess the situation of refugees and asylum seekers in the Philippines. PACCI established good relationships with government agencies like the DOJ and partnered with an international humanitarian NGO based in the Philippines, like the Community and Family Services International (CFSI), who focuses on rebuilding lives. PACCI also collaborates with local service providers to help refugees integrate into the community.
In June 2021, PACCI submitted a project proposal to VOICE Global/Philippines to equip refugees and asylum seekers with skills to empower them and facilitate their integration into local communities. The project, “Empowering Refugee Women and Youth Towards Self-Reliance and Socio-Economic Integration in the Philippines,” began in May 2022. PACCI ensures inclusivity in program and activity planning, involving rightsholders from the beginning to implementation and evaluation stages. It encourages refugees to share inputs and participate in planning activities.
The year 2023 was busy yet rewarding for PACCI and Mr. El-Hawi. In June, UNHCR Philippines invited PACCI to join the First Film Festival during World Refugee Day. The following month, UNHCR Philippines and the Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development (PLCPD) invited Mr. El-Hawi to critique the ‘Comprehensive Refugee Bill,’ attended by representatives from Philippine Congress, the Supreme Court, DOJ, DSWD, and various government agencies. In September, he was invited by the UNHCR Regional Bureau to attend the Preparatory Meeting for the Global Refugee Forum (GRF) and subsequently invited by UNHCR Philippines to join the National Preparatory Meeting for the GRF 2023. These accomplishments marked PACCI’s growing recognition in the humanitarian sector.
In November 2019, Mr. El-Hawi was invited by the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) to attend a one-week advocacy training for refugee rights in Bangkok, Thailand. This opportunity allowed him to connect with different refugees across Asia. On 2021, PACCI was accepted as a member of the Asia-Pacific Network of Refugees (APNOR), and participated with the support of VOICE as one of the organizers of Asia Pacific Summit of Refugees (APSOR) on May 17-19, 2024 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, along with five rightsholders from the Philippines.
PACCI understands the UNHCR’s call to share responsibilities with organizations and host countries to aid refugees and strives to provide effective, practical, and sustainable solutions worldwide. Since implementing its project in 2022, PACCI has connected with hundreds of refugees from diverse cultural backgrounds. It remains dedicated to offering practical solutions to pressing problems like unemployment, access to education, and medical assistance.
The VOICE-funded project has significantly impacted the lives of many refugees and asylum seekers in the Philippines and boosted PACCI’s name and credibility in helping them. UNHCR Philippines and the DOJ-RSPPU now recognize PACCI’s influence on refugee and asylum seeker issues. Mr. El-Hawi proudly stated, “We have made it clear that ‘NOTHING ABOUT US (REFUGEES) WITHOUT US.’ We (PACCI and the refugees) are being heard and listened to by Philippine legislators, regional politicians, and government decision-makers worldwide.”
Mr. El-Hawi expressed his deep gratitude to VOICE “for giving us these milestones and opportunities to serve and help the refugees and asylum seekers in the Philippines.” He also extended profound appreciation to (CFSI) for believing in PACCI and partnering with them in this maiden project as the only refugee-led organization in the country.
Throughout his life, Mr. El-Hawi expressed his compassion and empathy to people in countless ways. He applied his own inner strengths through adversities to empower people who faced similar hardships inspiring hope and courage in everyone he touched. His legacy and advocacy continues to guide the way for future generations, demonstrating that no matter the struggle, there are ways to overcome it.
Mr. El-Hawi ended the interview with his favorite song
(“We are the World”, Song by U.S.A. for Africa):