9 times Arab celebrities proved they have big hearts

Celebrities often make headlines for their talents, album releases, achievements, and more often than not, drama.

However, when it comes to acts of kindness, these stories aren't often highlighted in the foreground.

In February 2011, Egyptian singer Amr Diab launched the program Masry Begad on one of his radio shows. 

The campaign focused on guidelines of how fans can assist in rebuilding Egypt after the revolution.

Team members and staff of his radio station Diab FM took the lead by donating blood at a medical center in Mohandeseen as a way to encourage all of Amr Diab's fans to participate in the program's weekly campaigns.

Mohammed Assaf grew up in Gaza's Khan Younis Refugee Camp, where the schools, clinics and community centers he attended were all run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

He was one of over 220,000 students of the UNRWA's program.

Growing up, this had a vast and ever-lasting impact on him. He went on to become the first Regional Youth Ambassador of the UN Palestinian Refugee Agency in more than sixty years. He has held this position since 2013. 

Mohammed used his talent, voice, and prominence to support other children that are currently managed under the UNRWA programs. In 2013, he traveled to New York City to represent the UNRWA's cause to the United States of America.

In 2015, he performed at an event in Khan Younis, supporting the International Day for Mine Awareness.

Inspired by Audrey Hepburn's work with the UN, this Egyptian actor became a Goodwill Ambassador for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in 2000. He has been active in his role as Goodwill Ambassador ever since and frequently travels throughout the Middle East to raise both money and awareness for refugees in Arabic-speaking countries. 

In 2000, Adel visited Yemen where he witnessed the confinement of the refugees there. He was ultimately able to convince then-president Ali Abdullah Saleh to allow the construction of a road in Al Kharaz Refugee Camp that would lead all the way to the capital, Sana'a. The purpose of the road was to allow refugees to move freely and at ease.

In 2007, he visited Syria to meet with refugees from Iraq and spoke with the Syrian authorities about improving their conditions, as well as expediting the entry process for a number of Iraqi children stuck on the border.

Adel Imam has used his acting skills to take on roles that advocate issues related to minority rights, as well as the poor and vulnerable. He has also become a role model for tolerance and denounces fanaticism and extremism.

"In many of my films, I fight against discrimination and raise awareness about poverty and social problems - issues that need to be addressed but which are often not discussed easily. I asked myself how I could add more to the discussion, and with UNHCR, I have an opportunity to make a positive contribution to humanity, to reach out and help people who are desperate and in need." - Adel Imam

Not only did Lebanese celebrity Ragheb Alama assist in opening schools for refugees, but he's also joined the fight against climate change, an issue that is often underrepresented in the Middle East.

He handles the climate change initiatives of the UN Environmental Program (UNEP) and continuously raises awareness through his network in schools, universities, and the Lebanese parliament.

In his current role as Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Environmental Progam, Ragheb plays an active humanitarian role and continues to support UNEP’s activities.

Lebanese multi-platinum singer, songwriter, and fashion icon has not only given her voice to beautiful songs but also to issues highlighting those affected by autism.

She has hosted several charity concerts in which all of the proceeds went to the Autism Association.

During the 2006 Lebanon War, she donated equipment for three ambulances to the Lebanese Red Cross.

Kathem El Saher was born in Mosul, Iraq, where until mid-July 2017, the battle against ISIS militants took place in full force.

In 2011, the renowned singer, composer and songwriter was appointed as the first-ever UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for Iraq.

He was later promoted and is currently serving as UNICEF's Regional Ambassador for the Middle East and North Africa.

Cheb Khaled became a temporary Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Food and Agricultural Organization in 2003.

In 2013, Cheb Khaled participated in a concert in Italy to promote the annual Earth Day and to demonstrate support for global environmental protection.

In 2009, Nancy Ajram became UNICEF’s first female Ambassador for the MENA region. She is actively working in this role and her goal is to help raise awareness about issues affecting children in the Middle East.

Her focus is set on areas of early childhood development, breastfeeding, nutrition, healthy lifestyles, as well as physical and psychosocial violence against minors. 

In the past, she also produced a video appeal for UNICEF in which she sent out a call to action asking parents to make sure their children are vaccinated against polio.

"It is an honour for me to be given this opportunity to contribute to this work for children...As a young mother with a small child myself, I relate even more to children and to mothers of the region. This is a dream come true and even more important to me than my artistic achievements." - Nancy Ajram 

Not all acts of kindness are done on a large scale. We can all do our part to help others in need. An amazing example of this is Lebanon's media mogul, Nidal Al Ahmadieh.

We spoke to Nidal's son Roni Al Ahmadieh, who told StepFeed that when the Syrian war started in 2011, a family in Dawhet Aramoun (a Beirut suburb) was kicked out of their apartment, simply because they were Syrian.

Without hesitation, Nidal put the family up in her own five bedroom apartment. The apartment was one of her most prized possessions. 

She opened her doors and heart to the family, offering them a rent-free home for as long as they needed. Not only for them, but also for their extended family. It became their home for four years.

Nidal continued to support the family both with required arrangements and emotionally until they were able to get back on their feet.