MAHAK, the First and Only Finalist In Global Project Management Achievement Award

MAHAK Charity is now officially the first NGO in the world to become a finalist for the Project Management Achievement Award in ‘Internationally Funded Humanitarian Aid Project’ by International Project Management Association (IPMA).

In order to fully commit to our core values of transparency and accountability,  and to inform the public regarding MAHAK’s performance and achievement in regards to this award, MAHAK held a press conference with the attendance of various media on September 28th 2014.

At the beginning of the conference, Dr. Javad Karbassizadeh, chairman of MAHAK’s Board of Directors, welcomed the media for attending and mentioned that being awarded by IPMA is an honor for this NGO, which has been indebted on the trust, participation, effort and wisdom of MAHAK’s great family. Chairman of MAHAK’s B.o.D stated “strategic plan of MAHAK Charity is based on four main values of the organization: transparency, accountability, appreciation, and integrity. The organization’s Vision and Mission Statement is a translation of these four values. According to the transparency principle, all stakeholders are able to determine on an on-going basis, how resources are obtained, how they are utilized, and to what extent the outcome of operations have met the objectives ascertained in advanced. This NGO preserves this valuable capital by utilizing its transparent performance and exposing the ways in which resources are used to support children with cancer, in which in return leads to continuation and development of public participation for MAHAK’s development and administrative projects. Accountability is the other principle governing MAHAK. This organization takes a proactive approach to informing every stakeholder of the rights, privileges and services available to them. Attempt for creating respect-oriented relationship is the basis for appreciation. In regards to aesthetics, MAHAK believes in the words of Maulana: “If you become beautiful, you will reach beauty”.

These principles and values are formulated in the form of 360 codes of behavior at MAHAK so that they are observed accordingly with all stakeholders. As a priority objective, adopting and adhering to international standards along with being committed to MAHAK’s main principles, has been at the forefront of decision making at MAHAK, an all-consuming effort, the success of which can be judged by being elected as the only finalist in the field of ‘Internationally Funded Humanitarian Aid Project’ by this reputable association.

Mr. Mojtaba Azizi, the CEO of Iran Project Management Association, stated that IPMA has launched the Achievement Awards to give recognition to projects run by NGOs, Governments and other organizations (categories: Internationally Funded Humanitarian Aid Project and Community Service / Development Project) around the world, while the achievements in incorporating sustainability into project outcomes are being valued.

Mr, Azizi mentioned: “The achievement of MAHAK Charity in the field of IPMA Internationally Funded Humanitarian Aid Project is the first time in the world that a NGO has been able to pave a path to the final part of this award. Up until now, all projects from Iran which achieved this International award were in construction, development, or oil and gas fields. The fact that IPMA included social projects and NGOs in the Achievement Award denotes the importance of systemic management approach to such activities. The selection of MAHAK as the sole finalist for this award indicates that performance of this organization has been consistent with international and professional criteria and standards based on the evaluation of International experts. This achievement is the beginning of the path for a movement and progress of NGOs and social projects in our country toward excellence.”

The Internationally Funded Humanitarian Aid Award is made to an overseas project where completion or a large milestone has been reached. The Award recognizes a project managed or supported by a Non-Governmental Organization that has brought a major benefit to a community. This award recognizes the special challenges international development and aid projects present to project teams and their stakeholders. For this award, sustainability has been measured against the United Nations Global Compact’s ten principles. (ie relating to aspects of people, planet, profits).

Mrs. Golnaz Adl, head of the MAHAK’s volunteers association and one of the veteran volunteers of MAHAK Charity refers to the history of activities of this sector and states: “The number of volunteers was limited at the beginning, but currently MAHAK has hundreds of active volunteer members who perform activities of the organization side by side with employees.”

Mr. Arasb Ahmadian, CEO of MAHAK, referred to the important role of the media as an intermediator of MAHAK’s activities and achievements noted: “Today we would like to announce an important achievement to the members of our MAHAK family. The selection of MAHAK for receiving the Project Management Achievement Award among NGOs by International Project Management Association is an honor. It should be noted that there are three finalists in construction and economic division, while MAHAK is the sole finalist in the NGO segment. This honorable achievement, which was achieved by the help and commitment of hundreds of people in MAHAK and thousands of supporters, is very important for this organization.  The belief of this organization to transparency and accountability values, which in return leads to the achievement of performance in accordance with international standards in provision of qualitative and quantitative services toward the children with cancer and their families.”

“MAHAK has always acted within international standards in order to provide the highest level of qualitative services to children with cancer and commit to its mission toward all its stakeholders. Accordance of this organization’s working processes with this goal is measured by entities which are responsible for measurement of standards at international levels.”

Afterwards, MAHAK’s CEO introduced the Two Year Operational – Development Plan (2012 – 2013), which was the project evaluated for the IPMA award.  Also, financial report, performance report and key indexes of performance of MAHAK Charity during 2011 to 2013 were given in detail with documentation so that MAHAK’s supporters can observe the outcome of their donations. According to this report, statistics of the organization in return, costs, the number of children with cancer under support, MAHAK Hospital’s admission capacity, communication with stakeholders grew compared to the previous years.

Unfortunately, according to global statistics and thus in Iran, the number of children with cancer is growing and the need of increasing participation and support at MAHAK is crucial for children with cancer and their families.

Achieving the status for the first and only finalist for this international award is an encouraging step to reassure others that  major values of MAHAK such as transparency and accountability,  and  optimal use of organizational resources have successfully been benchmarked by international standards to support children with cancer.

As for raising organizational standards to global levels, MAHAK was recognized by the Société Generale de Surveillance (SGS) and awarded the Verified Certificate of NGO Benchmarking in November 2007- a major accomplishment, as the first non-governmental organization in the Middle East to have obtained such a certificate and the fact that the organization is ranked in the top ten globally among over 260 non-governmental organizations recently audited by SGS for NGO benchmarking verifies its organizational integrity and global stature. In addition, MAHAK achieved Quality Silver Trophy (GIC) from GIC International Institute, thus MAHAK was recorded among ten top organizations in 2011.

MAHAK has also gained consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) as a result of which we have joined the concerted global endeavor to accomplish the strategic Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set by the United Nations member states, as well as the World Cancer Declaration targets by 2025.

MAHAK is grateful to all the organizations, specialists and supporters who help MAHAK in improving the quality and quantity of its services for children with cancer throughout Iran.  Being recognized by such prestigious entity assures MAHAK’s ever-expanding family that the path is correct and the efforts towards reducing the malignancy effects of cancer for children and their families are bearing fruit.