Create Lasting Impact: Self-Sustainability Workshop with DBF Projects

Last week, we hosted a pivotal workshop on the theme of “self-sustainability” for our Dream Building Fund (DBF) projects, bringing together current and alumni initiatives. The workshop centred on the transformative concept of social business, inspiring participants to reflect on how to integrate sustainability and long-term strategies into their projects and achieve operational viability beyond external funding cycles.

Exploring the Concept of Social Business

The workshop was opened by Karine Teow, ITTF’s Head of Sustainability, with an introduction to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the importance of prosperity under the broader idea of sustainability.

It was then led by Mayssa Bsaibes, the Foundation’s TT4ALL Coordinator and a former IOC Young Leader, alongside Sara Moamen, DBF Team member and a current IOC Young Leader. Together, they dived into the concept of social business.

Social business prioritises solving social challenges while generating profit to sustain operations. The idea offered participants a framework to envision self-sustainability independent of grants or donations. Through the workshop, we aimed to illustrate the potential of social business by providing real-life examples, inspiring participants to embrace prosperity on their journey to becoming self-sustainable.

To facilitate hands-on application, a lean and business model canvas was further introduced. This tool guided participants in outlining critical components of their initiatives, including identifying problems, proposing solutions, determining value propositions, and exploring revenue sources.

From Theory to Inspiring Case Studies

The workshop went on from theoretical discussions to practical insights as Sara and Mayssa shared their inspiring social business projects. As a former and current IOC Young Leader respectively, they shared how their initiatives which use sports to address local social challenges and empower their communities.

Operating in Egypt, Sara’s Alhalimun project leverages sports such as football, basketball, volleyball, boxing, and frisbee to develop life skills, improve psychosocial well-being, and provide educational and social opportunities for refugee children, youth, and their parents. She also showcased Alhalimun’s pillars, challenges, and sustainability strategies, emphasising diverse funding sources, local partnerships, and community engagement.

Mayssa’s Kee-PING Hope project in Lebanon is dedicated to producing table tennis tables and rackets from sustainable materials, addressing economic barriers to accessing sports. Mayssa highlighted the project’s achievement in providing underprivileged children with access to training sessions that foster life skills and community connections. Kee-PING Hope has reached over 500 individuals and continues to expand through creative revenue strategies like table rentals and public tournaments.

Both case studies underscored the importance of adaptability, community trust, and strategic planning in achieving sustainability. Using the lean and business model canvas, Sara and Mayssa illustrated how to clearly define problems, propose viable solutions, and outline pathways for long-term impact.

Mutual Learning and Future Steps

Throughout the workshop, participants were given the opportunity to reflect on their own DBF projects, prompted by the practical insights shared by Mayssa and Sara. These two case studies provided a comprehensive roadmap for integrating self-sustainability principles into their initiatives. Concluding the workshop, these DBF projects were encouraged to apply the lean canvas model to their projects and continue 1-on-1 discussions with the Foundation team focusing on the project details for the next steps.

The Self-Sustainability Workshop marked a significant cornerstone in empowering DBF projects to thrive independently beyond the DBF support cycle. While establishing a social business is one pathway to self-sustainability, it is not the only option. Participants are not required to create their own social business, but we hope the insights and key takeaways from this workshop inspire them to explore diverse strategies for long-term prosperity on their journey in the future.

Stay tuned by sign up for our newsletter and follow the DBF projects on Instagram. We look forward to witnessing the transformative power of sustainable development through sport.