Success stories of leaders in the third sector: Salma Al-Rashed and Al-Nahda Society

Vision 2030 is keen on supporting and developing the third sector, as it stipulated "maximizing the social impact of the non-profit sector" by supporting it and developing its systems for institutional transformation by supporting projects and programs with social impact and facilitating the establishment of non-profit organizations through e-government.

This ease of procedures will contribute to the development of the third sector and achieve the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goals for this field, which is to raise the contribution of this sector to the gross domestic product to 5% in the coming years.

What is the third sector?

The third sector is one of the three main sectors of any nation-state: 

• The first sector: The government sector, which is responsible for public authorities and ministries, and its priority is to the state and the people.
• The second sector: The private sector or the for-profit sector, and it’s run by business owners, some of which are in partnership with the first and second sectors. 
• The third sector: It’s complementary to the first sector and integrated within the second sector. It consists of charitable societies, non-profit institutions, and any organized work with altruistic goals to serve and support various members of society.

One of the most successful and inspiring stories from the third sector in the Kingdom is the Al-Nahda Women’s Society, led by Salma Al-Rashed.

Who is Salma Al-Rashed?

Salma is one of the most distinguished leaders in the third sector in the Kingdom. She’s a member of Women 20 (W20), an official G20 engagement group, and the head of the Women's Cadres Support Program at the Al-Nahda Women's Society. She’s also the first woman whose name has been included in the voter registration for municipal council elections in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Salma Al-Rashed's story with the Al-Nahda Women's Society, founded in 1963, began when she was young, as she accompanied her mother to the society's meetings. She’s currently the director of the society’s advocacy program.

Salma has pursued her interest in philanthropy academically. She holds a degree in Modern Management for Nonprofit Organizations from the University of Geneva in Switzerland and certification from the Council for Certification in Volunteer Administration in the United States (CCVA).

Al-Nahda Women’s Society obtained the royal trust from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, may God protect him, to lead the W20 women’s engagement group. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia hosted the G20 women’s engagement group on November 25, 2019, at the headquarters of the Al-Nahda society, represented by Dr. Soraya Obaid, President of the Saudi women’s engagement group, and Ms. Salma Al-Rashed following the women’s engagement group meeting in Japan. It’s worth noting that the Kingdom is the only Arab country in the G20, which along with other Asian countries, represents the Asian continent.

The confidence in Al-Nahda Women’s Society, from the leadership of the Kingdom in particular and the third sector in general, indicates the importance of this sector to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Perhaps it’s time to start your own journey in the third sector? Mohammed bin Salman Foundation “Misk“ Youth NPOs Incubator is a 15-week program during which you will learn everything you need to start a non-profit organization. Through the program, you will receive professional educational content, in-kind and financial support, and many other benefits. Register now, and take the first step toward building your own non-profit organization.