In 2024, Rabih Chamma and Merciful Group received a Volunteer Award recognising their contribution and dedication in response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The certificate, bearing the Parliament of Australia House of Representatives heading, was signed by Tony Burke MP, Federal Member for Watson. It specifically referred to work carried out in coordination with GAP.
The recognition followed a period in which people across Australia gave time, property and practical help to families affected by the crisis. Merciful Group had been part of that effort. In December 2023, ABC News reported on rent-free homes made available to newly arrived families in Sydney, and The Guardian reported on Merciful Group’s support for families during those first weeks.
Recognition of a collective effort
An award can name an organisation and its leader, but relief work depends on many more people. Accommodation was offered because property owners opened their doors. Everyday assistance reached families because volunteers and supporters were willing to respond. Merciful Group’s role was part of this larger network of generosity.
For Rabih and the team, the award is a reminder that practical service is visible to the wider community. The strongest measure of that service is not the certificate itself, but the real support that people received when they faced uncertainty and needed a place to begin again.
Continuing the work with care
Recognition brings an obligation to keep explaining the work clearly. Merciful Group wants supporters and professional partners alike to understand what it does, where it works and how its projects are carried out. The same care that goes into responding to a family’s immediate needs should go into the records and conversations that allow others to assess the organisation responsibly.
The 2024 Volunteer Award marks one chapter in Merciful Group’s community response. The generosity behind that response remains its most important story.