Born From Resistance, Driven By Change
About Us
The Kayani Project was born in response to the systemic injustices faced by refugees and stateless individuals across the MENA region and Europe. Rooted in the lived experience of its founder, Manal Makkieh, who was born and raised in the Mar Elias Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon, Kayani emerged from a firsthand understanding of inequality, exclusion, and silenced voices. Driven by the belief that people should have the power to shape the systems that govern their lives, Kayani brings communities together to build collective power, challenge existing structures, and create pathways towards more just, inclusive, and equitable futures.
Our Mission
To bring people together, strengthen collective power, and create spaces for participation, dialogue, and action. Through community-led social work, facilitation, advocacy, and campaigning, we support people in identifying their own priorities, addressing shared challenges, and driving meaningful social change.
Our Vision
A world where societies are built around human dignity, shared responsibility, and the wellbeing of people and the planet, ensuring that no one is left behind.
Our Values
COLLECTIVE POWER – We believe lasting change emerges when people come together, organise, and act collectively.
AGENCY & AUTONOMY – We recognise individuals and communities as the experts of their own lives, priorities, and aspirations.
SOCIAL JUSTICE – We challenge structural inequalities, discrimination, and systems that reproduce exclusion and injustice.
SOLIDARITY & INCLUSION – We build connections across identities, borders, and lived experiences, recognising the power of shared struggles.
PARTICIPATION & DEMOCRACY – We champion meaningful participation, shared decision-making, and people's right to influence the structures governing their lives.
DIGNITY & ACCOUNTABILITY – We approach every intervention with respect, transparency, and a commitment to responding to people's self-defined needs and choices.