"Lighting the way to hope and development"

Mission is to value underprivileged people and contribute to their growth.

Foundation Noura is a non-governmental organization with a mission to value underprivileged people and contribute to their growth.  The organization believes that these people were created with skills and abilities that should be encouraged and developed.  The name Noura is the Arabic word for light.  As a foundation, Noura believes in the nation of Mauritania and desires to see it grow and develop to its full potential.  The foundation was established in the Netherlands in 1988 and has had representation in Mauritania since 1997

Our objective is to work towards breaking cycles of relapse by making the incarceration period a time of rehabilitation and preparation towards re-entry into society.  The incarceration time becomes a time for profitable apprentice-ship.  The goal of our project is to focus on the areas of training and social/economic rehabilitation.

We work with several women, currently teaching them sewing skills.  Many of these women are ex-prisoners and others are from the local community.  This has been a wonderful opportunity to invest time and energy in the people of Mauritania.  Some of the women are beginning to take more initiative now in the sales and marketing of their products, which helps to provide for their families.

In the desert country of Mauritania, 47% of the adult population is still illiterate.  The motivation to learn how to read and write is great.  "I want it more than my eye's!" is how one Mauritanian woman expressed her desire to learn.  Foundation Noura desires to enable the men and women of Mauritania to improve their lives for a better tomorrow through literacy.