Hassan Tatanaki ( ar, حسن طاطاناكي) is a

Libya Libya (; ar, ليبيا, Lībiyā), officially the State of Libya ( ar, دولة ليبيا, Dawlat Lībiyā), is a country in the Maghreb region in North Africa. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to Egypt–Libya bo ...

n-born businessman who invests in building of local Libyan communities civil society programs ranging from organic farming, water resource management, water and waste water treatment, the construction of educational facilities, and improvement of the program at the Tobruk School for the Blind. Most recently, Hassan Tatanaki founded Libya El Hurra Charity (LHC) which aims to provide humanitarian aid and relief to internally displaced, refugees, and vulnerable populations such as women and children in Libya, and refugees situated in

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and

Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...

Biography

Tatanaki serves as chairman of the oilfield drilling company

Challenger Limited Challenger Ltd is a provider of contract oil and gas land drilling and workover services. History Challenger is based in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, and the company Chairman is Hassan Tatanaki. The company was founded in ...

. Educated and raised in the United Kingdom, he has directed his private philanthropic efforts toward humanitarian relief for Arab and African states in crisis and to promote moderate interpretations of the Muslim faith. Tatanaki provided the seed funding for Cairo-based Azhari TV, a new satellite television channel launched in August 2009 during the start of Ramadan. The channel aims to discourage extremism and promote the moderate face of Islam. Azhari, which features 24-hour entertainment and education programming, is the brainchild of clerics associated with Al-Azhar University, considered the highest authority of religious teachings in Sunni Islam.

Libya El Hurra Charity (LHC)

Libya El Hurra Charity (LHC) was established within the first week of the Libyan crisis to provide humanitarian aid and relief to internally displaced, refugees, and vulnerable populations such as women and children. LHC is committed to not only providing aid, but also to promoting international awareness of the plight of the Libyan people and displaced persons. LHC is represented by the Libyan people, university professors, students, authors, intellectuals, scientists, and business owners of all ages who have united in support of a common goal: a democratic and prosperous Libya. Libya El Hurra Charity's mission is to assist the displaced, refugee, and vulnerable populations within Libya and its surrounding countries with humanitarian aid and relief works. Utilizing the unique skill sets of the Libyan people, Libya El Hurra Charity supports the Libyan people as they seek to rebuild their country in all aspects of development. LHC serves as a platform to empower communities, including women and children, providing a forum where all people can openly discuss the future of Libya, while maintaining the highest standards of integrity and accountability. Libya El Hurra Charity has an extensive global network of volunteers who are determined to help the displaced population of Libya and the prevention of further suffering of vulnerable populations such as women and children. In addition, the dedicated team supports LHC by assisting with humanitarian aid and relief works projects and through raising awareness about the current humanitarian crisis in and around Libya.

Business activities

Challenger Limited, one of the leading drilling, work-over, and oilfield services companies in the region, operates throughout

North Africa North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in ...

and the Gulf region. Acquired by Tatanaki in 1991, Challenger currently owns and operates a fleet of 30 rigs and has worked with major energy corporations including Total,

Marathon The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of , usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There are also wheelchair div ...

, and Verenex. In January 2008, Bronco Drilling acquired a 25% equity interest in Challenger and added several rigs to the overall fleet.

Other activities

Tatanaki is a dedicated philanthropist whose family foundation supports an array of humanitarian, cultural, and educational causes in Africa and the Middle East. He provided new housing for families in

who were displaced when a section of rock broke off from a large outcrop in the Moqattam district of

Cairo Cairo ( ; ar, القاهرة, al-Qāhirah, ) is the capital of Egypt and its largest city, home to 10 million people. It is also part of the largest urban agglomeration in Africa, the Arab world and the Middle East: The Greater Cairo metro ...

in 2008, food and medical supplies to the Southern Sudan during the

Second Sudanese Civil War The Second Sudanese Civil War was a conflict from 1983 to 2005 between the central Sudanese government and the Sudan People's Liberation Army. It was largely a continuation of the First Sudanese Civil War of 1955 to 1972. Although it originate ...

, and development aid for a variety of projects in Libya. Tatanaki and Dr. Khaled Azzam, Chief Executive of The Prince's School of Traditional Arts, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on 30 January 2007, signifying their cooperation to open a school of traditional arts and handicrafts in

Tripoli Tripoli or Tripolis may refer to: Cities and other geographic units Greece *Tripoli, Greece, the capital of Arcadia, Greece * Tripolis (region of Arcadia), a district in ancient Arcadia, Greece * Tripolis (Larisaia), an ancient Greek city in ...

to train Libyan youth in the principles of traditional

Islamic art Islamic art is a part of Islamic culture and encompasses the visual arts produced since the 7th century CE by people who lived within territories inhabited or ruled by Muslim populations. Referring to characteristic traditions across a wide ra ...

and design. This training is intended to contribute to the ongoing restoration of the urban environment in the old city, or medina, of Tripoli.Libya: The Old City of Tripoli
The Prince's School of Traditional Arts. (Accessed May 24, 2008)

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tatanaki, Hassan Living people Libyan Muslims Libyan businesspeople Year of birth missing (living people)